The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-03-04
SHIP SUBSIDY FIGHT OPENS
SENATOR FRYE FIRES FIRST GUN
 IN THE BATTLE.

Eernestness tn Support of the Measure
 Declares the Shipping Interests of
 Asks Who Is Going to Carry tho $4s7,-
 OOO,OOO of Exports in Event of War
 Between England and Germany.
 Washington, March To-day the
 senate began consideration of what is
 popularly known as the ship-subsidy
 bill, a measure to provide for ocean
 mail service between the United States
 and foreign ports, and for the common
 defense; to promote commerce and to
 encourage deep sea fisheries. MT. Frye
 of Maine, chairman of the committee on
 commerce, made the opening state
 ments in support of the bill. He occu-
 pied the floor for nearly two hours, and
 his speech was delivered with intense
 earnestness. MT. Frye said it seemed
 to him that the policy of protection had
 been vastly beneficial to the American
 people. Only one industry had been
 without protection, and without protec-
 tion for fifty years, and with logical
 result. The shipping interests of the
 country had been neglected in the giv-
 ing of protection. With boundless
 sea coast with enormous deposits of
 iron and coal, with the most sagacious
 business men in the world, the advant-
 age of every natural resource this coun-
 try had permitted its interiors to seize
 upon the path ways of ocean commerce almost without a struggle.
 ''It seems to me-" said MT. Frye, | ''that that picture ought to humiliate and mortify beyond expression any pat riotic citizen of the United States who glories in the power and prosperity of his country. It Is not alone humiliat- ing--it is absolutely dangerous"
 Mir. Frye asked who was going to car " the s4S7, GOO, 900 of exports in the | event of a war between Germany and | Great Britain. Why" said he, "the | farmers and the manufacturers and the 1 wage earners of the United States | would pay penalty equal to that paid | by either of the contending parties"
 Mr Frye then sought to show that this condition of things was caused by American wages, which increased the cost of our ships for the foreign trade at least 25 per cent. He declared that | all the steamships in the world of four- teen knots and upward, so per cent. were subsidized by the countries whose flags they carried Of vessels of sixteen knots and upwards, he said, all but six in the world were heavily subsidized by the countries whose flag they flew. The nations paying these subsidies, he said, did so for the purpose of extending their trade and for nothing else.
 Trade cannot precede the mail" he said. "The mail must precede the trade"
 Mr Frye contended that there is not a nation on this earth that needs a market for it's surplus products more than the United States. An American ship, handled by intelligent, active, earnest, and interested American off cers, he said, is a better instrument for the distribution of our products abroad than German ship, officered with Germans, Germany being a dangerous rival of the United States, MT, Frye declared that free ships for which some senators were contendng would mean ar increase in cost of ships of % per cent more than they now cost and ! would close every shipyard in the Unit ed Sts tes against building any ship for foreign trade. He said that bounties ' had been suggested and these were re- f Dugnant to the constitution and vio- ' ation Of thirty-four commercial treat es with different nations of the world. ! Now, these nations are to-day looking at us,'' said MT. Frye, "and : t Is said that they are studying the q problem as to how they can stop us ! rom getting into these foreign mark ,ts" l
 To abroeate these treaties he said. V would serve only as an excuse for retail q ation He said that the only way to T accomplish anything in the direction in- t Heated by him. would be to pay from t he treasury of the United States an- c ,ually a sum of money, which shall be d dual to the difference between the op D rating and carrying on of the trade in 4 oreign ships, and that carried in our S ,wn. The republican party, he insist d. could not excuse itself from leaving a m industry as important as this entire il V unprotected The word subsidy" t e said, should not terrify anyone, be o ause it was only another name of pro- ii ection. a MT. Frye said that the enactment of a he pending bill would increase the ex- f, enditure in American ship yards by h 40, 900 900 in two years. Our mail sub idies amounted to nearly $3,000,0 900 a ir ear and would not as an offset to the a S ,0OO 900 which would be paid in subsi- nj ies to American shipping. H The bill he thought did not present f. very serious proposition to the senate ,hich would authorize the construction a battleship costing $5,000,000 in five linutes and pass a river and harbor III carrying $60,0OOO00 in a few hours pl r days If in any respect Che measure k, .orlzed badly if could be amended or in .pealed outright. ht At the conclusion of Mir Frye's state h; ent MT Bacon of Georgia inquired as or , the condition of business in Ameri- fo m shipyards Is it true that they are w Ill of orders?' ta "It is not true" replied MT. Frye. V, MT. Bacon asked if MT. Frye had not fo oted in the newspapers the glowing q, of the work being done in merican shipyards.
 MT. Frye replied that he had seen a lragraph to the effect that MT. Fur ess of Great Britain had made a con frt act recently for the construction of ga ght steamships in American yards of