Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-03-21
THE CORVALLIS GAZETTE.
FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1902.
THE SUBSIDY BILL.

Last mOEuay the OSHStC I'e&SSS4
this measure. Few public meas, |
ures have been more fully d's-
cussed both in Congress and tie
public pres. 1t was before
Congress last session and failed I;
of passage. 1t was most bitterly |
opposed by that portion of the
press which is fighting against
protection. Following the ex-
haustive debates on the bill i'll
the Senate and examining the
provisions of the measure asJ
enacted must convince any I'M
biased mind that such a law isl
highly necessary, is wisely patrl-
otic and, since its provisions are
very carefully guarded, 1t GER
tainly will stimulate shipbul.dlng
in our ship yards.
The necessity of the measure
is found in the fact that it costs
about rs per cent. more to con-
struct ships in our yards and to
operate them after construction
than it does in foreign ship yards
and to foreign operators. This
difference is mainly one of wages.
American mechanics engaged in
ship building receive higher
wages than are paid i'll foreign
yards and American sailors both
better wages and better subsist-
ence than foreign sailors.
Nearly all the nations Of Eu-
rope sail subsidized ships. Un
der these conditions we are un-
able 10 create met chant marine.
Our foreign carrying trade is i'll
the hands of foreign ship owners,
to whom we annually pay large
sums for a service which every
patriotic sentiment declares we
should perform for ourselves. At
one time we had a merchant ma
rine which was all efficient train
ing school for men to man our
navy. We now have 10 such
school and it is with great diff
Guilty we can man our warships.
Indeed, if all our warships were
required to go into commission
with full crews we could not OBJ
tain the requisite number Of quail
flied men. This condition alone
should be sufficient to induce us
to put forth every effort to build
up a large merchant marine.
The provisions of the bill are
carefully drawn. Foreign built
ships do not receive any part of
the subsidy. Hereafter foreign
built ships, though owned aud
operated by Americans, shall not
be admitted to American regis
try. This provision will prevent
J. P. Morgan and his associates
of the Leyland line of British
built steamships from receiving
any subsidy. Steamships en-
ployed in carrying the U. S.
mails must not only be American
built but be owned and operated
by Americans. For the first two
years one fourth and for the re-
mainder of their contract period
one.half of their crew must be
Americans. These ships must
be built of iron or steel and are of
seven classes, according to rate of
speed, which ranges from 90
knots for frst-class to II knots
for seventh-class. The compen-
sation fixed is from two and
seven-tenths cents for the first to
one and one-half cents for the
seventh class. All ships of the
first four classes shall be so COIL
structed that they may be quickly
converted into auxiliary naval
cruisers. Sailing vessels receive
compensation according to their
gross tonnage and the number OF
hundreds of nautical miles sailed.
Each subsidized vessel is required
to carry one American boy for
each 1000 gross tons registry,
who shall rank as petty officer
and be taught seananship and
engineering. Documented YES
sells engaged in deep sea fishing
for at least three months each
year and having one third of their
crew American citizens shall re-
ceive s. per gross ton each year
and each American member Of
the crew shall be paid ST Per
month.
The sums expended under this
act shall not exceed S., 900, 900
per year until July, 1907, nor
$S, 900, 900 per annun after that
date.
The final roll was 40 for to 81
against the bill. -Four lepubli-
cans voted against and one dem
ocrat for it. Senator Mitchell
took an active interest i'll the dis.
cussions on the bill and voted for