Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-06
57th CONGRESS.
Continued from page ~

ed that Americans can build iron am
steel ships as cheaply as they can b.
built in any country in the world.
With regard to the cost of operation
Clay said that the American ship
owners can and DO obtain their labor
in any ports at which they touch.
The American shipowners make u.s.
of the cheapest labor they can obtain
The provision for certain percentage
of the crew to be American will no
necessarily result in any material in
crease in the cost of operation. although
an effort, he said, is made to have it 81
appear.
He argued that to plead for the sub
sidy on the ground that the American
laboring man would be benefited by i;
was in no sense warranted.
With regard to the claim that thu
American merchant marine must bt
subsidized because subsidies are grant
ed by competing governments, Clay I'M
dertook to show that neither England
nor Germany gives any general sub
sidy to it's merchant marine. Boil
governments pay for ships which car
be converted into auxiliary cruisers
but that is all. Great Britain's pay
merit in this line was but $500, 900 year
He contended that there was no general
subsidy of it's merchant marine by
either of the two governments which
are the chief commercial rivals of the
United States.
Clay compared the provisions of tht
present bill with that of the last Con
gress, which had been defeated by the
active work of the minority. He recalled
the estimate of the commissioner OF
navigation, upon which the former bill
was based. that it would require 49,,
900 a year to offset the advantages en-
joyed by the foreign merchant marine;
and he compared with that estimate
the one from the same official who now
says that a subsidy of $1,000 600 year
will effect the same result. The enact
ment of this bill would not result in
any material increase in the number of
ships flying the American flag.
In the course of his argument, Clay
made the point that the postmaster
general had not recommended in his
reports any such changes in the ocean
mail service as We're contemplated by
the pending bill. Aldrich interrupted to
inquire whether the foreign mails We're
carried in American vessels. II think
not" replied Clay. The mail was get
ting through, he said, but he could not
say how much was being carried by
foreign and how much by American
steamships.
Harris, Kan, inquired if there were
any provisions in the pending measure
| N anr,nafifinn IN the tinp
of contracts for the carrying of ocean
mails. Clay replied that the whole
matter was in the hands of the post
master general.
rs It not a fact" suggested Hanna,
that all mail carrying contracts are
let in that way" II think the sena-
tor from Ohio is correct responded
Clay. My understanding is that I'M
der the act of 1891 the foreign mail is
left to the postmaster general to con-
tract for at his discretion. There is
nothing in this bill changing the meth
cd of making contracts suggested
Hanna. That is the point 1 wanted to
make clear To this Clay agreed.
Clay took sharp issue with Frye, who
had stated that American shipyards
were not filled with work. The Georgia
senator declared that his information
acquired from shipping and naval jour-
nails was that the shipyards Of this
country had orders on their books that
would require from to years to fill
Without concluding his speech, Clay. at
4 o'clock, yielded the floor. promising
to go on with his address. tomorrow.
Frye. in charge of the bill, made an
effort to obtain an agreement to take
a vote on the bill and amendments one
week from next Monday, but his re-
quest went over until tomorrow Then
at 4.05 p. NJ. the Senate went into ex-
ecutive session and at AIS p. NJ. ad-
journed.