The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-07
BACON AND CLAY
GEORGIA SENATOR'S DISCUSS M
PORTANT MEASURES.
BACON NOT FOR ANARCHY BILL
CLAY DISCUSSES SHIP SUBSIDY
WITH HANNA.


COmbatted His Argument and MIR.
TiIlman Put in an Oar-Emperor
Williams Yacht Figured in the
Discussion.
Washington, March GA notable
speech was made in the Senate to-day
by Mr.. Hanna of Ohio, on the pend
ing shipping bill, which he discussed
from the standpoint of an American
business man. His arguments were
carefully arranged, he was always
forceful and earnest and at times be-
came eloquent. He commanded the UNI
divided attention of the Senate and
of the galleries and when he closed he
received the congratulations of many
of his colleagues.
EARLY in the session Mr.. Frye, In
charge of the pending shipping bill,
obtained an agreement that the Sem
ate should vote on the measure and
all pending amendments at 3 p. IN,
Monday, March II, that time being
entirely satisfactory to those opposed
to the bill.
bill was resumed, an extended debate
occurred on the measure providing for
the protection of the President of the
United States. Mr. Bacon of Georgia
took the ground that in it's present
shape the bill was an invasion of the
jurisdiction of the states and that it
ought to be amended radically.
Mr. Patterson of Colorado, while he
agreed to the general propositions of
the bill, urged that it ought not to
pass in it's present form. No action on
the bill was taken
Senator Bacon said that in view of
the recent calamity which had befal-
len the nation in the assassination of
President Mckinley the subject of the
pending bill was a difficult one to dis
cuss. He paid high tribute to Presi-
dent Mckinley, saying that he was
the most "amiable, courteous and
pleasant man l have ever met in high
station" and from him he personally
always had received the kindest con-
Sideration.
Mr.. Bacon believed that the pro-
posed law was unnecessary an did
not provide a more certain D. 4ish-
ment for the assassin than was provid-
ed now in the state laws. The world
was not large enough for the criminal
to get beyond the reach of the law and
there was no place secret enough in
which to hide himself from aVenging
justice. He urged that the bill indi-
Gated there was not sufficient reliance
upon the criminal laws of the several
states.
Mr.. Depew of New York said an at
tempt at assassination was not pun
ishable with death in any state, as the
pending bill provided.
Mr.. Platt of Connecticut said some
states had laws against capital pun
ishment.
Mr. Bacon, continuing, said that the
bill involved the right and the pro-
priety of the federal government to
enforce a law within a state different
from any law on the statute books of
the states. So far as the anarchist
was concerned, the death penalty was
not deterrent against the crime of
assassination, as the anarchist was
willing to sacrifice his own life.
Mr.. Hoar of Massachus stts inter-
rupted to- say that the pending bill
was proper, because the assassination
or attempted assassination of the
President was an interruption of the
government, and it was italy inn
portant to the government that such
interruption should not occur
Mr.. Bacon said the bill at least
with his proposition already offered.
so that it should be shown that the
crime was committed against the
President because of his official no
sltion or for the purpose of destroying
the government or imparing the ex-
ecution of it's constitutional powers"
Mr.. Bacon said the bill was practf-
cally an enlargement of the law of
treason and proposed to make treason
of something that, under the consti-
tuition, was not treason.
Clay and Hanna on shipping.
Mr.. Clay of Georgia resumed his
speech on the shipping bill begun yes
terday. He predicted the complete
failure of the pending measure. Nat
ural conditions alone, he said, could
increase the foreign carrying trade of
the United States.
Mr. Hanna then addressed the SEN
ate, his remarks being principally in
answer to Mr.. Clay's speech of yester-
day He said that when Mr.. Clay
quoted from Mr.. Frye's remarks that
all there was in this question which
required legislation was embraced in
the one question of labor, he was cor
rect. Il stand by that proposition. but
l go further Ninety-fve per cent. of
the cost of ship built in American
shipyards or in any shipyard is purely
labor The cost of the construction of
a ship in the United States as against
that in either England, Germany or
France, simply measures the difference
of wages and the efficiency of Ameri-
can labor"
The whole argument of Senator Clay,
Senator Hanna argued, was based on
the fact that it is costing us more
thar it ought to, while at the same
time and in the same breath he gloried
in the fact that the United States has
but recently leaped to the front and is
now a world power.
"Will anybody deny" said he, "the
Importance, the absolute necessity of
having an auxiliary for our navy in
the shape of the merchant marine
shaped under the direction of the NAVY
Department. and in time of war. alb
solutelv in the hands and under the
control of the President of the United
States 70 use it in the most effective
manner?'
Mr.. Tillman interrupted to ask for
information in regard to the reports
that the Morgan syndicate had bought
two or three of the European lines of
steamers.
You must ask somebody who
knows" responded Mr.. Hanna Il
do not know anything about it,"
1T was only reported you know"
suggested Mr.. Tillman, "and / thought
that the Senator being in touch with
that class of people"
why does the senator say l am in