The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-11
SUBSIDIES CONDEMNED
SHIPPING BILL STRONGLY OPPOSED
BY SENATOR VEST.
Speech by the Aged I'm
which He Attacked the Present
Navigation Laws-Bills Passed.

WASHINGTON, March 1O.-For nearly
two hours to-day Mr.. Vest, of Missouri.
addressed the Senate in opposition to the
pending ship subsidy bill. No member OF
the body has been accorded more fatter-
ingly close attention than he received
Despite his evident f~eebleness he spoke
with force and fire. and at times became
brilliantly eloquent. He carefully analysed
the pending measure and particularly at
tackled the present navigation laws, which
he declared were relics Of barbarism and
responsible for the decline Of our mer-
chant marine.
Mr.. Tilman. of South Carolina. followed
with a brief speech in opposition TO the
bill. He denounced the policy of giving sub
sides to anybody, particularly TO indi-
viduals and corporations engaged in the
formation Of shipping trusts.
The Senate passed a considerable number
Of unobjected bills on the calendar. among
them authorizing the secretary of the navy
TO donate to the Minnesota State Historical
Society the steering whee of the former
United States steamer Minnesota; TO reim-
burse the officers and crew of the United
States steamer Charleston. lost in the
Philippines Nov. 2, 1893; authorizing the
NSDlIdl INdlNdN VI NGSl ~ Iull4
a bridge across the Monongahela river at
Morgantown, w. Va; to restore Henry d.
Hall to the revenue cutter service and
make him a captain on waiting orders: TO
remove the port of entry in the Albemarle
collection of customs district, North Caro-
lima, from Edenton, y. c.. 10 Elizabeth
City, y. c.; authorizing the construction
of a bridge by the Kansas City, Northeast
ern & Gulf Railway across the Missouri
river at Parkville, Mo-; to legalize and
maintain a new steel bridge i'm lieu of the
present wooden structure across the Little
Tennessee river at Niles Ferry, Tenn, by
the Atlanta, Knoxville & Northern Rail-
road; TO provide for the aymen Of medI-
cal expenses OF sick officers and enlisted
men of the army while absent from duty
with leave or on furlough, and appropriate
ing 100000 for this purpose; apprOpriating
$4,000 for a site for a depot for the reve-
nue. cutter service near Baltimore.
The Senate agreed to the conference
asked for by the House on the diplomatic
and consular appropriation bill. and Messrs.
Hale, Cullom and Teller were named as
cor ferees.
Mr.. Vest then began his speech in opposi-
ton to the pending subsidy bill, comparing
il In it's details with the postal subsidy act
of 1891 and showing that i'm the pending bill
il was proposed TO increase the subsidy be-
cause II was claimed by the majority that
the present postal subsidies were not sufi-
cient to achieve the results hoped for from
the pending bill. The Missouri senator de-
clared that 13 per cent. OF the subsidy
which would be received by ships on the
IdA NOAAA 81 ~ III AAAL1 a. a
igation Company-the American line. The
pending bill, he said. would take money out
Of the treasury of the United States with
out giving anything OF value I'm return for
il. The vessels would get the subsidies
whether they carried a single postal card or
not. The peoples money ought not 10 be
paid out TO individuals or corporations upon
any such hypothesis as that suggested. in
the present bill. He said that MIR. Frye and
Mr.. Hanna had presented roseate pictures
Of the additional which the
United States would acquire through the
operations OF the proposed bill. claiming
that trade would follow the mails. As a
matter of fact. he asserted. the mails fol-
lowed the trade; that had been proved by
the history of the world.
He declared that the pending bill provided
for a pure, naked and unadulterated SUBJ
sidy.' and said IL was defended on the
ground that with the subsidy the American
merchant marine could compete with the
subsidized ships OF European maritime pow
ers. He denied ''emphatically and distinct
"" that such would be the result of the
bills operation. England. he asserted. had
50 per cent of the ocean-carrying trade Of
the world, but he denied that England paid
subsidies 70 her vessels. He declared that
Great Britain paid the steamship lines for
pendent upon the number OF pounds of mail
carried. Most of England's ocean COM
merce was carried by her tramp steamers.
and not a penny OF subsidy was paid 10 any
of them. The only real subsidy which
Great Britain paid. Mr.. Vest said. was $780,
600 a year paid 10 the owners Of certain
vessels which could be called into use as
auxiliary cruisers in time OF war II they
were deemed necessary.
MIR. Vest concluded by saving that he
hoped the time will come when the glory
and power Of the United States will be
greater than that of any other people on
from unequal and unjust discrimination IN
favor of one interest against all others"