Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-13

by the congressional galleries.
A few bills We're passed, including
one providing for the redemption of
Hawaiian silver coins and the substi-
tuition therefor of American silver
coins.
Soon after the Senate convened,
Rawlins, Utah.. introduced a resolu-
tiOn,Iwhich was passed, directing the
secretary of war to send to the Senate
the reports of Inspectors Carpenter
and Maus and other information he
may have in relation to the transports
between the United States and Phil
ippines, especially regarding free
transportations for individuals
Cullom, chairman of the committee
on foreign relations. reported favor
ably bill authorizing the President
| to extend to the government of France
the invitation to join the government
and people of the United States in the
dedication of a monument of Count
De ROchambeau to be unveiled in this
city on May "a, next.
HOar. Mass, offered an amendment
including in the invitation the
family of Marquis De Lafayette. He
paid tribute to Lafayette and urged
that his amendment was peculiarly
pertinent. The amendment was agreed
to and as amended the bill was passed.
At the conclusion of routine bus
mess the Senate resumed consideration
Eof the ship subsidy bill, McCumber,
North Oak, speaking in support of the
measure.
A Init hxy n1n v,t-
ed directing the secretary of the
treasury to report to the Senate the
extent to which the mail pay pro-
vided for by the present ship subsidy
bill increases the mail pay now au-
thorized by law, and also whether they
are more or less, in effect, than the
subsidy rates provided by the subsidy
bill of 1899.
Depew then addressed the Senate in
favor of the bill. I'VE are looking
forward to that position which we are
entitled to as a world power said
Depew, but as a matter of fact we
are crippled because we cannot open
the communications which are neces-
sary to accomplish that commercial re-
suit without the active assistance of
the subsidized ships of our rivals in
business"
He presented figures to show that the
arguments of the opponents of the bill
as to the prosperity of American ship
yards were not well founded. He de-
clared that vessels aggregating $4,000
tons had been constructed in American
shipyards for the foreign trade during
the past 10 years, while in Great Brit
ain during one year-the last year
available in statistics-1, 500, 900 tons of
ships had been constructed. He sug-
gested that the difference between
these figures was so extraordinary that
the senators ought to paste them up in
their committee rooms as a constant
reminder Of the decline OF the Ameri-
can merchant marine.
Give us the means" said Depew,
by which American ships may be run
under the American flag, and then we
will build the ships in competition with
foreign shipyards."
The New York senator said he did
not know whether ]. Pierpont Morgan
had purchased the Leyland line Of
ships or not. but if he had it was be-
cause the line could be operated with
profit. He did not know anything
concerning the statement that Mr..
Morgan had expressed no intention of
bringing the vessels under the Ameri-
can flag and giving them an American
register. Mr.. Morgan and those whom
he represented, said Depew, were acute
business men. If they could afford the
American flag over their vessels they
would do so. but they could not be ex-
pected to fly the American flag when
by SO doing they would be forced to
run their ships at loss.
During the past decade, Depew said,
50. 3O0. 0O0, 900 had been invested by
American capitalists in manufacturing
industries. Vast sums had been in
vested in railroads and mines.
Depew referred to the subsidies paid
by Great Britain, Germany and France
as having contributed largely to the
extension OF the merchant marine Of
those nations.
'One Of the most enlightened and
rulers of the old world"
said he, ''is the present Emperor of |
Germany. Within the last 10 years he !
has brought Germany to practically a |
unanimous support of subsidies by |
which the German merchant marine |
has rapidly overtaken that of Great \
Britain
No dissenting voice was ever heard },
now among the German leaders against n
the value of these subsidies. he said Il
Germany was commercially -independ-
ant, for now wherever the German 4
merchant went he was followed by the
German subsidized mails and merchant n