Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-03-16
Object to Contracting Vast Appropriation
Before Test is Made,
ALLISON LIMITS PERIOD OF OPERATION
spOOnsr FavOrs Right of Congress to Repeal
Bill at win.
WILL ALLAN ANXIETY OF OTHER POWERS
Iowa ana wisconsin Senators Give
Notice of Further Intention to
Oppose the Frye-Hanna
Measure.

WASHINGTON, March 1b.--DInerences q
opinion on the republican side appeared
In the senate debate on the ship subsidy
bill today. Mr.. Allison OF Iowa indicated
that he was not quite satisfied with the
measure as II stands now and gave notice
OF amendments he proposed to offer to II.
limiting the time Of its operation and lin
iting also the amount Of money annually to
be paid from the treasury on account OF
1t. He vas followed by Mr.. Spooner Of
Wisconsin, who took exception to some pro-
visions OF tho measure. He was not at all
certain that the bill would accomplish the
great results which it's advocates claimed
for It and he urged that before it's enact
mept into law definite information upon
that point ought to be furnished to con-
gress He did not care TO vote for meas
ure for making an aSpropration which
might be simply largess to ship owners.
He gave notice Of an amendment which no
proposed to offer providing that the bill
might be amended or repealed by congress
without. however impairing any contract
made under its provisions. This amend
ment would be notice, he said. that the
subsidy would not be a safe foundation
upon which TO build largely.
EIIkinsI FavOrs the Bill.
| address in support OF 1t, although the West
Virginia senator admitted that he would
much prefer the adoption of the policy Of
discriminating duties.
The senate agreed, at the suggestion of
Mr.. Berry OF Arkansas, TO take up the ship
subsidy bill Immediately after routine bus
mess on Monday and that speeches on the
| bill be limited to fifteen minutes, except
as to the senator from Maine (Mr. Frye),
who was accorded thirty minutes.
Mr. Teller OF Colorado then began a
speech in opposition to the pending ship
subsidy bill. He maintained that under the
4 law the American nag could be raised over
any ship, owned In whole or in more than
half by American citizens, and thus gain
whatever benefit It might give.
While he has always been in favor Of dt
building the merchant marine he could nel
believe that the pending bill could reach tns
results hoped Cor Il by its advocates. II ho
i believed that such results would be
achieved, as Mr.. Frye believed, be would
support Il. To his mind, It was infinitely
preferable to the subsidy measure presented
last year.
Benefits Old Lines Only.
Personally he was OF the opinion that 4
would be better to adopt the old policy OF
discriminating duties for the upbuilding OF
the merchant marine. Such a policy would
be preferable, in his judgment, to the plan
presented by the present bill.
A serious objection to the pending bill
was that it did not provide for new lines.
The money paid in subsidies, therefore.
would be paid to established lines. And
yet one Of the professed objects Of the bill
was to establish new lines.
In the event of a European war, Mr.. Tel
Ter declared the United states government
would have to do what it now declined to
do-allow its citizens 20 go to Europe to
buy ships and place them under the Amer
lean flag. Such vessels he would exclude
from the coastwise trade. but he would
permit them to enter the general trade.
The Colorado senator contended that the
government ought to permit its citizens to
buy ships where they could buy them
cheapest and then give them American reg
lister. The great commerce of the United
States would then induce capital to go into
the shipping industry.
| Mr.. Teller read from the reports of the
commission Of navigation to prove that the
shipbuilding industry was not languishing
and in need Of the assistance of bounties.
Mr.. Hanna said the difference between
the cost Of ship construction in this country
and Europe was the smallest part of the
proposition. The difference in the cost OF
operation was the feature that at present
made an investment in American ships un-
profitable. AS matter of fact. Mr.. Hanna
said, the shipbuilding industry was not In
a healthy condition.
Now Aiding Foreign ships.
Mr. Elkins OF West Virginia. member Of
the committee on commerce, supported the
pending bill. He directed attention to tho
fact that The United States was now paying
/ 10 <oe r..
carrying OF our commerce. If we had
American ships to carry our imports and
exports 5000 0.00O.0 900 annually would be saved
TO the American people. II this money
were expended among our own people at
least s1.O00.000 a year could be expended
in American shipyards, which would extend
the influence OF our business men and
accrue generally to the benefit of American
labor.
Mr.. Bacon OF Georgia gave notice Of an
amendment which he proposed TO offer to
the subsidy bill, providing that no contract
under the bill shall be binding upon the
government until 1t shall have been sub
mitted to and approved by congress- In
the course of some remarks In support OF
the amendment, Mr.. Bacon urged that the
postmaster general ought not to be made
Irresponsible for the making OF such con-
tracts. II was such delegation Of author
, ity by congress as he did not think would
be approved by the American people
Discussing briefly the general purposes
Of the bill. MT. Bacon said the word sub
: sidy" had no terror for him.
al He was opposed. however. to bountles,
: the effect Of which would be to give compen-
: sation TO those who did not need It.
Mr.. Bacon asserted that the subsidy would
go to few favored large-class mail steam
ships which did not carry the commerce Of
. the country.
Pass south Omaha Bridge Bill.
Z A bill appropristing $780, 900 to establish
marine hospital at Savannah, Ca, was
passed; also a bill providing for tbs con-
' struction Of bridge across the Missouri
- river at South Omaha. Neb.
Mr.. Allison then stated. as he said, a few
n objections. which he had to the subsidy as
Il now stood. He had had. he continued
dimeulty IN ascsrtaining precisely what the