Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-03-20
SPOONER HITS
SHIP SUBSIDIES
OPPOSES SOME PROVISIONS OF
PRESENT BILL.
wllLgsuaMlT AMENDMENT
To Allow Congress to Amend or re
neal Measure, but Without Impair
ina Any Contracts Made onoer =.
Mr.. Minor Denies Story Printed
IN Cincinnati About Him.

Washington March 16.-Differences
of opinion on the republican SIDE ap-
neared in the senate debate on the
ship subsidy bill Saturday MT
Spooner rep, Wis., took exception
70 some of the provisions OF the
measure He was not at all certain
that the bill would accomplish the
great results which it's advocates
claimed for il and he urged that be
fore it's enactment into law definite
information upon that point ought to
be furnished congress. He did not
care to vote for measure making an
appropriation that not only would not
accomplish definite results, but which
might be simply largess to ship
owners. He gave notice of an amend
merC which he proposed to offer, pro
viding that the bill might be amended
or repealed by congress without, how
ever, impairing any contract made
under its provisions. This amend
ment would be notice, he said, that a
subsidy would not be safe founda-
ton upon which to build largely.
Mr.. Allison (rep., Ia) indicated
that he was not quite satisfied with
the measure as it stands now and
gave notice of amendments he pro-
posed to offer to it, limiting the time
Of it's operation and the amount OF
money annually to be paid from the
treasury on account of it.
Mr. Teller ind, COLI made
nd =
rep, w. Va one in support OF it.
The West Virginia senator admitted,
however, that he would much prefer
the adoption of a policy of discriml-
mating duties.
Mr. Berry (dem., Ark, representing
the minority of the senate committee
on commerce presented the report III
opposition to the pending ship subsidy
bill. The accuracy Of both the predic-
tions and the facts in the majority re-
port was denied. The minority mem
hers urge that the bill is wrong IN
principle. and declare that ii will ut
terly fail in the accomplishment OF its
profeSsed objects They also say that
while it is not SO complicated as the
subsidy bin of the F'ifty-siXth congress
it is in some respects even more Objec-
tionable The minority continues:
The bin proposes to tax the whole
people to the extent of several mil
lions for the benefit of one single in
dustry. Besides the statistics of the
last two years prove that the ship
building industry does not need such
special assistance. but is rapidly in
casing under natural conditions
They criticise the feature Of the bill
which carries the subsidy for foreign
mails and say:
The highest rate of subsidy is
given to twenty llr4)t vessels while the
fast ocean mails are really carried in
% and "a knot vessels. The mail
compensation to the slow American
vessels. already too high, is made
more for weekly service than Eng
land pays for semi-weekly service by
much faster ships than ours
They further urge that the bill
makes no provision against a ship
ping trust and claim that it encourag-
es a combination leading to such
trust. They also say:
THE lines might also merge with
foreign lines to control freight and
passenger rates. Thereby our subsidy
would be aiding the foreign partners
of our subsidized vessels
The report closes by saying:
we know that there are hundreds
and thousands OF industries in our
country doing a losing business but
hot fpr
can go into the public treasury and
save them from bankruptcy. We
sympathize with all men in The hard
struggles of life. but it is not the duty
of our government to interfere in the
private business affairs of the citizen.
We believe that all men should nave
an equal and fair chance in the race
for wealth and happiness-every Citi-
zen should bear his share of the. bur
dens of the government; one class
should never be the recipient of pene-
fits not given to others. Absolute
equality OF rights is a doctrine we
should never abandon. The bill is
wrong in principle, unjust. vicio.s,
pure class legislation"
The House.
Washington March 16 IN the
house Mr.. Minor trep.. Wis., rising to
question OF personal privilege, de-
nounced the published statement re-
sarding the speaker and himself as
false. Speaker Henderson also stated
that there was not a shadow of truth
in the article. The article in question
was a Washington dispatch in Gin
rinnati newspaper to the effect that
Mr.. Minor had changed his position in
the shipping bill and on the Cuban
tariff question because of the speak
er's intention TO advance the local rev.
enue cutter measure in which the Wis
consin member was interested.
The house passed 229 private pen
sion bills, clearing the calendar. This
is the largest number of pension bills
ever passed by the house at one SEES
sion.
a resolution was adopted Calling
upon the war department for informa-
ton concerning the government trans
port service between San Francisco
and the Philippines.