The Washington times., 1902-03-04
Author of Bill Takes the
Floor in Its Behalf.
A PROTECTION FOR SHIPPING
Statistics and Facts Presented to Show
the Need of Government Aid for Amer
ican Commerce - Increase in Ocean
Mail Service.

The Senate yesterday began the con-
sideration of the Frye ship subsidy bill.
Senator Frye took the floor in charge of
the measure, and after several commit
tee amendments had been considered and
adopted he made his speech. explaining
its provisions.
The bill is in the form OF an amend
ment of the law of 1891, which provides
for the payment of subsidies to certain
high-speed ships carrying the United
States mails. 1t greatly broadens this
law increasing the payments for the pos
tai service, and also providing for the
payment of lesser subsidies to American
ships which do not carry mails.
Senator Frye's Speech.
Senator Frye began his speech with the
statement that the bill is a protective
measure. and that to his mind the doc
trine OF protection has been proven the
correct one in America.
1.-THE vast manufacturing interests of the
country lead the world because of the
protection they have received. The ship
ping interest-one of the very most i'm
pOElEut 10 ltllS bShinu
the shipping interest of other great coun-
tries, because American shipping has not
been pro: :ccted.'
Mr.. Frye said that the one great cause
OF the poor condition Of American ship
ping is the high wages demanded and re-
ceiyed both by the American laborers in
the shipbuilding yards and by the Ameri-
can sailors He gave statistics to show
that the ccst of building a ship in this
country is IS per cent greater than the
cost in European countries, despite the
fact that materials are frequently less ex-
pensive.
Sailors Wages High.
The wages of the sailors. however, show
an even greater discrepancy. he said,
American sailors received 80 per cent
more than British sailors and 50 per cent
more than those on the German lines.
This makes the annual cost of running
the ships under the American flag steadily
much greater than the cost on any other
lines.
-'.Mr. Frye thus concluded this portion
Of his argument:
THE way to make American ships pay
and thus to encourage the building of
American ships is to pay from the Treas
ury Of the United States annually sum
equal 30 the difference of wages paid to
American sailors
Statistics of Exports.
Mr.. Frye recited the statistics of Amer
ican exports in the years 1896 and 1901
showing an increase of nearly 100 per
cent. and predicted that this increase will
continue
''3ut what will become of these vast
manufactures and food products and mine
products if the outside world takes away
some of the American markets?
1t is said that the European countries,
many Of them, are now striving to devise
methods Of capturing our markets from
US. II they succeed il will mean an end
of American prosperity, no dividend for
the capitalist. and poorer wages for the
workingman."
American Ships Needfui.
Mr.. Frye said that American ships Off
cered and manned by Americans are
necessary TO hold and enlarge the mar
kets for American goods.
Mr.. Frye argued against the free ship"
plan advocated by some opponents of the
SUBSIDY Dill. he also stated tnat Doun-
ties would do more harm than good, be-
cause they would abrogate all the thirty
four commercial treaties made by this
country for reciprocity.
Mr.. Frye said that he is entirely unin-
fiuenced by personal motives in advocat-
ing the bill, and made the statement that
he owns no interest in any ship or ship
company.
Report on the Bill.
The report of the Senate Commerce
Committee on the bill states that its pur-
pose and reasonably certain results in
ten years will be to establish the mari
time supremacy of the United States in
trade with Asia and in the Gulf of Mexico
and the Caribbean: to establish securely
trade between the United States and
South American Republics, and to give
the United States respectable represen-
tation on the North Atlantic.
1t will so extend shipbulding to
trarsfer in time from abroad to the
United States the centre of that industry
as the centres of other Industries recent
ly have been transferred.
Finally. IT will give to the United States
measure of maritime independence cor
responding to our Industrial and agricul-
tural independence.
The postal-subsidy provisions enable the
Postmaster General to establish an Amer
lean ocean mail system superior to the
systems of Great Britain. France. and
Germany. This policy was declared ten
years ago. The bill corrects errors in
the act OF 1891 in the light OF the decades
progress in shipbuilding and Of changed
political and commercial relations of the
United States with the rest OF the world.
1t does not increase pay under existing
mail contracts, some OF which have ten
years 10 run.
Pacific Weekly Service.
The American ocean mail system out
lined contemplates on the Pacific weekly
mail service to Hawaii, the Philippines,
Japan. China. and Hongkong, and fort
nightly service to Pago Pago, New Zea-
land. and Australia. The maximum cost
would be 81, 1886, 600. The services would
be performed by American vessels. In
speed and tonnage far superior TO those
by which Great Britain, Germany, and
France now maintain mail connections
with Asia and Australia at an annual ex-
pense OF 81, 500. 900.
On the Atlantic the bill contemplates
sefni-weekly mail services TO Jamaica,
Havana, and Europe, weekly to Mexico
once in ten days TO Venezuela, and fort
nightly TO Brazil, at a maximum cost of
s., ,3e5. 600