The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-06
VIII RI; ACH YlDT
ON SHIPPING BILL |.
Test Win Come One Week From
Next Monday.
CLAY, OF GEORGIA, SPOKE.
Addressed Senate Ia Opposition to, Pending
Measure, and Had Not concluded His Ar,
aumeut When Sody Adjourned.
Rural Delivery Before House.
fp, A.socia.cd Press,

Oh, Associated Prcss.a
WASHINGTON, D.. c., March sit
appears likely now that the Senate will
reach vote upon the pending Shipping
bill one week from next Monday. When
Mir. Frye, in charge of the measure. en-
deavored to-day to secure an agreement
for the time of taking g vote, that date
was mentioned as being satisfactory to
the minority members of the Commerce
Committee. AS they have the oppose
ton to the bill in charge no objection is
likely 10 be raised by other members OF
the Democratic side.
Mr. Clay. of Georgia, addressed the
Senate to-day in opposition to the bill.
and had not concluded when the Senate
adjourned. He made a forceful and in
teresting argument, which was given
careful attention by his colleagues.
Early in the session the Senate con-
sidered and passed the legislative and
executive and judicial appropriation bill.
the second Of the big supply measures to
be acted upon at this session
AMPLE SERVICE.
Senator Clay began by making it clear
fully equal, Il not superior. to the SINH
lar service of other nations. 1t should
be obtained, however. he argued, at a
Just esnd reasonable price, and should
not be connected with any subsidy
scheme The sture Of the present
bill. which carried the largest appropri-
alton. was that relative to betterment Of
the ocean mail service by the establish
rnent of "a number of new lines There
was proposed an increased annual ex-
penditure of three million dollars a year,
and yet there was nothing from the
Jaosta1 authorities to warrant the as
sumption that this was necessary or de-
sired. The present foreign mail service
he considered ample and sufficient for
present needs, but even if it should not
prove TO be fully SO. the existing law
gave warrant for any necessary increase.
lie deprecated policy which had for
its purpose subsidy to shipowners I'M
der The guise Of mail pay.
SUBSIDY FEATURE
Senator Clay devoted the main portion
of his argument. however, to an attack
upon the general subsidy feature Of the
bill. which is separate from the ocean
mail feature. He argued that the low
rates given by foreign ships, against
which American ship owners complained,
do not at all work to the injury of Amer
lean exporters. who get the benefit Of
these low rates. Ocean freight rates are
The cheapest in cur history, and the result
of these low rates is seen in the great
increase III American exports There
We're only three grounds on which the
supporters of this bill based their advo-
cacy of a general subsidy. First that it
cost more to build ships in the United
States than abroad; second, that the Amer
ican wage scale is higher. and. therefore.
the cost Of operating ships under the
American flag is greater than under for
eign flags: third. that foreign govern
ments susidize their merchant marine.
CAN BUILD AS CHEAP
Senator Clay quoted a number OF au-
fhorities to prove that with the better
methods prevailing in the shipyards of
this country, the cost of construction is
no higher here than abroad. He contend
ed that America can build iron and steel
ships as cheaply as they can be built in
any country in the world. With regard
to the cost of operation, Senator Clay
said the American ship owners can and
do obtain their labor in any ports at
which they touch The American ship
owners make use Of The cheapest labor
they can obtain. The provision for a. GER
tain percentage of the crew to be Amer
lean will not necessarily result in any
material increase in the cost of operation
although an effort, he said is made to
! have it so appear He argued that to
Ilead for the subsidy on tl1e ground that
the american laboring man would be ben
Gifted by it was in no sense warranted.
With regard to the claim that Amer
lean merchant marine must be subsidized
because subsidies are granted BY com
peting governments, Senator CLAW under
took to show that neither England nor
Germany gives any general SUBSIDY to its
merchant marine. Both governments paw
&r ships which can be converted into
auxiliary cruisers. but that is ALL Great
Brltain's payment in this line was but
three hundred thousand dollars a year
jie contended that there was no general
suhsidy of its merchant marine by either
of the two governments which are the
chief commercial rivals of the United
States.
WOULD NOT WORK.
Senator Clay compared the provisions
or the present bill with that of the last
Congress. which had been defeated by
the active work of the minority He
recalled the estimate OF the Commits
siener of Navigation upon which that
former bill was based that it would re-
quire nine million dollars a year to Off
set the advantages enjoyed by the for
eisn merchant marine. and compared
with that estimate the one from the same
official who saays now that a subsidy of
one million dollars a year will effect the
same result. The enactment of this bill
won.d not result in any material increase
IN the number of ships flying the Amer
& team flag.
In the course Of his argument Mr.. Clay
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