The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-17

tional headquarters are opened. Then the
heavy work of the campaign begins. and 1t
is kept up right TO the eve Of election.
Shipping subsidy legislation will be con-
sidered by the House committee on mer-
chant marine and fisheries when Congress
reassembles in January. 1t Is not the inten-
ton of the leaders to pass a bill at this
session. The administration does not ex-
pect action at this time, as is indicated in
the discussion Of the subject in President
Ro~osevelt's message. The executive rec
ommends the formation of a commission of
experts who shall study the subject ex-
haustively and report to Congress what
measures should be taken to upbuild the
rapidly declining merchant marine of the
United States. No question considered in
Congress in recent years has brought out
such a feeling OF bitterness as that en-
bodied I'm the shipping bill. The advocates
of the Hanna-Payne bill were vindictive last
winter i'm their criticism of the Republican
opponents of the measure, and the differ
ences between the two factions are as pro-
nounced now as ever. The President doubt
less realized this condition of affairs when
he recommended the creation Of a commits
sion, and hopes by this means that Con-
gress will make some progress with ship
ping legislation, which has come 10 be party
policy. Nearly all Republicans are agreed
that something should be done to stimulate
ship construction, but the procedure is the
veXed question. Very little has been heard
recently of discriminating duties. The ex-
perience OF all foreign countries and the
most enlightened thought in the United
States is for subsidies. and i'm the conclud-
ing session of the Fifty-eighth Congress it
is believed that measures will be enacted
into law which will rehabilitate the mer-
chant marine of this country and result in
the carriage of products 20 and from this
country in American bottoms.
To eo,oror oeroot A. ,o4;1-.1 Io-r~r -
the United States exhibit better conditions
in their statements made to the controller
of the currency under date of Nov. IL than
in the statements made in response to the
last preceding call, Sept. 9. The CONSOLE
dated statement of the national banks has
been made up in the office of Controller
Ridgely. The report shows that since Sept.
9 the number of national banks has in
| creased from 5,042 to 5.11S. the capital stock
from 1888, 722, 65S to s75S. 315. 40, the national
bank notes outstanding from S257. 037, S15.50
to 1916, 2S9, 25, the individual deposits from
50, 156, 1873, 499. IL to $3.176. 201. 572. SO, and the sur
plus fund from $3.50. S9O, 6S4.2 2 to 1915, 500. 102. p.
On the other hand. from Sept. 9 to Nov. IL
the loans and discounts decreased from
So, 4S1 ,446, 7720 to So, 425, 0S5, 5S1. 26, and the
total resources declined from $3.50, 429, 966. SO
to $500, 1S7 ,477.S5.
1t was ascertained at the Navy Depart
ment to-day that Secretary Moody, In addi-
ton to a letter of commentator to Boat
swain Patrick Deery, of the Peoria, who,
at great peril. swan to the submarine boat
Adder and attached a line to her, will or
der that a medal of honor be presented to
him as an evidence of the department s
appreciation of his heroism. Boatswain
| Deery's act of bravery was strongly COM
| mended by Lieutenant England, m
ing the Peoria, and by Admiral Harring-
ton, commandant of the Portsmouth. Va.
| navy yard.
The Senate, in executive session to-day,
confirmed the nominations of the following
Indiana postmasters: z. l.. Maudlin, OF
New Carlisle; T. E. Farley, Of Crown
Point.
Dora A. Woods has been commissioned
postmistress at Stoutsberg, Ind.