The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-21
Oppose SHIP
SUBSIDY BILL
Merchants Association of New
York Makes RemonStrance.
LETTER TO GROSVENOR
Believe in Subsidy for Ship
building Industry Only.
LETTER TO GROSvENOR

New York. Feb. 3o.-The Merchants
association of New oYrk has sent letter
to Representative Grosvenor. chairman OF
the committee on merchant marine and
fisheries of the house, expressing the as
sociations opposition to the ship subsidy
bill newspaper which accompanies the
latter summarizes the views OF the asso-
citation on the bill. The letter says in
part:
These views We're communicated to
you when the bill was sent from the SEN
ate TO the house but We have not been
favored with any reply nor has any ans
wer otherwise been made TO our argu-
ment, which We believe is conclusive.
This association believes in a subsidy
TO aid in the development of our ship
building industry for reasons that have
been fully set forth and which is the
only legitimate purpose that can be urged
The bill as reported from the senate will
not accomplish this but retard it. II is
estimated that it will make a grant of
$12, 600, oo9 to $4,000 900 annually from the
public treasury. Such vast disposal Of
public funds should not be the subject
of rush legislation. The advocates of the
measure will incur an enormous respcn-
sibility before the country. particularly if
ample time for debate and an expression
of public opinion through the press he not
allowed. In the short time at the dis
posal of the present congress no oppor-
tunity is given for adequate discussion
of the subject upon the floor OF the house
and there is no public interest that will
suffer through a delay of legislation until
full opportunity is given for general
appreciation of the terms of the bill
This association will continue to or
pose the bill and will widely dirfuse it's
arguments against II which will be all
the stronger if it is tacitly admitted that
the measure cannot withstand an ample
discussion in omen session
New York. Feb. 2O-President c. b.
Parsons. of the Maritime association OF
New oYrk, has sent to Chairman eros
venOr of thte committee on merchant
marine and fisheries a letter urging the
passage of the ship subsidy bill. The let
ter says in part:
The Martimine association of the Port
of New York the largest organization
Of it's kind in the United States if not
the largest in the world. with a member
ship of over loo has resolutely placed
itself on record by formal resolutions
as favoring such legislation. In our judg-
ment the bill pending before your ocm-
mittee should be passed at the present
session of congress. with certain amend
ments which we have suggested TO your
committee
American labor in the shipyards and
American labor afiOat. refuses TO accept
employment at the rate of wages that
obtain abroad and this makes it impos-
sible for owners Of American vessels TO
proftably compete with the more Cheaply
built and more cheaply operated foreign
ships in our foreign carrying trade. Amer
lean capital. therefore. as we have seen
during the past year, 10 the extent of
more than a hundred million dollars. have
been invested in foreign built ships Off
cered and manned by foreigners. Thus
we see that while under existing cOnd-
items profitable employment is denied TO
American labor in our shipyards and on
board our ships profitable employment
of American capital in ship owning has
tNtcHltU III Il MANNER unprecedented IN
our national history.
1T remains for congress by the action
it takes or fails TO take. on the pending
bill to say whether it favors the building
UP OF American shipping In the fireign
trade, without diminishing the rates OF
wages paid in our ship yards and OF
board of our ships.
There can be no doubt that the Amer
lean people desire a great merchant ma
rine of their own: that through unpro-
tected competition with cheaper built
subsidized and bountied foreign shipping
American tonnage has been driven out
Of American foreign carrying trade: that
over 81 per cent Of our foreign commerce
is carried by foreign ships; that congress |
las by its attention 70 this subject OF
recent wears led the people 70 expect
2 ffirmative and effective legislation: |
that those now IN control OF tire legis- |
lative and administrative branches 81 !
our government have resolutely pledged |
themselves to provide IL: that n well con-
sidered bill is now pending having |
already passed one branch Of congress. |
that the session Il drawing 20 ar end: |
that II long needed and long delayed re-
lief must come. it must come now. and I
further postponement is unjust - the 4
great industry affected as IL is perilqus 4
10 the nation and subversive TO our true /