The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-24
THE MERCHANT MARINE
RENEWED AGITATION FOR SUB SIDIEs FOR SHIPS.

RENEWED AGITATlON EVh 003- l s1DfEs FOR SHIPS.
 Mo Chance for Ell at This Session
 and Probably Not at This
 r. Coneress--Frye Bil Be
 fore Committe. T
 | f, .-E' E.,
 IF COPY
 .-, Advertiser Bureau, Colorado Building.
 .st Washington, Jan. g. A fight between the Atlantic and Pa- cific slope for the control of the trade with the Philippines was foreshadowed at hearing given by the. Senate Commit tee on the Philippines Thursday. on the Frye bill to extend the coastwise laws of the United States, to the Philippine Islands Another proposition involved was the contest of, the long and firmly established cordase manufacturers of the East against the people who are trying to build up the same business in the West. But aside. from the dispute be- tween Eastern and Western cordage fac tories and far. overshadowing the same in importance was that of extending some aid to the American merchant ma rine. .. .-..
 As brought out by questions from Sem ators Hale, Lodge and Beveridge and others on the committee. there Is no hope of passing a ship subsidy bill at this session, and. probably not during this Congress. But there are two bills pending before the Senate which will af- ford some measure of relief to Amerf- can ship. builders and ship owners, name ly. the measure under. consideration by the committee to-day and that requr- t,~ soif fl Inc transported in American bottoms. The eoastwise bill has already been favora- bly, reported by tl.e Committee on the Philippines and the other by the unani- nous vote Of the Committee on Naval Affairs, and the members of the Philip pine Committee to-day indicated very strongly that not only would not the Philippine bill be recalled, but that there support would be given to the naval bill. .r
 As a matter of fact the arguments on both sides, sifted down. amounted to this: that the cordage manufacturers main tained that should this bill be adopted they would have to pay a higher rate of freight on Manilla hemp and thus be in danger of losing their export trade on binding twine. The domestic trade as they frankly said, would take care of it. self, as they had no competition here and needed no protection, They therefore pit ted their export trade in binding twine, amounting to not more than a few mill lions of dollars a year. at the very out side against the interests of the mer- chant marine now prostrate.
 Justice P. Loring of Boston. president of the Plymouth Cordage Company, of Plymouth. Mass. was the first of the opponents of the bill to be heard MT. Loring wanted the bill amended so that that date at which 1t would take effect would be April il. 1909, at which time the Spanish ships will lose their right to go to the Philippines on equal terms with American ships. He notified. the com feet the rates would be raised to the de- triment of farmers. and others using cord age and commerce with the Philippines would be curtailed. MT. Lorfng was closely cross-examined by Senators Gull person. Lodge Hale and Beveridge, and in reply to various questions stated the cordage manufacturers would have no objection to the bill if there would be only a reasonable" increase in rates, | stating that he considered an increase of 25 per cent. would be reasonable. In l reply to a question by Senator Lodge, he
 stated that the cordage manufacturers
 desired no duty. Are you willing for
 them to have the tariff removed" inquir- ed Senator Beveridge. Why certainly. replied MT Loring positively, adding, with smile, unless this act is- pass-
 ed" Senator Lodge brought out the fact
 that the American manufacturers al- ready have a great advantage over their foreign competitors In that they are giv- en a rebate of seven dollars and half per ton export duty. which the Philip pine government collects on hemp going to other countries. When closely ques- tioned by Senator Hale, about the so-
 called "cordage' trust, MT. Lorlng said
 they had "social' organization. 80 cial?" interjected Senator McComas.
 with a rising infection, and Senator
 Hale developed that prices are discussed
 and fixed at the "social meetings of this
 organization. Mir. Loring added. how
 ever, that he had known of cases where people in attendance on the meeting tel | egraphed lower prices which had been
 fixed before leaving the table. Senator Hale thought that as the cordage peo- 1 pie got their hemp free and had pro- l tective tariff. they were pretty well off. l Its of no use to us," said Mir Loring. 1 resignedly, explaining that the manufac- tureTs desired no protection and that the consumer and ship owner got the benefit of the rebate. Senators Hale and Lodge and McComas evidenced lively curios- ity as to why the cordage manufacturers should have made such strong pleas for protection when the Dingley bill was up and now should say they didn't want any protection. Mir. Lorings reply was that he had never asked any protection. Senator Beveridge wanted to know if they were willing to have the S7.50 per ton export duty restored. "Yes; put it back" said MT. Loring, disdainfully. Give 1t to the TNilipino;> they need it. we don't
 But the farmers may need it." .g
 Mir. Loring maintained that under this bill the American ships would charge about $1 .46 per hundred pounds as against the forty-six cents now charged by for eign ships.
 Edwin D. MetcalH of Auburn, N. Y, President of the Columbian Rope Com pany, said the cordage manufacturers had no protection and no desire for any. He doubted the ability of American shipping to handle this business. H. F. Holmes, Treasurer and General Manager of the Plymouth Cordage Company, offered, In behalf of his company, to make a con-