New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-22
HEARING ON FRYE BILL
hestr7ct'on of Philippine Trade to
american Ships Meets Oppositiou.

!, "ashlnston, jan H--The Senate Committee on
rie fhlllppines gave hearing to-day on Senator
rye Dill extending the coastwise laws of the
tINeu states 10 the trade with the Philippine ISL
ahds, so that all commerce between the islands
u tie United States shall be carried by American
vessels. The hearing was ordered by Chairman
<se on application of Eastern cordage manu-
dotuFers The hill has been reported favorabIy
ny the Senate Committees on Commerce or5 +t
Fllppine Islands. but the protests caused further
consideration "
"a + Lor1ng. president of the Plymouth Cordape
CUtnpany' OF Plymouth, Mass, said American YES
se4S should have the business between the Tinted
states and the Philippines as soon ss thew ave
prepared to take care of it. He asked that the
time the bill takes effect be extended 10 ApriI II
80 "hen Spanish ships lose their right under
Tue treaty with Spain. TO engage in the Philippine
-aue on par with American ships He thought
ny thar time competition between American YES
iS would be sufficient to carry on the trade with
0ut resulting in material advancement of freteht
raes' lie was willing the bill should pass If it did
'' result In an increase of more than 25 per cent
over present freight rates
II was brought out that the Eastern cordage
manufacturers fear the passage OF the bill vvouId
'0 up t"lne manufacturing the Pacific Coast
ana wreck Eastern industries. The present freight
rates on Manila hemp amount to about 4S cents a
hundred pounds. and it Is estimated bv rnanufact
uieis that the rates. by the passage of the bill
would be advanced fully 81 hundred pounds
ohaer these conditions they think that the trade
tired before the opening of Philippine DORIS
Mr. Loring and Edwin D. MetcaIf Of Auburn
N y. president of the Columbian Rope Company
Ooth declared they did not believe there were
enough American vessels plying between Atlantic
coast ports and the Philippines TO take care Of
the cordags business. G. F. Holmes treasurer
and general manager of the Plymouth Cords ga
Company explained the expectation of binding
twins and declared that the duty on fmportations
does not in any way assist the manufacturers. as
haV m no Iu ,trioe @I,.+
way enter into competition with them.
The Plymouth and Columbian cordage COM
panies. through their representatives. told the
committee they would agree to enter into con-
tracts with American shipping companies to pay
10 per cent increase over the present freight
to foreign ships for 100000 tons of manila hemp a
sea yea that Inc oId no G4mPanys r.
from their company alone as a subsidy 10 Amer
Mr.. Bulhtt, OF the Pocahontas Coal Company of
Philadelphia, said the shipping between the United
most exclusively to tramp steamers. The cost of
operating foreign vessels much less than
leved it would be necessary to pay a bounty TO
American vessels which engaged in the Philippine
Winthrop L. Marvin. of Boston. representing the
enough American Ships to transact the Philippine
business He said the French bounty or subsidy
vessels between the Hawaiian Islands and San
Samuel S sewar. of Arthur sewan & Co. of
Bath Me-, asserted there were plenty of ships to
take care or all the business
Senator Culberson asked what
would be American vessels If this law was
passed and n monopoly created.
Mr.. Sewall thought the competition between
American vessels and American vessels operated in
connection with trans-American railroads would
prevent excessive rates under any possible Ameri-
shipping monopoly.
James Jerome. of New-York president OF the
Michigan Steamship Company. and Edgar +. Luck
enbach. OF New-York. spoke OF the number OF
American vessels available for the business de-
claring that many American vessels were now lying
Idle because OF inability to compete with foreign
ships
Hawaiian Steamship Company, said his vessels
were ready for either the Atlantic the Pacific
business.
After representatives OF the shipping interests
had concluded. a number of the cordage manu-