The Cairo bulletin., 1904-12-22
SHIP SUBSIDIES
AGAIN TO FRONT
Democratic Senators Will eau.
Gus on the Question
BUT IT WILL PASS NOW
DE MOcRATS REALIZE opPoSi.
TON is USELESS AND WILL
NOT RESORT TO OBJ.
STRuCTioN.

the reconvening of congress the Dem.
ocratie members Of the senate viii
again meet in caucus for the purpose
of discussing the party attitude to-
ward the new ship subsidy bin which
has been prepared as the result of.
the investigation of the joint congress
commission appointed at the last SEES
sion. That commission has held
number of hearings in different parts
Of the country, and the bill prepared
by the majority members will be for
mally presented to both houses on
the first day of the session after the
holidays. The provisions of the mea.
sure have, In general way, been
made known.
II was at the instance OF Senator
Martin of Virginia, one of the minor
ty members, that the Democratic
senators were called into caucus
few days ago. He desired that the
provisions Of the measure be made
known to them with a view TO their
determining their attitude toward IT,
Senator Martin is one of those Dem.
ocrats who believe something must
be done toward the rehabilitation of
the merchant marine. Other Demo
Gratis feel the same way But the
party has gone SO strongly on record
against their support to any measure
smacking of subsidy.
n~..-f..t r.-k,..x. A.. nstl
And yet they recognize that any
proposition which can come from the
Republican side must contain sub.
sfdy Mature of some kind, whether II
shows on the face of things or does
not, and they are undecided just what
position they must take on what may
be called yelled subsidy.
So far as can be learned, the prin-
cipal features of the new bill will be.
First--Generous grants TO vessels
carrying the American mails on pro
posed new postal routes.
Second--A subvention with the OBJ
ject Of creating naval reserve force.
Third-Liberal payments to vessels 4
engaged in the foreign carrying trade.
One respect In which the new bill
1iffers from what was known as the |
Hanna-Frye bill is that it will not |
contain the provision for extra allow. |
1nce for speed. That provision was
much objected to on the ground that |
II would result in the greater portion |
Of the annual appropriation being abb
sorbed by the present companies op |
Grating fast mail steamers, whereas
to be of real value a subsidy bill |
must give especial announcement |
to the building OF large cargo carry !
ing vessels which are necessarily |
slow It is this latter class of YES
sells, rather than the fast ocean grey
hounds, the most of the supporters
of a subsidy favor.
New Mail Routes.
The new measure contains pro-
visions calculated to promote ship
owners putting in commission a mum
Der of vessels for duty between north
and south Atlantic ports and the
ports of South America. There are
similar provisions looking to mail
lines TO the Pacific ports of South
America and also to the ports Of Asia.
Ten new postal routes in all are pro
yided for. For instance, the sum of
$500, 900 a year will be paid 70 a line
operating between San Francisco and
Asiatic points by way of Hawaii and
S350,O00 a year to a route operating
direct from Pacific ports TO Japan and
China
The naval reserve feature contem-
plates the establishment OF a corps
of American sailors to be known as
the naval reserve. II requires, as
understand It, that a certain proper
ton Of this corps shall be carried on
certain vessels engaged in the for.
aign trade Every superior officer Of
this reserve shall be paid from $50
to 800 year, minor officers from
$50 to $50 year and seamen s25 a
year--this. of course, in addition to
their regular salary OF wages. These
payments are TO be restricted to men
shipping on vessels in the foreign
trade.
The following rate of bounty for
steam and sailing vessels is carried
in the bill.
Steam vessels. cents per ton per
year. and proportionately less for
shorter service
Sailing vessels, cents per ton
per year.
The vessels getting this bounty are
under option of purchase by the gov
eminent at a fair price should they
be needed in case Of war The own
ars must also agree 10 carry mails
when required 10 do so. and one-half
their crews must be American eiti-
zens
To Take Burden or Treasury.
The payments on account Of naval