West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-12-21
OUR washington LETTER.
American Steel Sold Abroad Thirty
Per Cent Cheaper Than
In This Country.
Mr.. LOOMS TO THE FRONT AGAIN.
Four New States clamoring For
Admission to tho Union.
KesuIar corresponaenl OF ,rhe Arsu..

Regular Correspondent OF The Argus.
WASHINGTON, Dec. rs, 1905.
Speaker Cannon has issued one
reasonably sensible prenunciamente
since Congress assembled and that
is that there is to be no ship subsidy
legislation at the present session.
This started out To bo retrench-
ment Congress and there is abun-
dent need for all the economy that
the House can exercise. But that
does not hgure in the wishes OF the
ship subsidy people. Senator
Lodge, Senator Fry and lot of
the other leaders of the House and
Senate are only waiting their chance
to get the old ship subsidy bill to
the front in new guise. But the
speaker has given il out emphati-
cally that the shipping bill stands
no chance this year and il is to be
devoutly hoped that he will make
good his words. He has arranged
his committees pretty we'll with this
IN view and the deep unfathomed
pigenholes of the House are yawn-
ing for the measure il it comes their
way. One Of the very strong argu-
ments that will be used against the
measures II it comes to the talking
stage at all is some of the testimony
that was advanced before the Ma
rine Committee last year. That
was to the effect that steel ship
building material was sold a year
ago from America and LAID down
there so per cent. cheaper than il
was sold TO American shipyards.
This was perfectly true and there
was a howl on the subject from the
English mills, not that Great Britain
was getting her ship building ma.
terial cheaper than the home con-
sumers, but because the Ameri can
bids were cutting under the home
prices of the English rolling mills.
II was one OF the strong arguments
that Mr.. Chamberlain used in his
protective tariff campaign IN Eng
land. This being the state OF af-
fairs, it is obvious that the shipping
subsidy, II one were granted, would
have 10 be heavy enough to enable
the American ship builders to get
their material at least on an even
basis with the builders abroad.
And this would mean nothing more
nor less than bonus of 80 per cent
on the cost of material TO the Street
Trust. There would be besides the
difference in the cost of labor TO be
made up before American shipping
could be put on a business basis,
and altogether the game would not
be worth the candlei Without
spending any money on shipping
subsidies, but by carrying out the
reorganization plans in the Consular
service, the same thing, which is
osiensibly the fostering Of American
foreign trade, could be accom-
plished. And the consular service
would be the better for more ment
and less politics in it at the same
time.
In connection with the reorgani-
zation Of the consular service il
may be noted that Secretary Root
was before the Foreign Relations
Committee Of the Senate this week
and explained to them at some
length the changes he proposed TO
introduce. These changes arc sup.
posed to be embodied in the bill
that Senntor Lodge has prepared,
but the chances are that they will
not be such as to greatly affect the
workings Of .he political system on
which the service has been run for
several generations
In the same connection, ex. assis.
tant Secretary Of State Looms has
again come to the front. One Of
The New York papers announced
that he was after political backing.
for the post Of Minister TO Japan.
Bu; Mr.. Loomis declares that he is
through with government Jobs and
his interest in the State Department
is purely altruisti c. lie is solicit
tous. for the reorganization Of the
consular service which is a thing in
which he has taken a great interest
"from time to time" so he puts H..
for many years. The chances are
that-lhis profound interest in The
we'll being Of the consular service
will lead TO his appointment on the
Job Of inspecting consulates"
which is one Of the best CRAFTS in
the gift Of the government for a man
who wants his expenses paid on a