Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-04
FOR
AMERICAN SHIPS
Report of the Merchant Marine
Commission Submitted to
Congress Today
a SUBSIDY BILL is DRAFTED
SUBSIDY BILL is DRAFTED
It Provides for Liberal Contracts for
Carrying of Mail by American
Steamships - Some Telling Areu-
ments in Favor Of Encouragement to
Our Merchant Marine.

Washington. Jan. 4.-Subventions Of
five dollars per gross ton annually;
subsidies for the carrying of mails
from Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico
ports to South and Central America
and Cuba, and from Pacific coast ports
to Japan. China, the Philippines.
Mexico, Central America and the Is
thmus of Panama tonnage tax on
foreign vessels entering United States
ports; the creation of a naval volun-
teer service and the encouragement Of
apprentices on ships in foreign trade
are provided for in a bill agreed upon
by the joint merchaht and marine COM
mission. which submitted its report to
congress today.
The commission, composed Of five
senators and five representatives, was
created during the last session of con-
gress In response to recommendation
by President Roosevelt In his annual
message December T. 1903, An exhaus-
tive investigation was made by the
commission Of the conditions OF the
American merchant marine and Ameri-
can commerce with view to ascer-
tanning the most feasible means for
their development. Hearings were con-
Quoted during the year at nearly all
the important shipping and CONNER
cial centers in the United States. The
report of the commission contains more
than $4,000 words. and is made up of
references to the important testimony
taken, estimates OF the annual cost Of
the methods proposed to restore the
merchant marine, and an urgent an
peal for the passage, by the present
congress, of the bill presented with the
report.
Provisions Of the Bill.
The bill agreed upon is divided into
eleven sections. The first makes pro-
vision for creating force of naval
volunteers capable Of rendering service
in time Of war. 1t provides that the
secretary of the navy and the secre-
tary of commerce and labor should
cause to be made an enrolment of Of
ficers and men, now and hereafter en-
ployed in the merchant marine and
deep-sea fisheries Of the United States,
who shall receive an annual retainer,
at the end of the year, as follows:
For each master or chief engineer
of a vessel of the United States Of 5000
gross tonnage or over. 500: for each
master or chief engineer of a vessel
of the United States on 1000 gross
tons or over but of less than 5000
gross TONS $S5; for each master or
oh inf v,rrfv 0f -
United States under 1000 gross tons,
$40; for each mate or assistant engi-
neer Of vessel of the United States
of 5000 gross tons or over, $40; for
each mate or assistant engineer Of a
vessel of the United States of 1000
gross tons or over but of less than
5000 gross tons. $55; for each mate or
assistant engineer of a vessel of the
United States under 1000 gross tons,
$40; for each seaman, $25; for each
boy, SIS"
ElisibiIity.
The second section, prescribing the
conditions under which vessels engaged
in the foreign trade hall be eligible to
receive the subventions, is as follows:
"I'hat in the interest of the national
defense and for the performance of the
public services hereinafter specified,
after July /. 1906, the secretary of the
treasury is. hereby authorized and di-
rected to pay, subject to the provisions
of this act out of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated, to
the owner or owners of any vessel
hereafter built and registered In the
United States or now duly registered
by citizen or citizens of the United
States (including as such citizens any
corporation created under the laws of
the United States or any of the states
thereby, subventions as hereinafter
provided; that is to say, (aO the sum
of s5 per gross registered ton for each
vessel which has been engaged in the
foreign trade by sea or the deep-sea
fisheries for period of twelve months,
including time necessarily consumed
in making annual or extraordinary re-
pairs; (b) the sum of 81 per gross reg
istered ton for each vessel which has
been engaged in the foreign trade by
iod of nine months or over, but less
than twelve months, including time
necessarily consumed in making ex-
traordinary repairs; (c) the sum of
$3.50 per gross registered ton for each
vessel which has been engaged in the
foreign trade by sea or the deep-sea
fisheries for period of six months or
over, but less than nine months, includ-
ing time necessarily consumed In MAX
irg extraordinary repairs;
Provided, That if, for reasons salts
factory to the secretary of commerce
and labor, a vessel is idle for more
than one month when not undergoing
repairs or receiving or discharging
cargo the subvention shall be reduced
prorate."
That when the postmaster general
requires, the vessels shall carry mails
free of charge.
That one-s sixth of the crews shall be
citizens of the United States.
Sections Ave and six authorize and
direct the postmaster general to enter
into contracts, for not less than Ave nor