Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-04
SUBSIDIES FOR
AMERICAN SHIPS
CONTINUED From First Page.)

the commission says, is unqueStfonDbly
sufficient to equalize conGltlons for
American sxlil vessels as against for
eign sail vessels, save In the case of
the heavily subsidized flee, of France.
1t is strongly emphasized by the
commission that the naval subventions
offered in the proposed bill are not
bounties outright or mere commercial
subsidies, but are distinctly based on
Important public services TO be Civ
en- by the ships and ship owners that
receive them. AS ito the constitution
atty and expediency of such guarded
subventions it Is said there can be no
question whatever, in the light of the
example Of the fisheries subventions
given to both vessels and men for
prospective naval service by the faith
ers of the republic, and continued by
their immediate SUCCESSORS.
The last feature of the proposed bill
is a plan to increase the tonnage taxes
on all vessels, American and foreign,
now entering our ports in the foreign
trade. The commission says the pres
ent rates of tonnage taxes in the Unit
ed States are lower than those of the
principal maritime nations.
AS to the cost of the proposed legis-
lation the commission says the aver
age Of the annual retainers for offi-
GERS and seamen of the naval volun-
teers would be close to $50 each and
that it is probable that in the first
year no more than 5000 naval volun-
teers could be enrolled and qualified. AS
to the subventions for the ships them
selves the total registered gross tom
mage of the United States, steam and
sail, on June 80, 1904, was SSS,62S tons
The report Classics the vessels which
would be eligible to receive subven-
ton and summarizes the cost of the
proposed legislation, exclusive of mail
subvention, from July 1, 1906, to June
&c. 1906, as follows:
Annual retainers to naval volunteers
6, 10000, $150,O0O. Subventions to ~
registered steamships of 203,871 tons
at twelve months rates of IS per ton
$1,O19,355; subventions to 100000 tons
Of square -rigged sailing vessels, al
nine months rate Of 81 per ton, $780,
900; subventions to 100000 tons OF
square rugged sailing vessels, at six
months rate Of $3.50 per ton, $250,000;
subventions to 100000 gross tons OF
registered schooners, at six months
rate Of $3.50 per ton, $375,000; subven
tons to $4,000 tons of deep sea fishing
vessels at nine months rate of 81 pei
ton, 100000. Total, $2,394,355.
The maximum subventions required
for the complete service on the ten new
ocean routes authorized, amount to
81, 665, 900. Assuming that the few
steamships that could be adapted tt
this mail service will be diverted from
their present use, the commission es-
Inmates that not more than one-fourtf
of the maximum of 1866, 900, or $685..
$50 could, in all probability, be ex-
pended on new mail routes within the
first fiscal year.
The total expenditures for the frs
year, from July 1. 1905, to June 30, 1906
for naval retainers, subventions, ane
therefore be:
Naval retainers and subventions, 81,
394,355; mail subventions (one-fourtf
of maximum), $666,250; total, $4,000,
COS.
IF the passage Of the Legislation
proposed by the commission is post
poned to the next session OF congress
a condition already desperate will have
become still more desperate. The tim'
to act is now. The commission ha!
prepared conservative measure, aim
ing to achieve it's purpose at mini
mum cost, fair to all sections and in
terests and directed especially to thu
strengthening of the national defens'
and the extension of American com
merce to new and distant markets
The commission can see no reason VIII,
cautious measure of this kind, max
ing no large immediate draft upon thu
national revenues, can not be passe,
at the present session Of congress.
with all possible emphasis, there.
fore, the commission recommends tina
the bill which will be reported from
the commission and introduced into thu
two houses of congress, be taken vi
| promptly, and after reasonable debat'
| advanced to enactment"