Evening journal., 1905-08-16
DAVENPORT AND
CUMMINS DEBATE
They VIII Discuss Regula-
ton Of Rates by the
Government
POOR OUTLOOK FOR SHIPVARDS
By william WON smith.

Davenport of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Gov. Cummins will support the anirm-
auve while Mr.. Davenport viii endeayor
TO present the opposition from the stand
point OF the small investor whose savings
are tied up in railway stocks and bonds.
Governor Folk of Missouri viii also speak.
Both Messrs. Cummns and Davenport
appeared before the Senate Committee ON
Interstate Commerce last winter and the
testimony OF the former was so strong
In behalf of the proposed legislation that
the demand for printed copies could not
be supplied and they are at a premium.
He Is considered one Of the ablest advo-
Gates OF the cause.
Although not a politician, AR. Dayen-
port is scarcely less well-known as an
authority on the subject than Governor
Cummins. II was be who last winter first
directed public attention to the bearing
whicn the constitutional provision against
discrimination between p6fts might have
on the question and he was heard by the
committee for several days on this and
other points. 1t was his reply TO the
arguments OF Judge Cowan of Texas, one
of the ablest men appearing before the
committee and his admirable presentation
Of the opposition to the Esch-Townsend
! bill that led TO his selection TO reply 60
Governor Cummns before the Clarinda
Chatauqua. Mr.. Davenport is a graduate
of Yale leading member of the Com
necticut bar. and the general counsel OF
the Association for Maintaining the
Rights of Private Property which is come
posed OF depositors In savings banks hold
ers of life and fire insurance policies and
small investors whose aggregate holdings
OF railway stocks and bonds run into hum
dreds Of millions.
An additional feature Of interest is the
fact that Clarinda, where the debate will
be held, IS the home Of Representative
Hepburn, chairman OF the House Com
mittee on Interstate Commerce which re-
lported the Esch-Townsend bill. passed by
the House last session. Mr.. Hepburn will
not be present. however. being now in the
Philippines with Secretary Tafts party.
When Governor Cummins appeared be-
fore the senate Committee he addressed
himself particularly to the railroad sltua-
ton in Iowa, alleging that the Iowa FARM
ers we're oppressed by the railroads and
greatly handicapped in marketing their
produce by excessive freight rates. Tt is
understood that Mr.. Davenport will am
alyze Governor Cummins statement and
endeavor TO show that the through rates
from Iowa are a distinct ads antage TO the
farmers of that State in enabling them ts
compete with the Eastern farmers in the
Eastern markets. The debate is expecte,
to prove the most interesting Of the sum
mer on this question. Governor cummin
and Governor Folk viii speak on Angus
Is and Mr.. Davenport on August Is.
The outlook for the American shipyard
is anything but encouraging. For a mum
Der Of years they have skimpad along OF
contracts for war vessels and lived in the
hope Of the passage of a ship subsidy bin
Now comes a general feeling that prid,
in the navy is wen enough in its way bu
the big stick" is a somewhat tiresom,
burden and a great navy a luxury rather
than a necessity. So there are disquietinl
rumors that next session Congress viii
scan the naval appropriations more criti
cally than ever and try TO worry alon,
with as few additional battleships as pos
sible. This intelligence is coupled with an
awful shock TO the advocates OF suhsidie
in the advance report Of Lincoln Hutchin
son. special agent of the Department
of Commerce and Labor who is investi
eating the possibilities Of increasing on
trade with South America by means OF
subsidies TO vessels Mr.. Hutchinson re
ports that there is no necessity for fas
ships in that trade; that goods are ordered
by cable and the merchants keep Stock
on hand for weeks in advance. Not only
have fast steamers no important relation
toward the country's trade with soutl
America according 20 Mr.. Hutchinson. bur
as a matter of fact. he says this country
pays little or no more freight on its goodl
delivered there via England than do Eng
lish exporters.
Continuing he says: "My reasons fol
doubling tho efficacy Of the proposed slim
illus to trade fan under two distinct headi
The opinions Of the larger importers here
and the experience of other nations which
have abundant transportation facilities
find many of the largest and most ex
perienced importers, men who deal il
goods from both the United States am,
from Europe, inclined 10 laugh at the ide;
that American exporters are in need o.
greater facilities. They claim that the,
never have any difficulty in getting al
the goods that are demanded from New
York quite as readily as from London
Liverpool or Hamburg. And as to the eX
perience of those countries that coutro
the bulk of the transportation to Brazil
the statistics show that in the past tel
years some Of he countries OF Europ
which have made the greatest effort 4
~ stimulate steamship facilities betweei
= their ports and those of Brazil have beei
& the least successful in holding thel
> Brazilian trade"
Last Congress desperate attempt wa
= made to secure the passage Of a subsidi
, bin. A joint commission Of the two House
Of Congress spent all the summer in inves
tigating the question. handed in a repor
i and model bin and there the matte
ended. The advocates OF the bill have de
termined to make one more fight and al
organization in Cleveland has secured IN
services of MIR. Alexander r. Smith to al
rect the movement. AS superintendent o
= the Maritime Exchange OF New York, Nh
Smith has long been an able and earnes
advocate OF ship subsidies.
The question Of subsidzng ships Ia
been under agitation for many years an
many attempts have been made in Con
gress TO accomplish it. There was tim
when tee United States had a great mer
chant r,s.f,.- d. 49,