The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-11-24
And The Administration Will
Work For It.
Important From Commercial, Trade
and Military Standpoint, Thinks
the President.
WHY THE HANNA BILL FAILED


Root announced the policy of the adj
ministraton for the coming winter.
The steamship subsidy bill Is to be
the feature of the winters legisla-
ton so far as the president Is con-
cerned. He will bear down on that
with all his weight in his message.
while three members of the cabinet
will support him with facts and ar
guments in detail. The secretary Of
state makes no report, but he has
already declared himself and has
presented the most powerful argu-
ment in behalf of steamship commu-
nication TO the other American couti-
nents that has been delivered for
many a day. The secretary of COM
merce and labor will present the
case from a commercial standpoint;
the postmaster general will devote
considerable space to the mail SER
vice. while the secretary of the navy
will come out strong for the naval
reserve portion OF the bill, which, by
the way, fills eight out of the four
teen pages of that measure.
This is a very important measure
from military standpoint. We have
no merchant marine; we have no
sailors. The crews of nearly all our
ships are foreigners and many of the
Officers are naturalized citizens,
aliens who have taken out papers in
order to comply with the law which
requires the officers of American
ships to be American citizens. In
case of war there is no reserve to
draw from except the naval militia
in two or three states, which is lin
tied. The crews of our merchant
ships would be practically of no use,
because they are not natives, and the
most of them are not citizens of the
United States.
The personal influence OF the pres
ident will be exerted in favor of the
subsidy bill with as much determine
ton as was shown in support of the
railway rate bill at the last session.
and when he makes up his mind that
congress ought to do something IL
generally does II. This will be Cen
eral Grosvenor's last stand" That
grizzled veteran retires from con-
gressional life on the 9th of March
next, much to his own regret, as well
as that of multitudes of friends. and
he Is anxious to score a triumph at
the end and go out with his colors
flying. He is chairman OF the mer-
chant marine committee, and as
such will have charge of the bill.
Hence his friends in congress will
make a special effort to crafty him.
The Senate Bill.
Senate bill $50, can act TO pro-
mote the national defense: to Gre
ate a naval reserve: to establish AM
erican ocean mail lines to foreign
and to promote commerce."
passed the senate under the charge |
Of DR.. Galllnger on the 18th of Feb
ruary. and was referred to the house |
on merchant marine and |
fisheries. which has never reported |
L. The reason why II was not report |
I'd was explained toward the end of /
he recent session by Representative
Watson OF Indiana, the Republican
whip" who believed, with several
II his Republican colleagues, that
here would not be time for its con-
and that IL would be in
'xpedlent to bring another bone of
into the house. The rail-
way rate bill, the packinghouse reg
Ilations and other measures had ere
ted a great deal of friction among
he majority, and the Republican
eaders advised against bringing in
ny more legislation upon which
here was a difference of opinion 1t
5 understood that Mr.. Watson and.
Their Republicans of the committee
Mr.. Birdsell, Of Iowa, Mr. Wilson,
{ Illinois, and Mr.. Hinshaw, of Ne
raska-who were of the same mind
I the last session will not object TO
prompt report in December and an
arly consideration OF the bill liz
he house. While neither of them
as announced his sentiments. II is
sserted that all of them will sup
ort the bill. They are not opposed
0 it on principle, and only objected
0 it at the last session as a matter
I expediency.
In 1902 the Hanna subsidy bill.
'hich also passed the senate, was
mothered in this same committee
ecause of the opposition of Mr.. Mi
or of Wisconsin. Mr.. Stevens, of >
I,puneafo NJ Tnuao NJ |