The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-06

Washington, February 1.-The SEN
ate today passed thirty OIL forty mis-
cellaneous bills, and devoted seyeai
hours to the consideration of the
shipping bill. Bills were passed au-
thorizing the election of a delegate in
Congress from Alaska; authorizing
the construction of a revenue cutter
vessel for duty al Savannah, Ga; ad-
vising the construction of a bridge
across st. Andrews Bay, Fla, by the
Birmingham, Columbus and st. An
drews Railroad Company, and provid-
ing for light houses, fish cultural sta
tons, etc.
Most of the time devoted to the
shipping bill was consumed by MI.
Penrose in a set speech in support or
the
Mr.. TilIman's resolution calling on
the President to send to the Senate
all the letters from the United States
minister to Santo Domingo to the state
department in 1904 was referred to
the committee on foreign relations.
Mr.. Tillman made no objection, but
said that he only wanted light as to
whether SantO Domingo had been
coerced into the present arrangement.
He said the newspapers had said that
this was the case, while Mr.. Patterson
had said yesterday that the arrange
ment was made at the solicitation of
the Dominican government.
After Mr.. Tillman had made a brief
statement concerning the bills holding
railroads responsible Tor injuries to
employees, MI. Elkins withdrew his
motion for their reference to the COM
mittee on the judiciary. thus leaving
them with the committee on inter-
state commerce.
Mr. .Tillman said he had not been
aware of the frequent change Of refer
ence for the bills. He said that he
had been instrumental in the effort to
secure the change of reference be-
cause the interstate commerce COM
mission was 50 much engaged on the
railroad rate question.
At 2 o'clock the ship subsidy bill
was taken up. Mr.. Bacon said that
he would be inclined to support the
shipping bill if its operations were
confined to granting aid in the way of
liberal mail subsidies to steamship
lines between ports Of the United
States and other ports, with which
! there is now no direct communication,
such, for instance, is the ports OF
! South America. He believed that
| such line should be encouraged. Mr..
| Spooner suggested that the bill would
afford encouragement to only large
concerns, as vessels would receive
subsidy for only ten years. Such yes
sells would then come into competition
with subsidized ships, with the inevita-
BILE result, as he thought, of forcing
their sale to the larger companies Op-
Grating subsidized vessels.
Mr.. Galhnger intimated a willing
ness to amend the bill to meet the OBJ
lection.
Mr. Penrose declared that for q
. years after 1873 no transatlantic yes
sells had been launched ON the Della
ware, and that the record for thirty
years was only ten, while the CLYDE
Line had launched hundreds. HI
contended that American labor shoult
be protected in the ship yards, as wei
as in the factories.
Mr.. Carter expressed the opinion
that the bill would be endorsed by thu
entire Rocky Mountain region.
Mr.. Penrose declared the report tina
there was a shipbuilding trust to b.
"a Pigment of the imagination"
There can be no division Of opinion
on party lines over the need of smash
ing the foreign monopoly" ne said.
At 400 p. M, the Senate went int
executive session, adjOurning at Al
until tomorrow.