Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-21
No GRAFT IN new Bill
Ship Subsidy Measure Does Not
Benefit Ship Trust As Other
Measures Did
THE coAsTwIsE TRADE
Intention is to Build Up Commerce at
New Points, Leading Into South
America and the orient-Atlantie
Ship Combine Will Oppose Measure
Some of the Provisions.

Some Of the Provisions.
Washington, Dec. 21.-President
Roosevelts determination to lend his
powerful influence to secure the pass
age of a ship subsidy bill at the COM
ing session of congress makes it more
than probable that this long pending
legislation will be enacted into law
before the 4th of March, 1907.
The bill Endorsed by Secretary
Root. in his speech before the
Trans Mississippi Commercial con-
gress at Kansas City, is not the
familiar graft tainted measure which
has become familiar to the public as
the embodiment of the American ship
trusts chronic craving to connect
with the United States treasury.
This bill cuts out the trans-Atlan-
tic ferries from their lions share in
the spoils and proposes to contribute
money from the public treasury for
the establishment of lines to South
America, Central America, China, the
Pacific islands and South Africa-to
lands where we have no markets and
no means Tor getting our goods to
them.
It remains to be seen whether the
people - particularly the people in
the great inland Mississippi valley,
where the opposition to subsidies has
been strongest-will take any differ
ent view of subsidies when they are
thus limited. The bill will not pass
without sharp debate.
The bill which was stamped by
Secretary Root with the approval Of
the administration proposes these
subsidies for new lines to be estab-
1ished:
From a port on the Atlantic coast
in the United States to Brazil, month
speed. $15O,000 year.
From port on the Atlantic coast
in the United States to Uruguay and
Argentina, monthly service, s1S7,500
From port on the Atlantic coast
to South Africa, speed IL knots or
over monthly service, $1S7.500.
From port In the United States
on the Gulf Of Mexico, south Of Cape
Hatteras, and from a port on the
Gulf of Mexico, IA knot steamers,
weekly service; $4,000.
From each Of two ports OF the
United States on the Gulf Of Mexico
and from New Orleans to Central
America, and to the port of Cristobal,
on the isthmus Of Panama, 10 knot
steamers, weekly service, $4,000.
From a port of the United States
on the Gulf Of Mexico to Mexico, IL
knot, weekly steamers, $4,000.
From a pert on the Pacific coast
Of the United States via Hawaii to
Japan, China, and the Philippines,
monthly 16-knot steamers, 100000.
From each of two ports, namely,
Puget sound and the Columbia river
Of the North Pacific coast Of the
United States to Japan, China and
the Samoan islands to Australasia,
16-knot steamers, running every
three weeks, 1000, plus the presen.
mail subsidy.
From port Of the Pacific coast
OF the United States to Mexico, Cen
trail America and Port La Boca on
the isthmus Of Panama fortnightly
12-knot steamers, 100000.
In addition it is provided that, in
the above cases, the service and SUBJ
sidy may be doubled.
II all these lines were established
and the maximum subsidies paid for
the minimum service, would be ST.
100000. II the service were made
twice as frequent the subsidies
would come to s3,416.0O0.
In addition to the above, the
bill provides general bounties for
freight vessels engaged in trade be-
tween the United States and foreign
ports, these bounties to be based on
the gross tonnage Of the vessel.
Thus the law would substitute steam
vessels Of more than 1000 gross
tons, or a sail vessel of over 200
gross tons, or a fishing vessel of over
20 gross tons, of American register.
In addition the same bill provides
for the enrolment of a naval re-
serve, consisting of officers and men
now employed in the merchant ma
rine and fisheries of the United
States, on the ocean and great lakes,
such officers and men to be under
pay from the federal government
and subject to call in the event of
war. Subsidy boats could be i'm
pressed for transports IN case of war.
Secretary Root calls attention to
the fact that practically all other
commercial nations are now paying
subsidies to their merchant marine.
England pays between $6,000,000 and
100000 year, and has paid since she
began the pRctice in 1910 $300,000,000.
France is paying sS,0o0.o00 year in
subsidies. Italy and Japan 100000
and $4,000,000 each; Germany almost as
much in total as England, while Nor
way, Austria Hungary and Canada all
pay subsidies.
The consequence is that there is
practically no American merchant
marine. While in South America,
Secretary Root says he, saw the flag
of every nation in the world except
his own at the mastheads of ships
lying in South American ports.
It is claimed by those who favor
the ship subsidy bill now pending
in the house that the moment it is
passed orders will be placed with
American shipbuilders for seventy