Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-09

shin should be admitted at a lower rate Of
dutv than a like cargo reaching port in
a German. French. English or any other
foreign vessel OF course under such cir
cumstances the foreign shipper would
naturally select the American vessel rather
than its competitor because his cargo
would be admitted to American ports at a
lower rate of duty. He could, therefore,
not only AFFORD TO, but would be compelled
to nav higher rate of freight TO the
American ship owner than to the foreigner.
MIR. Belmont's bill was introduced during
the last days Of his congressional term.
II attracted a considerable amount Of atten-
/ ton at the time. but not enough to insure
| for It even perfunetory consideration by
/ the committee to which It was referred.
/ Now, however, a number of bills of SINH
! lar import some providing for lower duties
/ on goods imported I'm American bottoms
and others proposing certain concessions
! I'm the matter Of tonnage taxes for Ameri-
| can ships not given TO foreign vessels, are
! pending in both houses. 1t is almost uni
versally conceded that something must be
| done to encourage American shipping and
! to overcome the disadvantages which such
! shipping has TO contend with in the matter
of wages. food supplies and so forth.
The idea of direct subsidy is a bugbear.
Ever since the days when the Poland COM
mittee unearthed so much chicanery in con-
nection with the Pacific Mail subsidy mail
| scheme-some thirty years ago-subsidy
bills have been tabooed and the warmest
friends of the subsidy plan of aiding Amer
lean shipping interests have come to the
conclusion that some other scheme is
necessary. 1t is hardly likely now that
any legislation Of this character can be
enacted during the present session Of con-
gress, but there is a growing belief that il
anything is done toward aiding in the re-
Mobilization of the American Merchant
Marine by congress It will come in the
form of concessions in the way of tariff
reduction or else in the imposition of ton
mage taxes upon foreign ships, from which
American vessels will be free.
Pierce's Criticism of COnsuIs.
About a week ago the country was
startled by the publication of a report
made by Assistant Secretary Pierce, which
was the result of a visit of that official to
the various American consulates in the
orient. In a recent speech at a dinner
given by Speaker Cannon the president Of
the United States told how he and the
speaker had, during their boyhood days
read Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress" Tn,
president said that the character in that
celebrated work who had stirred up hi,
luminosity more than any other was 9TH,
man with the muck rake" Mr.. Roosevelt
spoke for about an hour, and during tina
time he paid his respects in forcible Ian
guage to the modern man with the much
rake who is illng the crimson magazines
and the yellow journals with all sorts o
attacks upon public men. The speed
startled every man who heard it. But tn,
Pierce report startled infinitely more PEG
pie, because the extracts which wert
printed were read by 100000 people
, whereas the presidents speech was hear,
by only about $50 and was not reported
According to Pierce there is scarcely
consul in India, China, Japan or eastern
Russia who has not been engaged il
crooked work Some Of the friends of tn
consuls who were Enthusiastically, Mr.
Williams, formerly at Singapore and Ma
nila-have filed vigorous protests agains
Mr. Pierces conclusion and the result ha
been that that gentleman has assumed
the right to withdraw ms report after |
had been received by the house of repre-
sentatives and transmitted to the publi
printer for publication. In other words
Mr.. Pierce is said to have gone to tn
public printer in person and to have Sc
cured from him the manuscript OF tn
report before it was put in type. Flo
the past week members of congress hav
been calling for copies or the Pierce re
port without result. Usually such a docu
ment is printed within 'twenty-four hour
after it's receipt by the public printer
1t was only on Thursday that the dis
covery was made that the manuscript ha
been distracted and II is probable tina
the oficial who is responsible for this un
t.1 ruTfI1 he
by the members who were responsible 70
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