New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-16
TIE Subsidy BILL.

The Ship Subsidy bill passed by the Senate
on Wednesday by a vote of IS TO % is, we
think the most comlnendable measure OF TINS
character presented in recent years ID either
branch Of Congress. The trainers OF the bill
have shown an open nindedness in meeting OBJ
jections raised TO details of their plan for resus
citating the American merchant marine which
has gone a long way toward concilIatng oppo-
sition. II is noteworthy advance in legisla-
ton OF this sort TO find Republicans and Dem
ocrats cooperating TO improve and strengthen
a measure which year or two ago would have
been assailed and defended with partisan in
tensity. The bill as drawn by the joint COM
mission which investigated conditions IN the
ocean carrying trade has been amended III many
particulars. and Democratic Senators who dis
scented from the subsidy principle and who
voted against the measure a whole were
helpful in securing amendments of a nature 10
allay the local and sectional prejudices which
have hitherto defeated ship subsidy legisla-
ton
The House of Representatives has been rather
disinclined 10 join the Senate IN an attempt to
stimulate American shipping, because il has
baked at the outlay involved and because il has
believed that the time was not ripe for cam
paign for deep sea supremacy. 1t has been con
tent TO see American energy and capital devoted
TO the more pressing work OF internal develop
that until this work accomplished and we
we're economically ready 10 compete for mastery
in the ocean carrying trade il useless TO ex-
pertinent with the European system of bounties,
The House IS dominated by Western and South
ern sentiment. and in those TWO sections there
has been deeply rooted feeling that subsidies
would merely be a sop thrown to the shipping
interests OF the Atlantic SeabOard. operating
neither 10 reduce freight rates on the com
modities we send abroad nor TO open 10 the
producers Of the interior any new and profitable
foreign markets. In the last few years that
feeling has been greatly modified, and the West
and South are beginning 10 that important
national interests may be served by the creation
Of an American merchant marine Through the
agency OF ocean transportation lines new for
egn territory would be opened 10 our com
merce and our whole foreign trade enlarged and
stimulated This trade has been doubled in the
last ten years and al the rate of progress which
the last decade has shown the United States
will soon become the foremost buyer and seller
in the worlds markets. Priority as trading
nation must involve. sooner or later. supremacy
in the worlds carrying trade; and American
opinion is now running strongly toward an as
sertion through legislation Of purpose 10
recreate and maintain q merchant marine. The
House Of Representatives may not yield this
year to that opinion. but il is evident that the
experiment Of expansion through subsidies can
not be long delayed.
The Senate bill Of this year contains besides,
q feature which strengthens it enormously as
compared with earlier bills 1t would create
naval reserve from the crews of the ships en-
titled 10 subvenIiOns and enroll for four years
q force Of not more than ten thousand men who
could be drafted into the navy IN case Of war.
The vessels receiving aid are also 10 be put at
the governments disposal for military pur-
poses: that the national defence would be
materially strengthened at q very vital point
through the moderate expenditure perhaps So
100000 a year for the first five or ten years
which the bin authorizes. The protection thus
afforded would not be dear ar such a price.