Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-03
STATEHOOD BILL
IS SIDETRACKED
OPPONENT STOPS READING IN
THE SENATE
Ship Subsidy Measure Subject Of De.
bate Between Patterson on One
Side, and GaIIinser and Per-
kns on the Other
By Associated Press

BY Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-There was
for moment today prospect that tho
statehood bill would receive its first
formal reading in that body, always
the initiative step in the consideration
of any measure reported from a com
mittee. The senate took up the cal
endar Immediately after disposing OF
the routine business and as the state
hood bill occupied the first place the
secretary had begun to read it before
any OF the opponents of the bill real
ized the situation. He had covered but
a few pages when Mr.. Teller put a stoI
to the proceedings for the time.
The shipping bill was made the basis
4 running debate between Mr. Pat
terson. In opposition, and Messrs. Gal
linger and Perkins in support. Mr.
Patterson criticised the provisions fol
a subvention to the Oceanic Steamship
company, saying that that concern was
now under contract to carry the mails
at good compensation and that the re-
quest for a subsidy amounted to q
demand for more money on its con-
tracts. Messrs. Gallinger and Perkins
replied that the company was losing
money.
The routine morning business being
disposed of the calendar was taken UT
at a much earlier hour than usual, and
the first bill upon the calendar being
the statehood bill the reading clerk be-
gan reading it. He had proceeded but
a few moments when Mr.. Teller, who
opposes the bill, became Interested.
How was that bill reported?'' he
asked.
When informed he suggested that the
bill should go over.
"The senator implicitly does not OBJ
ject to the reading of the bill ?' re-
marked Mr.. Beveridge, in charge Of the
measure.
II certainly do" replied the Colorado
senator.
Accordingly the further present con-
sideration of the bill was stopped.
Mr.. McComber made brief state
ment regarding the substitute for the
pure food bill presented yesterday by
Mr. Money, which he declared would
do no good.
When all the pension bills (150 in
number) had been disposed Of, the gen
eral calendar was taken up and a bill
passed establishing quarters for the
lightkeeper at Cape Mendocino, Cal.
The shipping bill was then taken up
and to meet the objection made to it
yesterday by Mr.. Spooner, Mr.. Gal
linger moved to strike out the provision
prohibiting vessels from receiving sub
sides for more than ten years and the
motion prevailed.
Mr. Patterson criticised the provision
for a subsidy to the Oceanic Steamship
company plying on the Pacific coast
He said that the company was now
amply repaid upon contract for carry
ing the United States mails and ex-
pressed the opinion that it was already
receiving all that it was entitled to
from the public treasury. The pro-
posed subsidy of $250000 a year prac-
tically doubled the award, he said.
Mr.. Gallinger said If congress did
not come promptly to the support Of
the Oceanic company it would be forced
by the heavily subsidized Japanese ves-
sells to go under a foreign flag.
Mr.. Patterson contended that the
country had been more generous to
those engaged in going down to the
sea in ships than to other industries
and declared that the shipping industry
had the most persistent and successful
lobbyists that gather at the national
He said the Oceanic company had
made a threat to take refuge under
another flag, and expressed the opin-
ion that this would not have happened
If the country had not been engaged in
dealing out faVors to ship owners.
Mr.. Gallinger characterized the
speech as remarkable" and declared
that Mr.. Patterson was the first man
to find fault with the protection given
to the American vessels In the coast
wise and lake business.
Mr.. Gallinger said he had seen nc
lobby in the interest of the shipping
bill, nor had he heard threats. He
added that the company was losing
from 100000 to 100000 year.
Mr.. Perkins also defended the Oceanic
company, saying that Mr.. Patterson
had impeached the patriotism of most
estimable men. He confirmed the re-
port that the company was losing
largely because of the subventions tC
foreign companies, and that it had been
suffering losses for ten or fifteen years
Mr. Perkins called attention to the
disparity between the cost of operating
vessels on the Pacific and the Atlantic
oceans, saying that wages and the cost