The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-31
THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
has HARD fight TO WIN

SllOulQ the Dill get INTO conference De-
fore the end of this feeting session.
That would cut Maine out OF benefits
for her sailing ships, after having made
a game fight for many, many years,
through her public men in Congress.
The subsidies to transatlantic ships
will also be cut out of the bill in COM
mittee. It has been proposed to vote
appropriations for lines from San
Francisco, via Honolulu to Australia
and the Orient. That has raised a
great howl on the plea that 1t would
inure to the benefit of the Spreckelses,
who already have numerous ships on
the Pacific. Another line from Seattle
To the Orient is proposed. but that
, meets with strong opposition. There
is general acquiescence by the commit
tee on subsidized lines to South Amer
lea, both down the Atlantic and the
Pacific coasts, but the conservative Re.
publicans on the subsidy question say
that Gen. Grosvenor is trying to get
too many subsidized lines to South
America and that it would be better
to have only two or three and pay
them enough to make it worth their
while. All these payments, however, |
are to be in the form Of subsidies for |
carrying mails,
added to the troubles of the subsidy |
ties, although he disclaims any inten-
ton to have done so. He recommend
ed an alternative plan in his message.
after legions of influential Republicans
had called at the White House offices
to urge him to drive as hard as he
possibly could in favor Of the Senate
bill. If it should not be practicab BILE
to enact the Senate bill, the
President said in his message in
substance, Congress should favor ap-
to South American lines.
The opponents of the Senate bill seized
upon that as though it were their
greatest hope and they have made the
most of it. Again there was a rush of
influential Republicans to the White
House offices. They told the President
he had spilled the fat in the fire by
his alternative recommendation and
now he is sending another message to
Congress to correct it.
So the jolly fight goes on while the
American Merchant Marine declines.
The wiseacres say that something Will
be enacted before the session of Con-
gress is over, but there are many OBJ
stacIes in the way. Almost any legis-
lation that carries a considerable ap-
Speaker Cannon in his
opposition conceded that the appropria-
ton should be sizable-will make the
take notice. They have
been among the numerous visitors to
since Congress convened,
have been laboring with congressman,
standing outside the committee doors
for the first word from every tenn
pestuous meeting, and making appeals
wherever it could apparently do any
good. At least two members of the
committee, favorable to strong bill,
are now sick unto death, and that has
seriously augmented the discontinue OF
friends Of the Senate bill.
Senators say they will retaliate UNI
ess the House does something for sub
sides. They will clip a few large sums
off the River and Harbor Appropriation
Bill. which is to be fat one ana
carry many millions for distribution
among many communities. Senator
FRYE. who holds the key to the situa-
lion on the River and Harbor Appro-
oriation Bill, sits grimly during all TINS
war talk He wants subsidies for ships
and he also wants river and harbor
appropriations. But Maine needs little
FOR rivers and harbors, because the
Maine delegation has looked after
Maine well in the years gone by. Ii )
Senator Frye chooses to strike along In
February he can make the Middle
Westerners squfrm. He does not say I
whether he intends to strike or not.
ERNEST G. WALKER.