The Mankato free press., 1907-01-25
Subsidy Bill Looked Good
to the Bunch.
THOUSANDS FOR MAGNATES.
veIyet in the Shape Of Bonuses
House Members are Amazed
at Measure.

Chicago, Jan. IA Washington spec
ial to The Chicago Tribune says: These
are the annual subsidies to be paid to
certain favored steamship lines under
the terms, of the new subsidy bill, which
.was reported out from the committee
late Yesterday by the use of some of the
most extraordinary tactics ever resorted
to in the house of representatives: Har-
riman's line to Japan, 100000; J. j.
Hills line to Japan, 100000; Spreckels'
line to Australia, 100000; New York
to Buenos Aires, 100000; New York to
Rio de Janeiro, S6O0,000; San Fran
cisco to Valparaiso, 100000; New Or
leans to Colon, $l50000 total, $780,
600.
The new subsidy bill may prove to be
good measure. 1t is at least definite
in the amount of money to be spent. 1t
is however. tainted from the start by
the methods used to bring it before the
house, and Speaker Cannon and Repre-
sentative Watson of Indiana, without
whose. assistance the schemes could not
have been worked probably will come
in for a good deal of criticism on that
account, although it may be taken for
granted that both of them are convinced
of the wisdom of such a measure and
were therefore willing to overlook some
unusual methods of procedure.
What will happen when The bill is
considered in the house no one knows,
but the chances are that there viii be
enough republicans and democrats who
will be afraid to vote for Il donation
of money from the public treasury to
Hill, Hartman and, Spreckels, to cut
those lines out of the list
It is ALSO intimated that if Mr.. Wat
son has correctly counted noses it will
be held up in the senate by Mr.. La
Toilette of Wisconsin. assisted probably
by his colleague, Senator Spooner, with
whom, on this propositions at least, he
is i'm entire accord.
80 The extraordinary thing about the
bill Just reported Is that it was never
Offered in the house, has never been
considered by the committee and no ar
guments for or against it have ever been
heard in the committee or anywhere
else. 1t eliminates the tonnage subsidies,
of which the president was most iE
favor, retains the provision for a sort
of naval reserve and specifies particular
lines as given above, which will get the
benefit of mail subsidies annually.
In the case of the Pacific lines, except
the one to Valparaiso, it is not likely
"a single new ship will be built. No
one of them runs directly and eXclu-
sively to any of the colonial ports of the
United States.
The subsidies for the Atlantic coast
are so framed that two parallel lines
are provided for, each having a mail
subsidy, and they will run side by side
at least as far as Pernambuco, where
they must both coal, one then stopping
at Rio De Janeiro and the other going
on to Buenos Aires
a motion in committee to combine the
subsidies so as to provide for a single
line stopping at Rio De Janeiro was vot-
ed down, and similar motions to cut out
the enormous subsidies which would be
paid under the bill to Hartman Hill
and Spreckels for carrying the mails OH
lines which are already in commission
were also defeated. ga
1t will, perhaps, open the eyes of some
people to the extraordinary power be-
hind the subsidy combination when it is
learned that the leaders of the house
consented to adjourn that body at 4 D.
.mJ thereby delaying action on the for
aiseation appropriation for the express
purpose OF permitting the committee or
merchant marine to meet at that noun
and report out this new subsidy bill
which first saw the light of day at a
dinner given by Representative Littauel
~of. New York. He had been a member
of the committee little over twenty.
four hours and is Row serving his last
term in congress, so that he is indie
pendent of public opinion te
The adjournment of the house Of
eourse was provided for by Representa-
tive Watson. of Indiana, the republican
whip, and it was accomplished with th,
consenta-of Speaker Cannon sswho MA