Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-15
ACTION WAS PUT OFF
Skirmish in Committee Over
Ship Subsidies.
TACTICS OF OPPOSITION
Endeavored to Have the Gallinger Bill
Reported.
IT COULD NOT PASS THE HOUSE
Friends of Measure Vote It Down
Effort to Prolong the Session
Defeated.
T COULD NOT PASS THE HOUSE

The House committee on merchant marine
and fisheries failed to take action this
morning on the ship subsidy bill, and the
meeting adjourned until o'clock this
afternoon.
The friends of the ship subsidy PROPOSE
ton entertain hopes that they will be atle
to secure a favorable report on a compro-
mise bill, providing for mail subsidies to
South American and oriental ports
The preliminary to today's interesting SEES
sion of the committee occurred in the
House at o clock yesterday evening, when
the Speaker announced the retirement from
the committee of Representative Slack. who
is absent, and the appointment on the COM
mittee of Mr.. Littauer of New York, an
earnest friend of the ship subsidy plan. Mr..
Llttauer has been at work for several
days in conference with President Roose-
welt and members of the House, getting up
compromise measure
Williams Serves Notice.
When the forces of the ship subsidy ad-
vocates had just been strengthened the re-
port gained circulation that still further
strength would be added by breaking a pair
which existed between Mr.. Greene of Mas
sachusetts and Mr.. Spight of Mississippi,
MIR. Greene being favorable to subsidies
and Mr.. Spight who is detained in Missis-
sippi, being opposed When the committee
met this morning Democratic Leader John
Sharp Williams went down to the commit
tee room and served warning that pair
made in good faith must not be broken.
He was assured that there was no inten-
ton of dsregarding the agreement.
The committee met at 10 o'clock. but had
.;I Co.
ter of Maryland. who was coming over from
Baltimore on a slow train A few minutes
after II Mr.. Wachter. in great anxiety,
rushed into the committee room and was
greeted with loud acclaim. His presence
gave working majority, and the commit
tee settled down to business. The demo-
Gratis and republicans opposed to ship sub
sidy very early showed their intention to
ilibuster and to do everything possible
to hamper action on the bill. The first def
mite proof was given by Repre- sentative
Littlefield of Maine, with motion to favor
ably report the Gallinger bill as it came
from the Senate. A vote was Immediately
taken, and then 1t was seen that the demo-
Gratis who are opposed to any form of sub
sidy were voting for the Gallinger bill.
which. it is agreed on all sides, could not
pass the House on account of opposition to
it's sweeping provisions. AS the roll pro-
ceeded Chairman Grosvenor saw the move
would try to have the bill favorably re-
ported. with the object of insuring defeat
at this session of all ship subsidy legis-
latiOn.
Gallinger Bill Defeated.
So the curious spectacle was presented of
Gen. Grosvenor, who is the most ardent
advocate of subsidies in the House. being
compelled for specific reasons to vote
against his cherished measure. The an
nouncement of the vote showed that the
motion to favorably report the bill had car
ried by one whereupon Mr.. Humphrey of
Washington, before the result was an
nounced, changed his vote from aye to no
and the motion to report favorably the
Gallinger bill was defeated.
Mr.. Littauer, the new member of the COM
mittee then came forward with the pro-
posed compromise which is regarded as the
bill Of the administration and OF the House
leaders. 1t enacts the essential provisions
of that portion of the Gallinger bill which
provides for naval reserve 1t then pro-
yides subsidies for mal-carrying lines, only
seven in number. The subsidies are to be
given to ships of not less than sixteen knots
speed
They are to be granted to two mail-carry-
ing lines from the Atlantic coast of the
United States to points the Atlantic
coast of South America, the termini being
Rio Janeiro and Ruenos Aires: to one line
from a gulf port to Colon the Isthmus
nf panama: one line from Puget Sound IA
Valparaiso Chile. two lines to the orient
ono from Puget Souna To Janan and China
and one from San Francisco II also nro.
Ia. additioraI subsidies for the ayistins
line 70 Hawaii and New Zealand.
Further Consideration Postponed.
This hill has neen nrenared after manv
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and it was believed that II reported by the
committee it could pass the House. No one
,ant,,red to nredict what wouId hecona of
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Gallinger Dill could pass the senate, with
its alleged radical features, this comp romise
measure could 90 through Mr. Iittauer
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