The Washington herald., 1907-03-01
SUBSIDY VOTE TODAY
House to Act on Littauer
Bill at 3 O'clock.
sPRECKELS LINE NOT FAVORED
to Except 1t from Pro-
vision OF Bill Denying Benefit of
iStence Is Defented-Bfrdsau Re
fers 10 Attempted Corruption.

The House viii vote on the Llttauer
subsidy bill at o'clock this afternoon
General debate on the measure was closed
yesterday, and on it being taken up for
amendment several changes were made.
In the probable event of the passage Of
the bill in the House this afternoon, 1t Is
now said to be the plan of the Republican
/ leaders in the Senate TO take favorable
action also. IT is not certain that they
win be able TO pass whatever measure
may be sent over by the House, however.
for Democratic Senators are credited with
a determination to block a vote, either by
talking the bill to death, or through some
other method Of legislative maneuvering.
The attitude of the friends of ship sub
sidy in the Senate Is that the bill now
before the House is not what they want,
by any means. but that it is a step In
the direction Of a general subsidy, and,
therefore, better than nothing from their
standpoint.
The most significant incident in yester-
days proceedings was a test vote or an
amendment offered by Mr.. Littauer. He
first moved 10 change the bin so as TO
provide that all vessels which shall bene-
If from its provisions shall be built in
the United States This the House agreed
10, thus leaving the measure in "a form
which shut out all vessels already built
from any benefit 20 be conferred by the
proposed new law.
SpreckeIs Boats Not Excepted.
Then Mr.. Littauer offered an amend
ment to except the Sierra. Sonoma. and
Ventura, the three steamers Of the
Spreckels line, running between San Fran
CISCO Auckland. New Zealand. and sgd
ney, Australia, via the Samoan Islands,
/ fin order 10 permit them to participate
in the subsidy. The line already has
mail contract, and the adoption Of the
amendment would have added 100000 TO
its yearly income. After a vigorous dis
cussion the Committee OF the Whole de-
/ feated the amendment 1l2 to 127.
! A provision was inserted for a myI line
/ from a port on the Gulf OF Mexico to
Brazil TO receive a compensation of S360.-
900 for a monthly service and 100000 for d
fortnightly service.
Mr.. Humphrey CRep., Wash) offered
an amendment which. he said. made il
/ clear that neither Hin nor Hartman. nor
/ any Of their railroad properties, by the
/ ownership Of steamship lines could avail
I themselves of the provisions Of the bill
! II was rejected for the reason that II
was believed 10 be unnecessary. and
/ further, that Il might interfere with the
/ through land and ocean billing Of freights
An amendment was made, on motion by
| Mr.. Smith (Rep., Iowa., requiring the
/ Postmaster General IN contracting for
] he nj a h4
which. under penalty offers the highest
rate of speed.
BirdsaII Talks of Corruption.
An hour was devoted 20 closing general
debate on the bill yesterday Mr. Bird
sail lRep.. Iowa. spoke against the meas
ure. He said it meant the death Of sub
sidy for the merchant marine of the coun-
try, and the general verdict would be
murdered in the House by its friends"
That ship subsidy was dead, he asserted,
was proved by its abandonment by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. GrOsvenor),
who for years had been its chief prophet.
Referring 10 the criticism made upon
Mr.. Hinshaw (Rep., Ncbr) and others.
who, like him, coming from the corn
fields" differed from the view Of Gen.
Grosvenor, and the President as well, Mr..
Birdsall said they had been threatened
TO "A certain extent with defeat.
1T is possible be went on, that be
cause these ship subsidy men have failed
to corrupt him ,Mr. Hinshaw) by the ten
der OF liberal donations 10 his campaign
fund, which be Indignantly spurned. that
they now propose 10 follow him in his dis
tTict and defeat him for denomination or
at the polls" {Applausel
"Why, Mr. Chairman continued Mr..
Brdsau, good men have come from the
cornfelds. Lincoln, Washington, Harlan,
and a host OF others came from the corn
fields; and the cornhelds have furnished
the sincws Of war and the sinews Of com
merce Of this great country. Are gentle
men to be laughed at and ridculed be-
cause they represent these great interests.
and, perchance, have the courage of their
convictions 10 stand against raids upon
the national Treasury? Look over the list
Of men who have risen TO fame and power
in this country. Where have they come
from2 From the great cities from the
marts of commerce2 No. On the con-
trary, from the fields of labor and the
farm.
One GrcHt New Yorker.