New-York tribune., 1907-02-26
SHIP SUBSIDY WINS.
BILL BEFORE THE HOUSE.
To Vote on Friday-A Hot Fight
an Prospect.

ltTOm Ihe IribCEe Bureau
Washington, Feb. 25.-The mail subsidy bill
of the Committee on Merchant Marine and
Fisheries is before the House at last. and the
victory in the first and only contest of the day
on the floor rests undsputably with the advo-
Gates of the measure. That struggle was over
the adoption Of the rule bringing in the bill
and determining under what conditions IT should
be considered. There was a majority of SO.
Advocates of subsidy jubiant tonight at
the prospects of enacting the bill into law
Under the rule the House will vote finally on
Friday at o'clock. Five hours are first TO be
given 20 general debate. confined to the bill
itself. This will occupy the time Of the House
Tomorrow. Following that the bill will be
taken up under the five minute rule for amend
ments. Should this reading be finished before 3
o'clock on Friday the vote is to be taken at
once on the report to the House. the report being
considered as a substitute for the Senate bill
on the same subject.
The decision to allow the bill to be amended
on the floor and to permit so liberal debate at
this late time in the session has gained sup
porters for the measure. Nevertheless the Dem
ocrats complain that there is not sufficient time
to consider II. But with all the concessions
made by the Committee Merchant Marine
and Fisheries and the Committee on Rules. there
has been a breaking away from the leaders on
the Republican side that may prove vexing TO
those who desire to pass the bill without amend
ment With such men Graf. Of Illinois:
Townsend Of Michigan; Hedge. of Iowa. and
Burton of Ohio. lined up with the Democrats
the House leaders realize they have a real fight
their hands.
All the 15S members voting for the rule to-
day were Republicans while of the I22 voting
against it twenty four were Republicans Near
ly every one of the latter is expected TO cast
ID
floor. They Burton and Weems. of Ohio;
Darragh, Fordney and Townsend OF Michigan:
Holiday. of Indiana Chapman. Graf, Madden.
Prince and Wilson. of Illinois: Nelson and Stat
ford, of Wisconsin; Davis and Steenerson. of
Minnesota; Hedge and Hubbard, Of Iowa: Kin
shaw, Kinkaid and Mccarthy. Of Nebraska:
Campbell and Murdock. Of Kansas: Marshall Of
North Dakota, and French. Of Idaho. There is
really little hope Of passing the bill without
amendment. 1t would not be a surprise to some
OF the advocates IT, when the bill is passed it
contains merely mail subsidy for South Amer
lean ports those 10 the Orient being eliminated
Unless amended. several who voted to-day for
the rule will vote against the measure. On the
other hand, the Republican leaders point out
that Of the absentees to-day they will attract
enough to pass the bill in whatever shape it
may come from the Committee Of the Whole
FIGHT AGAINST THE BILL.
No sooner had the debate on the adoption OF
the rule begun to-day than the Democrats.
through their leader. John Sharp Williams de-
clared that the bill a mere vehicle to carry
to conference a ship subsidy. a hothouse OF
naked, bare class legislation and several other
things equally bad.
In reply 10 this General Grosvenor. in charge
OF the bill, who is making his last fight in the
House as a close to twenty years in Congress,
promised what he would do if he were named as
one of the conferrees. as he supposed he would
be. He said that no bill that made any changes
in the principles the application of the rem
edy, or increases the amount to be paid. would
ever be agreed to In conference OF which he
was a member. He pledged Mr.. Minor. who is
regarded as most likely to be one of the con-
ferrees. to the same course.
In the debate the Democrats cOntented them
selves with applying epithets TO the bill, in
stead Of arguments. John Sharp Williams
termed II robbery. grease for the fat goose and
worse than charity for those. like Hill and
Hartman, affected with miIlionarism. Mr. De
Almond. who is after the minority leadership
referred TO II as stencil in the nostrils and
an nfamy
Representative Payne. the Republican floor
leader. told the House that the Democrats had
been saying all these bad things about the tariff
for years, vet under II the country had marched
on 10 n prosperity never before dreamed about
General Grosvenor in ten-minute speech
gave first one and then another Of the opposition
that had spoken a gentle dig. He told Mr. De
Almond that when he talked I'm favor of abor
he was treading on mighty thin ice. When tho
Missourian returned the compliment General
GrosveuOr said he had begun life a poorer man
than De Almond, now poorer man and
had been consistent in supporting mea sures for
the benefit Of the poor man. He said all the
Democratic Presidents that had considered the
question supported Just such a measure as he
now advocated. and that the trouble with the
Democratic members was that they were trying
to be Democrats and belong to the Democrats
party at the same time.