The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-15
MAY DRAG OUT THE SUBSIDY Republicans Begin Pre- 1iminary Campaign. CANNON IS LARGE FACTOR Active Propaganda Being Kept Up
 by Consuls. Is Urged That Administrations of Last Three Presidents Have Been
 strongly Committed to
 American Merchant
 Marine.
BY GEORGE c. ADAMS


 Washington. Aug. 1i.-(SpeciaL)- While tariff revision has come in for a good deal of discussion during the summer months. the matter of ship subsidy has been almost entirely ig- nored. It hasn't been forgotten, how ever; at least not by It's champions. It has come to light during the past few days that there is a well organized movement to secure legislation at the next session of Congress beneficial to the merchant marine.
 President Roosevelt allowed it to be known last winter that he was in fa- vor of subsidizing our ocean traffic, and 1t Is now said that his forthcoming message to Congress will contain stalwart recommendation to that end. Subsidy advocates believe 1t will be made the Presidents chief recommen- dation to the coming Congress.
 Preliminary to the campaign to be waged in Congress next winter, advo- cates of subsidy have begun a literary propaganda. The Merchant Marine League, the Republican Club of New York and other like organizations are flooding the country with subsidy ar guments. The program Is to have the Gaflfngsr merohant marine bill intro- duced in the Sixtieth Congress, and it's advocates will make the strongest pos- sibIe kind of fight for it's passage. Last winter the House passed subsidy bill, but 1t was not a satisfactory meas ure. Limited to subsidies to mail car rying on a few routes, chiefly to South America, it's scope was too narrow to please the advocates of subsidies. and because the principle of subsidies was involved 1t met with about as much opposition as q broader measure would have done.
 The Senate refused to allow the en- aetment of even this much of subsidy measure. The opposition, led by Sena- tor carmack of Tennessee, talked the bill to death. But subsidy advocates are not to be- discouraged, Despite re- pested defeats. they believe there Is a chance Of victory in the Si1tieth Con- gress. They realize that last winter was not an opportune time to dispose of such important legislation, the ses- sion being too short other important legiglation crowding the calendar, and opportunities for flibustering being too good. In a long session, with some changes in the competition of the House, with the Democrats weakened, and with better opportunities in the stress of important measures for log rolling and combinations, they hope to accomplish the result for which they have so long striven.
 It is already given out from sources friendly to the Gallinger bill that a large majority of the Republican mem bers have committed themselves to this measure, and that it should be passed early in the next session. It is being urged on Republicans of both branches ,of Congress that the administrations of Presidents Harrison, Mckinley and Roosevelt have been strongly commit ted to a policy of building up the American merchant marine. as have successive Republican national plat forms.
 Speaker Cannon is large factor in the situation. Last winter he was not regarded as being much in sympathy with the proposed legislation, for po- litical reasons. preferring it should be let alone for the time being He is ex- pected to be more favorably inclined to 1t this session.
 An active propaganda for ship sub sidy legislation is being kept up by the consuls at various important ports. The consular reports for many months have teemed with arguments and data calculated to further the cause of sub sidy Legislation. Evidently, the State Department has fully sanctioned this procedure. Mir. Root Is we'll known to be favorable to subsidies, especially such as will build up American ship ping lines to South America.
 Several Senators and Representatives who have been in Washington during the past week have expressed them selves as strongly opposed to the ad- ministration's program of sending the monster fleet of battleships to Pacific waters, and unless Admiral Evans gets his fleet we'll under way before the first Monday in next December there is chance that it may be halted by legis- lative enactment.
 At the Navy Department numerous Inauiries have been received during the past week regarding the proposed fleet movement from members of Congress. It Is said that practically every mem Der of both the Senate and House Ma val Committees has written, asking for the reason for the proposed demon stration in the Western ocean. In- auiries also have come from other members of Congress. especially those from Eastern and far Western States. On the whole. 1t seems that Western Congressmen. more particularly those of the Pacific coast like the idea and some proceed to advance their own reasons why the proposed transfer should be made. Several of the East ern Congressmen clearly do not favor the move, and the tone of their letters indicates plainly that the sdministra- ton will be called upon promptly. as soon as the new Congress convenes. for an explanation. If satisfactory reason Is not to be had. it would not be surprising. in the face of the na- ture of the inquiries. if some step were taken to block the program.
 On the authority of a high govern ment official 1t can be said that infiu- snees which are affected by the trans fer of the fleet are beginning to oper- ate mon the administration in what promises to be telling manner, to se- cure the revocation of the program.
 Many important business interests, among them being shipbuilding com panies. supply concerns, provision con tractors and others who find enormous profits dealing with the Navy Depart rnent fin connection with the building, repairing, outftting and supplying the ships. etc. already have not only made personal appeals against the program but it Is believed they are bringing