The Washington herald., 1908-02-25


Senator Gaillnger, of New Hampshire.
and Senator Depew, of New York, yes
terday addressed the Senate in favor OF
the formers bill to extend the mail sub
sidy grants of the United States. and
both pleaded that this bill be made the
beginning OF a broad and comprehensive
policy. the end OF which should be the
rehabilitation of the American merchant
marine, which. they declared. has prac-
tically disappeared from the seas and the
ports Of the world.
Both handled the subject eloquently
and brought much data TO the support OF
their contention. Senator 4 Gallinger
quoted the reports of many American
consuls and others in positions to secure
such facts 10 buttress his claim that the
time had arrived for action on this ques-
ton. and he painted in doleful colors the
baleful effect which he said the failure
of the ship subsidy bill in the last Con-
gress had wrought.
Senator Gallinger gave notica that on
Thursday newt, Immediately after the
business. he would ask the unan-
imous consent OF the Senate TO take up
the mail subsidy bill for action.
Depew FIouts Japanese.
Senator Depew. In using the progress
OF the japanese IN this and other par
ticulars, sketched the remarkable history
OF that nation IN the last forty years. in
which the island empire has come from
barbarism into The full light OF civiliza-
ton. and he painted the purposes OF that
terms. not too complimentary to the Jap
anese. Japan. he said. was for the open
door in the East only so long as she had
not secured an adequate foothold herself
in China. When she had. he predicted,
the door would be shut in the faces OF
American exporters. unless the United
States had a proper trade foothold in the
East and battle ships on hand TO keep
the door open to that trade. To give his
views authority. he referred to the fact
that he had been Minister TO the empire
I'm the japan Sea.
Their views Conflict.
A somewhat striking contrast was
drawn with the New York Senator
opinion in favor Of the enlargement OF
the navy by the presentation of a me-
mortal from Bishop Potter, DR.. Newell
Dwight Hills and many other ministers
provides that the Postmaster General shall
authorization Of a large naval programme
this year.
The bill which the Senators discussed
provides that the Postmaster General shall
pay 20 vessels of the second class. ply
ing from American ports 20 South Amer
lea, the Philippines Japan China. and
Australia. over routes 4OoO miles or more
IN length, for the carriage Of the mail
under the act OF March 3. 1891, the rate
per mile applicable to mail steamers OF
The first class under the provisions OF
that act
Backed by the President.
Senator Gallinger said. in part:
The present compensation to mail YES
Eels OF the first class (20-knot steamships
IS 81 per mile for the outward voyage
and to seccnd-class steamships Q6 knots
and less than 2O s. per mile. Under this
law it has been impossible 70 maintain
lines OF steamships across the Pacific
Ocean and To South America, which con.
dition will be remedied by the proposed
change In the law When the bill OF
1891 passed the Senate q more liberal
compensation was provided for second
class steamships, but II was amended BY
the other House to the rates LOW allowed
which have proved. as was predicted al
the time. inadequate for the purpose
In HIS annual message TO the two
houses of Congress at the beginning OF
the present session the President warmly
advocated legislation along the lines now
contemplated. and the Postmaster Gen,
eral and the Secretary of the Department
Of Commerce and Labor strongly approve
OF the bin now under consideration. Sec
Rotary OF State Root has also convinc.
ingly pointed out the inadequacy of on,
mall service to South American countries
The bin raises no new issue. introduces
10 new principle 1t leaves existing ant
prosperous steamship services exactly a.
they are now. and without changing one
iota the tried and approved methods OF
the present law, increases the compensa.
ton on routes which sixteen years of ex
perience have conclusiveIy proved TO be-
inadeouate-the long. costly, and impor
tant routes TO South America and tn,
Orient, the routes where our lack OF
steamship is severest. and our need o.
such service most imperative.
Paints UnflatterlnE Condition.
Not one American steamship OF an,
kind now runs to Brazil or Argentina. OF
Chile or Peru. An American mail servic,
10 those Southern countries is absolutely
nonexistent. Not one American steam
ship now runs from either our Atlantic o,
our Pacific coast TO Australasia. TIL,
mail service TO both of these continent
must be created from the very beginning
Five American steamers OF the Pacif,
Mail now run across the Pacific 10 JapaI
and China. but only one OF these gOe
regularly 70 the Philippines. One Ameri
can steamer of the Great Northern Com
pany and two of the Boston STEAMSHIP
Company run from Puget Sound 10 ia
pan, China. and occasionally 10 the Phil
ippines, but II is understood that two. i
not three. of these vessels are for sale
and that at any time. unless relief L
given 10 them. the service may be total!
abandoned.
Last March there were fifteen Ameri
can steamships plying across the Pacific
Ocean. Now only eight are left. Sine,
the shipping bill OF the last Congress wa
defeated almost one-half of our feebl
American Pacific naval reserve has dis
appeared, and when Admiral Evans steer
up through the Golden Gate from tn
Straits of Magellan we shall have tn,
grotesque disproportion in the Pacific o
two battle ships TO every commercial yes
sci engaged in foreign trade-a sigh
which has never yet been seen beneatl
the sun
Nothing TO Protect.
"And unless the new shipping bill 4
speedily passed. We shall see an ever
more grotesque disproportion than that
sixteen battle ships and not one com
mercisl steamer in the Pacific away iron
the ports OF the United States. For tn