The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-06-01
HOPE FOR SUBSIDY
Callinger Expects Ocean Mail
Bill to Pass.
PROGRESS SHOWN IN HOUSE
Father of Bill TO Extend Provisions
0f Ocean Mail Subsidy Law Ana
lyzes Growth of Sentiment for the
Measure-OppOsitlOn Is Decreasing.
He BIames Foreign MOnOpOIies.

That additional ocean mail subsidies
will be provided for by Congress at the
next session. in December of this year. is
the expectation OF Senator Gallinger, OF
New Hampshire. who introduced the bin
for that purpose which was passed by the
Senate at the session just closed, and
Post-oflces and Post Roads.
The opposition to this form of subven-
ton Is now confined, Mr.. Gallinger de-
clares, to a small portion Of the Middle
West. and is rapidly disappearing in that
section. In an authorized interview, given
out before he left Washington for An
napolis. where he has goae as a member
o. the board Of visitors on the part OF
the Senate, 10 attend the annual exami-
nations Of the future admlrals, Mr.. Gal
linger said:
The ocean mail bill, which passed the
Senate on March 20. without a division.
and later was sustained by the Senate
IN the post-office appropriation bill on a
vote OF 46 TO r. is not killed by the
action of the House In failing to accept
II on narrow vote Of AS to i5S. The
friends Of the bill believe that next De-
cember IL will win by decisive majority.
The exultatiOn which the temporary de-
feat Of this measure has aroused in Liv-
erpool. London, and Hamburg. among
the foreign shipowners and merchants.
is hasty and premature.
The vote on May % shows how swiftly
the ocean mail service and the merchant
marine are gathering strength in the
House Of Representatives. One year ago
hfty-six Republicans, nearly all from the
Middle West, voted against a bill for mail
Ines TO South America. The other day
only thirty-six Republicans all but Mr..
Perkins, OF Rochester, N Y, being from
the Middle West. voted against a bin for
mail lines 20 South America. Japan. China,
the Philippines, and Australasia. A year
ago Y per cent OF the Republicans of
the House were opposed: this year only
10 per cent And this second test Is all
the more significant because It was made
IN the year Of Presidential election.
Opposition I'm Middle West.
The Middle West is still the center OF
opposition. but that opposition is a waning
one. Already there is very much more
support than hostility in those inland
States which have long been the special
field OF activity Of the European steam
ship corporations. For forty years the
agents and attorneys in this country Of
foreign ship trusts, like that which took
several fast steamers out of New York
IN our war with Spain and sold them TO
inc spanish government. have been boast
ing that the whole Middle West was IN
aIteraoIy opposed 20 all national legisla-
uoh Tor an American ocean mail service
ana merchant marine. Now. as a matter
OF fact. the inland States between Ohio
and the Rocky Mountains cast eigbtv-
eight Republican votes for the ocean mail
bill In the House the other day. as COM
pared with thirty-five votes against TIA
Middle Western majority for this meas
ure OF more than two TO one. Indiana gave
only two Republican votes against the
bin, while Illinois gave a majority OF its
votes for IT. and the prairie state OF
Nebraska three out Of FIVE.
Expects an Early victory.
These are figures which point unmis-
takably to an early and complete victory
for the American flag. I have reason 10
believe that many-probably a majority
Of the thirty-five Western Representatives
who voted against the ocean mail bill n
week ago personally favor legislation of
this kind, but fear that It Is not vet
properly understood by their constituents.
There is no question that there is hostility
in the Middle West to the idea of sub
sidX but this ocean mail bill Is no
more a subsidy than is our expenditure
on rural free delivery or railway mail
carrying. Il IS simply honest pay for ac-
tual service rendered
Western misunderstanding OF the
ocean mail legislation, wherever ft exists.
l am convinced, IS due in large part to
the propaganda maintained for many
years by the rich and powerful Euro
pean steamship combnatIons-throu
their emigrant agencies scattered all
over the Western country. These foreign
ship companies are afraid of a vigorous.
competing American merchant marine.
They now monopolize nine-tenths OF our
ocean carrying. and receive for this up
ward of 100000 a year. Because there
are no American ships, these foreign
concerns are able 20 force the United
States government 10 pay double transit
rates for the privilege OF sending our
mails 10 South America via Europe. and
they are scheming now to drive our flag
of the trade routes in the Pacific Ocean.
BInmes Allen MonopoIIsts.
1T Is these alien monopolists who have
the assurance 10 assan tho ocean mail
bill as in the interest Of monopoly
though the bill has no more earnest
champion than President Roosevelt and
Secretary Taft. This is a measure in the
interests Of the safety and independence
Of America, and the freedom Of the
seas As before suggested. 1 am conf
adJourns the ocean mail bill will have
won sufficient new support in the Middle
West to insure its final passage by a
strong majority IN the House OF Repre-
sentatives."