The Cairo bulletin., 1908-02-24
AGAINST BILL WHICH THREAT
EMS ILLINOIS CEMENT AND
RIVER INTERESTS.
LOT or " OLD HULKS. Z"
To De Unloaded on Government ana
Pennsylvania Cement Interests
Severed In Frye BII--
Halt Called.

New Orleans. Feb. 23.-The whole
south and Mexican gulf coast are M
lin arms against the so-calIed Frye
lbill. which, purporting to benefit ths
/ American merchant marine IN alleged
| In reality, to be q well-laid plan 10
unload On the United States govera
ment quantity Of Old hulks belong.
Ting to the New England coast, anil
Ito place a s7.000.00al cement contract
for the Panama canal into the hands
|of Pennsylvania interests as against
the cement producers of Illinois ami
the middle west. With d favorable
report from Senator Frye's committee
on commerce, the senate was lasf
Thursday on the point of taking up
the concurrent resolution. when Sen.
at0r Foster of Louisiana succeeded In
securing q delay, and now letters and
kilograms are pouring into Washing
ton from commercial organizations aII
over the south and west, cIamoring
vociferonsly against the Maine sana.
tors scheme to sell Maine-built ships
70 the government and likewise multi !.
fy all efforts Of Illinois cement In
tefests TO get d chance to bid an the
new l,0O0.000.ton contract.
New Orleans is al present the sfogaa
center Of the opposition. but when 1t
IL known that the Frye resolution. if
passed, would have the effect of shut
ting ont the Ohio and Missouri val
leys and central west from conap6t-
tion on all classes OF Panama canal
contracts. the scene of war viii likely
transfer 70 such cities as Chicago,
Mffaneapoliss St. Paul. Mllwamkea.
Omaha, Kansas City. Des Moines,
Leavenworth. St. Louis. indianapolis.
and other manufacturing
centers which, IL deprived OF the bene.
'it OF competition via the gulf gate.
way, would be practically completely
,ut off from handling canal contracts.
which have already turned over mill
ions Of dollars in these localities.
Every one of the leading CONNER.
ial organizations Of the south anI
entral states has been asked by the
'ew Orleans Progressive union 10 use
very effort with their Representatives
a congress to kill the measure, and
o far the victory is with them by
eason Of Senator Fosters success in
olding up the bill. President phllip
Verleln OF the New Orleans organi.
alton denounces the resolution as q
,b to sell venerable ships to the GOV.
and In letter 20 congress
zen and governors in the south and
est says:
Unless the gulf states and central
est get together and defeat the
rye resolution. New Orleans and
her gulf ports and the manufactm-
& interests of the central United
.ates viii be placed absolutely at the
ercy OF New York and the Atlantic
aboard In the matter of eompeti.
Dn for canal contracts. The measure
IS the two-fold sinister underlying
rpose of beneiitting few scattered
nerican ship owners. particularly m
e New England states and more par
.ularly in the state cf Maine: and
.ewise the cement interests of
as against the south
4 west.
This cement contract is worth
me s7o00.0Oe. and the bids will be
ened March y. the specifications
ling for proposals for transporta
n in either American or foreign bot.
MS. It Is a notorious fact that IT
sts from 25 20 30 per cent more to
Ild and operate American ships than
does foreign vessels. so the bug
der the chip is fully apparent II
bill became a Law the eemen.
uid be transported either "a the
sells owned by the government o.
ships OF American registry. and the
'ernment would have 10 pay 30 per
4 more for the cement than neces-
y"