Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-16
CONGRESSMAN JONES' POSITION
First District Congressman Declares
That No Man With Common Sense
Should Confuse Old Democratic
Principle With New and United Re-
publican Shipsubsidy Doctrine.
(Special to the Daily Press.l

WASHINGTON, d. c., May 10
IL is considered foregone conclusion
here that an ocean mail bill IKE tne
one that was killed by the House last
winter will be passed during one OF
the regular sessions of the present
congress. Those who favor such
measure are very hopeful
Representative Jones, of Virginia,
has been criticised by some for his
vote for this bill, but the indications
are now that many southern Demo-
crats will stand with him next time.
He is very much pleased with the
outlook In discussing the matter he
talked freely and frankly.
Bill Already Prepared.
A bill has already been introduced,
at this session. in the exact language
Of the one defeated in last congress,
except as to the provision of the Dill
which required that any line OF
steamships established between the
United States and South America, on
the Atlantic coast, should touch AT
at least two ports in the United States
south of Cape Charles.
This provision, which SO strongly
commended that bill to the Democrats
OF the Senate that it passed that body
unanimously, is omitted from the
pending bill. Mr.. Jones thinks that,
If this bill is passed in the House, IN
the present shape, that the omitted
provision will be reinstated In the
Senate.
Mr.. Jones Thinks it Will Pass.
When asked if he thought the bill
would pass Mr.. Jones said: Yes, |
am most decidedly of the opinion that
the Ocean Mail Service bill, which
failed of passage in the last House
DIV the narrow margin of three votes,
or measure framed along the SINH
lar lines, will be enacted into law
during the present congress.
The conditions that surround Amer
lean foreign shipping at the present
time are weIl-nigh intclerable. and the
demand for remedial Legislation Is
rapidly growing throughout the coun-
try. and daily becoming more and
more incessant. II is safe TO predict
that the tariff bill. when passed. VIII
afford no relief to this fast-dying in
dustry. which, confessedly has been
sacrificed upon the alter OF prStec-
ton. The failure of this tarin meas
ure to give TO American ship-buiid-
ers tax-free materials. and to Ameri-
can ship-owners the benefit of dis
eliminating duties AID discriminating
tonnage dues. must inevitably result
in an increased popular demand for
an extension of the provisions Of the
Ocean Mail Act OF 1891, which was all
that was proposed by the bill defeated
in the House last winter, notwith-
standing it had passed the Senate
without . single dissenting vote, eth
er Repu.Iican OF Democratic.
Misunderstood snd Misrep-esented-
In some quarters this innocent lit
tie measure has been greatly mis-
understood. and IN others grossly
misrepresenfed- It's opponents charac-
ferized. it as a ship subsidy measure
pure and simple. many OF them go
ing Tar as 10 CtCtalt ttAdt ~ -
actment would signsfze the adoption
by our government Of a new and vhci-
" undemocrafic policy q staie-aid to
private enterprises. Very naturally
such unwaranted declarations misled
fbe uninformed and created groudless
preiudice in the public mind.
To me IL has always been Din
cult to understand how any ordinarily
wcIl-informed man could ccnfound IN
his mind the bin whoa. having first
nasscd the House. was talked TO deaih
in the senate BY the late brilliant
Senator Carmack. during the closing
hours OF The 59th Congress. with the
ooeaa mail biIl which subsequently
passed that body unopposed by sin
Gle Democrat. The difference bctweenl
the payment Of direct bcurties on; Of
the public treasury IN aid 81 purely
private enterprise. and payments out
Of the postal rccei7fs. expressly limit
cd IN amount TO such receipts. Tor
services actually performed IN CARY