The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-05
SHIP SUBSIDY IS
MERELY A STEAL
Congressman A|.xanderdf Mis-
souri, Discusses The PROJECT
MI ASSURE IS RlLROlDED
sfissourian Declares That Ship Subsidy
Grnbbers Are Itching to Get their
Hands Into the United States
Treasury.
MEASURE IS REllROlDED
BY wAr1EnsoN srEALEl.

BY WATTERSON STEALE;N.
Washington, February 4.-(Speciai)-
1.-THE subsidy crowd is inpatient of delay
In their eagerness to get their hands into
the public treasury they prevailed on the
majority and railroaded this piece of leg
islation through committee without any
regard of the rules OF fairness or pro-
priety."
Representative Alexander of Missouri
member of the House merchant marine
and fisheries committee, which reported
the subsidy bill, was speaking tonight of
the action of the committe in railrcading
through the big steal He continued:
THE subsidy features of the bill are
the same as those of bills defeated in for
mer congresses. Under the pretense of
building up the American merchant ma
rine. and provide auxiliary cruisers. trans
ports and colliers for the navy in time
of war, 1t is proposed to subsidize ships
like the three ships of the Oceanic Steam
ship company now lying idle in the har-
Dor of San Francisco because they can
not be operated now at profit in compe-
tition. In other words, it means that what
is now an Improbable business shall be
made profitable by bonus paid out Of the
treasury of the United States.
The tonnage tax on ships engaged in
the foreign trade is increased from q
cents for each entry as provided in the
Payne tariff bill to minimum of II
cents for each entry with maximum Of
60 cents in each year. or double the rates
in the Payne tariff bill. =
1.-The free ship section is thrown in to
fool them in favor of free ships. No one
believes that this provision will induce
owners of ships now sailing under for
eign flags to apply for American registry
AnEarican subsidized ships
while the bill provides that the SUBJ
sides to be paid shall not exceed the estl-
mated revenues in any year, yet the con-
tracts may be let for 10 years, and no one
doubts that the subsidies will have to be
paid whether the profits of the ocean mail
service are sufficient for that purpose or
not. Indeed, II is mooted question what
profit, II any is derived from this source.
1.-The bill is simply an entering wedge
with a free ship sugar coated to make
1t palatable. and Ii 1t becomes law. we
will have ship subsidies in heroic doses
hereafter.
Representative Cox of Indiana today
bill amending the post
office appropriation bill so as to reduce
the pay for railway postoffice cars one
half
The postoffce appropriation bill carries
the following item: For inland trans
portion by railroad routes SAC 620, ,000,"
and also the following item: For rail-
way postoffice car service s., ,067 ,000." This
last item Is based upon Section 1904 of the
Revised Statutes. which provides, "Ad-
pay may be allowed for every
line comprising a daily trip each way of
railway postoffice cars at a rate not ex-
ceeding $25 per mile per annum for cars
40 feet in length and $50 per mile per an
mum for AFFECT cars and $40 per mile per
annum for 50-feet cars and $50 per mile
per annum for 55 to so feet"
THE bill which | have introduced"
said Mr.. Cox today, provides for an
to this section reducing the
pay for railway postoffice cars one-half
] may add that this $5,067, 900 goes to pay
the rent or lease for l342 railway post
office cars. making an average for each
car of $3701 per annum the average cost
of these cars being In the first instance
about $1,000. / may further add that the
in France haul the mail free
except in cases where the government
puts on the road an extra postal car, In
which case the railroads receive about ]
cent per car per mile, and this is equally
true in Germany. except the rate in
Germany is about cents per mile per
car; and the railroads in Italy, Austria,
Belgium and Switzerland so far as car
rying the mail is concerned are on a
par with the railroads of Germany"
Representative Burnett has received
letter from the Secretary of Agriculture
in regard to lands held up from entry
as a forest reserve In Winston county.
Mr.. Burnett hopes when investigation Is
made that the department will see that
no good can come from further with
holding the lands from entry
The letter follows:
'Hon. John L. Burnett, House of Rep
resentatives.
Dear Sir: Your letter of January 70 is
received A little over year ago quite
a number OF isolated tracts of public
land were temporarily withdrawn from
entry for forest purposes in Alabama.
Should these lands prove to be of suffi-
oient value. 1t is proposed to establish
tracts for the purpose of
to the public what may
be accomplished with cut-over lands and
areas which do not naturally support
stands of timber, under scien-
tifc methods.
'I regret that it has not been possible
to make a careful examination OF these
lands up to the present time, but the
forest officer who has immediate charge
of this locality has been directed to make
an examination at his earliest conven-
ience and such lands as are not found
to be adapted to the purposes above
mentioned will be recommended for re-
lease.
This temporary withdrawal, of course,
the institution of any new en-
tries, but 1t was made subject to all
prior valid adverse claims and interferes
in no way with the rights of settlers Al
ing prior to the withdrawal. Very truH
yours, JAMES WILSON, Secretary"
T. ". Ballard of Troy, Ala, is said to
be slated for good position under the
bureau of labor here He is now chief
of bureau at the Norfolk navy yard, and
his work as strike pacifier has at
tracted the attention of the authorities
He IL expected in Washington next week
to talk the matter over with government
officials. Ballard has two brothers In
the Alabama legislature. Senator john
ston y pushing his case.
TIE President today spDoaRtsa n p.