New-York tribune., 1910-02-07
FEAR SUBSIDY LOST
HOW VOTEM4Y STAND
Majority of 26 against Meas
IRE Figured.
iron, The Tribune Bureau J

vashington, Feb. e-With a Republican
majority of ffty-ive in the House iast
March, the postal mail subvention Dill was
defeated by three votes. This year. In the
! oninion OF many unprejudiced representa-
tfyes, the Humphreys ship SUBSIDY
measure viii suffer the same fate, Du'
bv a larger margin. No legislation was
more strongly desired than the subFenlioli
bill, and no measure of the SIXTEEN Sot
gress had greater pressure behind IL
active supporters included President hooo0
velt Frank II. Hitchcock and the Ieaue
in the Senate and House. James Il
son, the most capable whip the Repuoi'
cans have had for years. let no chance
escanA him Members who would not vote
for the measure were persuaded to remain
away from the House, yet when the VoieS
were counted they showed bare defeat
The bill last year provided only for Ila1i
subvention. This gained il several votes
This wears measure is an out ana OUT
subsidy. reported by the Committee on
Merchant Marine and Fisheries with aD-
soIute candor But the method by Which,
it was reported has already lost II one VIZ
that of Representa- tive STasey' OF aaii.7'
who voted fc- last years DILL out WV
has announced that he will not suppoi
the Humphreys measure. He joins III ti4s
chorus Of criticism which fell 10 tho ma
iority on the committee because Ihey IL
sisted on vote last Thursday. when tne
minority asked longer time for hearings
SAY BILL WAS RAILRoADbD-
Besides Representative Swasey. there are
three other Representatives who have IN
formed the Tribune correspondent tllat
they will not support this years DILL cnlst-
~ because il was ''railroaded'' by the com
mittee, but. seccndarily. because Il Is
frankly a ship subsidy measure. The HOUSE
leaders have already taken coznlzance OF
this feeling and are discussing q dlfIerene
method OF bringing q ship subsidy measure
up for consideration They are consider
ing the desirability Of calling on the Com
nnittee on Postofflces and Post Roads 10
draft q measure similar 10 that defeated
at the last session. This COMMITTEES is
favorable 20 such legislation and would
undoubtedly report il Action OF this char
acteT would eliminate in great measure
the opposition Of those who decTy rail
reading" and it could also be supported as
merely q mail subvenrion-
On last years rolIcall thirty Republicans
voted or were paired against the measure
Nine Republicans did not vote and had
dead pairs" with Democrats or these
nine however. four were opposed to the
measure, while all Of the absent Demo
Gratis, with the possible exception Of Rep
resentative Broussard. OF Louisiana, would
also have voted against it Of the thirty
Republicans who voted against the meas
ure trenty-six are still in the House Rep
resentltive Boyd, OF Nebraska, has been
succeeded by Democrat, who will vote
against the measure. Senator Burton's sue
cessor is his former secretary, who has
Ioaat i11[I rriT T
Representative Cook, of Colorado, gave way
TO a Democrat who opposes subsidy, while
Representative Jenkins. OF Wisconsin, has
given way TO one Of the bitterest oppo-
rerts OF the naea sure, Representative Len
root. On last years vote four Democrats
joined the Republicans They were Bart
lett, OF Nevada; Hobson, of Alabama:
Estopinal OF Louisiana, and Sherwood, 81
Ohio. These four are still in Congress,
and will probably repeat their votes
DEMOCRATS GAIN SEVEN VOTES.
If the new members were not taken into
account it might be figured that the advo-
Gates OF ship subsidy would have a vic
tory by one vote In considering the new
members. II must be taken into considera-
ton that the Democrats have made q, net
gain Of seven since the last voJs was taken
This, when subtracted from the Republican
strength and added 10 the Democratic col
urnn, makes q difference Of fourteen, and.
barring desertions and sickness, would
make the vote stand 1S9 against and l5S
for.
But other votes must DC transferred TO
the opposition column in order TO arrive
at an accurate estimate. Representative
Bede OF Minnesota voted for the measure,
while his successor, Representative Miller,
is opposed to it; Representative Bonynge,
of Colorado, gave way TO a Democrat. Con
ner. OF Iowa, was defeated by an insurgent
Woods. who will vote against the bill
Cousins gave place to Good. Ellis, of Mis-
souri,, lost TO 4 Democrat. and four Repub-
lican members Of the Indiana delegation
met the same fate, as did Haggott. Of Colo
RADIO; Harding and Laning, OF Ohio; Nc
Gavin, OF Illinois: Hepburn, Of Iowa, and
Pollard, of Nebraska \ transfer OF these
fifteen votes would make the result 204 TO
143, which shows in a measure the advan-
tage which the opposition has gained over
the last Congress, OH paper Four votes
however. where Democrats gave wav 70
Republicans, change the result somewhat
These are the three from North Carolina
and one from Rhode Island Taking .hese
into account, the vote would be: Noes. 200;
yeas, 141.
These figures present the calculations
based entirely on past performances. The
persua sive powers OF the advocates OF the
bill have not entered the equation, but new
ertheless the figures show that the oppo-
nents of ship subsidy have excellent reasons
for predicting its defeat
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