The Sentinel=record., 1910-02-04
DEMOCRATS WERE CAUGHT LIN. AWAREs AND BILL WAS REC
 oMMENDED FAvoRARLY.
Humphreys Had Counted Noses in Ad- vance and Was Sure of His Measure When 1t Was
 Sprung.

NlSnlnRuOU, feD. o.--rAlbeT buOAt but torrid open hearing, replete with personal disputes and acriminious ut terances. followed by an executive ses sion of an hour, a session filled wlth dissention, the house committee on merchant marine and fisheries today by vote of 10 to reported favorably 10 the house the administration bill on ship subsidy as introduced by Rep resentative Humphrey of Washington.
 Ten Republicans voted in favor of the bill and five Democrats and two Republicans voted against it. The two bolting Republicans were Wilson of Illinois and Swazey of Maine.
 Representative Hobson of Alabama reported to befayorable to the bill, and Maynard of Virginia, against ii, both Democrats, were absent.
 The Democratic membersof the eommittee were greatly wrought ur over what they characterized the ''milroadng of the measure without consideration or opportunity to amend it and tonight they held meeting in the room of Representative Champ Iark, the minority leader. to mar ont the future party course against the bill
 1t is expected that the measure will meet with most stubborn opposition when it reaches the house
 Representative Spight of Mississip pi ranking Democratic member of the committee, will file minority report against the bill Aif Spight declared with vigor that Representa- Hum phrey and his Republican associates, in rushing the ship subsidy bill in the committee today. had broken f5ith With the Democrats and and had taken unwarranted action.
 Mir. Spight said Chairman Green of the committee had assured him only Yesterday Una na vote would be taken at the meeting today and that the minority anl those opposed to ship efhsidy would De given an ample op' portunity to hs heard before final voc was taken.
 Mir. Green informed MT. Spight af. ter today's meeting that he did not make any promises for MT. Humphrey and could not prevent the latter In bringing his bill to a vote.
 Mir. Humphrey declared that ample consideration had been given the bill and if Ii were delayed longer that a treasure to take its place would be reported in the senate.
 In reply to this the Democrats stat cd that the bill had been given nc consideration by anybody and that h had not even been read over m com mittee
 Today's hearing was the first given on the subject and the opposition to the bill pointed out that those heard today were in favor of ship subsidy bill. and were opposed to parts of the Humphrey bill The Democrats or ferei several amendments end Renre' sentatives Sulver and Clark of Flor ida and Kusterman had notified the committee that they desired hearing on their own ship subsidy bills.
 The action today was a surprise to then as well as to the minority of the committee.
 "The action of the Republicans to- day is an outrage" declared Repre- sentasive Alexander of the commit tee. who opposed the bill We were given no chance to consider the bill or to be heerd upon it. In the face of direct promises they have raii- roaded this bill through. It is an in- suit to the minority of the commi' tee, to the house itself and to the country at arge.'
 The executive session of the com mittee was characterized by tense feeling .Thc Democra $ endesyore1
 scnre an adiournmesnt to amend -~se bill but were voted down. An cendment was offered 1striking out .e subsidy sections of the bill, but
 was lost.
 -n answer to the impassioned ap' als of the Democrats, Representa-
 Humphrey turned deaf ear, an
 sring that immediate action on the was imperative. When the final RIe was taken it was shown that
 presentatiye Humphrey had figured
 rectly on safe majority for his eaHure.
 er The open bearing given today to the @1erchants' Association of New York Asulted in a hot row between MT. Humphrey and Attorney James H. >ougherty. representing the associa- Llon. immediately following which Mr