The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-01-07
SHIP SUBSIDY
WILL OPEN The
PORK BARREL .
ALTHOUGH THE MEASURE is OF
FENSIVE TO THE PEOPLE, 1T is
TO BE JAMMED THROUGH CON-
eREss REGARDLESS OF coNSE-
QUENCES.
By TaV.

by
Washington. Jan. 5.-Although some
of the Republican leaders realize that
the Humphrey ship subsidy bill is
almost as offensive to the people as
was the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill be-
fore its passage, the measure which
will open the pork barrel to private
ship-owners is to be damned through
Congress regardless of consequences.
The railroads, the tariff trusts and
all the other special interests that are
represented in Congress have added
their o. K. to subsidy legislation.
With President Taft using every
source of leverage at his command to
secure votes for the measure, the
only hope for its defeat lies in a coali-
ton of Democrats and insurgents.
When it is considered that ship
subsidy is popularity viewed as class
legislation of the most vicious kind,
and that it has been turned down by
such representative commercial organ
izations as the New York Chamber of
Commerce as both un-American and
impractical in theory, it would seem
that in forcing such law upon the
people the Republican leaders are alb
solutely Indifferent whether the next
house is lost to the party now in pow
er or not. Either that, or else hope
for Republican success in the ap-
preaching Congressional elections has
been abandoned, and the Aldrich-Can-
non men are out for all the pork
that is to be had in the comparatively
short time which remains before their
enforced retirement to private life.
What is the real significance of the
desperate attempt Of the Republicans
to pass a ship subsidy bill at this
time? From what viewpoint will the
average citizen be likely to view the
situation?
To Pass it at Once.
The plan now is to pass ship sub
sidy bill within the next few days If
this is done, it will mean that the
first important legislation to pass at
this session was measure that will
benefit only a few already rich men.
1t will mean that Congress deliberate
ly turned it's back upon legislation
desired by the people to first serve
the special interests. And as if to
make more evident their contempt for
public sentiment, the Republican lead
ers have given the country to under
stand that while ship-subsidy bill is
to be passed, no attention is to be
paid at this session to postal banks or
statehood for Arizona and New Mex
leo, which, it will be recalled, were
promised in the Republican national
platform in as clear-cut English as
could possibly have been employed.
Political blindness is the only ex-
preston l can think of to, describe the
action of the Republican leaders in
persisting in their plan to pass a ship
subsidy bill at this time" said Repre-
sentative Henry T. Rainey of Illinois,
one of the best posted men in the
house on shipping and navigation
laws THE leaders in charge of the
majority side of the house are simply
drunk with power. They need only
"a little more rope and the job will be
complete.
IF this ship subsidy bill is passed, -
said Mr.. Rainey, where will the S.
000,0 that is to be paid annually to
the ship owners, come from? The
subsidists answer: Why, it is not
planned to take money from the pub
lie treasury. 1t is planned to use the
profit of the foreign mail branch of
the postoffice department, which is APP
proximately $5,000,000 annually
This is no answer to the question,
however. The postoffice department
is running at a loss Of S17,500, 900;