Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-01-27
SNIP PURCHASE BILL.
Republicans Not Alone In OPPOSE
tion 10 IL.

tWashfngfon Letter to Boston TrGnscrtpt.I
The position Of the republicans Of the
Senate toward the administration ship
purchase bill IL being either misrepre-
scented or 10 much misunderstood. Not
only has there been no break in the line
OF opposition to the government owner
ship plan Of President Wilson, but fepuh-
lican antagonism 10 rapidly being supple
mented with democratic distaste for
measure which already has been shot full
OF holes. Indeed, there actually 10 no
ship purchase bill before the Senate. The
original measure has been torn to pieces
by skiiiful aud honest analysis, and the
democratic caucus has been unable to
aexee upon q substitute.
At no time since the debate opened
would the democratic leaders have dared
permit the administration bill to come to
q vote, even were the republicans willing.
Night after night the supporters Of the
President have been trying in the caucus
to get their colleagues 10 vote for twenty
fourth hour sessions, to tire out the oppo-
sition, but this vote has been refused by
| democratic senators who heartily oppose
government ownership OF steamship
lines. These men, who possibly consti-
tute . majority on the democratic side,
might swailow their pill and vote for ship
purchase il the final vote were being
taken, but up to that point they will do
all in their power to delay the bill and
eliminate the feature OF government
| ownership which President Wilson de-
clares to be essential.
| 80 far there has been no 'sfilibuster" on
the bill. On the contary, the republican
speeches have been carefully planned to
discuss the ship-purchase plan on its
merits. Senator Burton in an exhaustive
address covered almost every phase of the
| general question suggested in the bill.
Senator Weeks, OF Massachusetts,, pre-
sented an admirable study Of the details.
Senator Cummins, of Iowa, made SO
mastery an analysis Of the administration
measure from . legal and constitutional
point Of view that its sponsors were rum
ming around in circles trying to redraft
the bill to meet the objections which he
and other senators had raised.
Senator Lodge devoted himself to an
analysis Of the fleets OF the North German
Lloyd and the Hamburg American lines
which he believes the administration pur-
poses to buy, and Senator Root, Of New
York, discussed the international aspects
of the ship-purchase proposition. Unfor-
tunateiy the published reports Of this
careful discussion have concerned them
selves chiefly with the replies made by
some senators to the indianapolis speech
of President Wilson. but az a matter of
fact this series Of carefully prepared adj
dresses has discussed the White House
novelty seriously and scientifically from
almost every point Of view. The senators
have been keenly disappointed that SO lit
tie Of their solid argument has reached
the public through the press.
1t may be said, however, tina. it has had
great weight with the democratic leaders,
who already are convinced that il they
should jam through the ship purchase bill
in anything like the form suggested by
the White House it would prove unwork
able, il not worse. So completely at sea
were the democrats over the bill when
Fridays debate closed that recess was
taken until Monday to enable the agents
of the President in the Senate to get to-
gether and decide among themselves
whether they can offer a revised measure
that will command their own respect.
1t is to be borne in mind that notwith-
standing the President has forced upon
Congress a ship purchase program which
is absolutely revolutionary in character,
and commits the government to an invest
ment OF thirty million dollars in an un-
tried field, the only speech in defence OF
the bill has been made by Senator Fletcher
Of Florida, who IS in charge OF the meas
ure. Otherwise the democratic senator's
have sat dumb before q discussion OF y
measure 80 far reaching that it 10 charged
that its consequences ultimately might
lead to war with one or more European
powers.
In fairness to the democratic party it
should be said that many democratic
senators are fatty opposed to the whole
plan OF President Wilson. Some are out
spoken against it, and others are likely
to be. Pressure from the White House
4 may force some of these men to vote for
the bill, but not ALL The publicans are
standing as a unit, with the possible ex-
|, ceptions OF La Toilette, Clapp, Norris and
Kenyon, who in the past systematically
have voted with the democrats whenever
they could.
Cummins, Of Iowa, who is a near pro-
| gressive, is now working heartily with
the regular republicans against the bill.
Republican opponents cannot join hands
openly with the democratic opposition,
but it is an open secret in the Senate
chamber that the republican opposition
would make much less Roadway If it were
not receiving SO much quiet support on
the other side Of the chamber. The re-
pubhcans believe they have the bill beaten,
at least in its present form, and although
they deeply regret that their course may