Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1902 — SHIP SUBSIDY VOTED. [ARTICLE]

SHIP SUBSIDY VOTED.

HANNA-FRYE MEASURE PASSED BY THE SENATE. Six Republicans, Including Allison, Spooner, Dolliver and Quarles, Vote Agalnat Bill, but Press No Unfriendly Amendments—Won’t Pass House.

By a vote of 42 to 31 the Senate Monday afternoon passed the ship subsidy bill in an amended form. This majority of 11 would ordinarily be considered decisive, but the vote was sensational and significant because six of the best known Republican Senators, coming from the three Republican States of Wisconsin, lowa and Vermont, voted with the Democrats in opposition to the bill. A surprising feature of the proceedings was the adoption of an amendment proposed by Mr. Hanna which in one clause apparently gives permission for a shipping trust, and in another clause bars from the subsidy all foreign built ships, cuttisg out two of the American line’s present fleet, the New York and the Philadelphia. This line was supposed to be the special beneficiary under the ship bill. The substantial accord of the four Senators from Wisconsin and lowa is generally recognized as an indication that the delegations in the House from these States also will be opposed to the bill, and this will mean its almost certain defeat.

The six Republicans who raised their voices against the measure were Senators Allison, Spooner, Dolliver and Quarles from the West, and Senators Proctor and Dillingham from Vermont. Other Republicans were dissatisfied with the bill, but concluded to stand by the party. The result is generally regarded as a great personal victory for Senator Hanna. His influence, and nothing else, carried the measure through. No unfriendly amendments were adopted, and the bill is now substantially as its friends drew it. If it fails to secure the results desired, they cannot blame the opposition for meddling. The important amendments adopted were one by Senator Allison limiting the postal subsidy to $5,000,000 a year for five years, and after that to $8,000,000 a year, and one by Senator Spooner, which virtually serves notice that the act may be repealed at an early day. An amendment offered by Mr. Hanna, and accepted after three divisions of the Senate, provides that while American citizens may acquire interest in foreign steamship lines, no foreign-built ship is to share in subsidy or hereafter be admitted to American registry. This was intended to meet the criticism that Pierpont Morgan and other American financiers intended to purchase foreign ships and secure American registry for them and a share in the subsidies provided for in this bill. Of course. Congress may change its mind and vote such registry, as one Congress cannot limit its successors.

How much this bill will cost the United States treasury in case it becomes a law no one knows. Some one has calculated that the postal subsidy will run well up to the limits fixed by the Allison amendment, or $5,000,000 a year for the next five years. It has also been estimated that the general subsidy part of the scheme will not cost more than about $1,000,000 a year, but it was noticed that the managers of the bill were unwilling to have any limits put upon this expenditure. The expenditure may. therefore, be reckoned at from $5,000,000 to SO,000,000 a year at the outset. Strangely enough, the Democrats are well pleased. They count upon the, subsidy bill, passed by Republican votes, as one of their sUungest cards in the coming campaigns. This explains why the Democrats did not put up a more strenuous fight against it, as they did at the last session. There Is no prospect that the bill will pass the House at this session. The attitude of the lowa Senators indicates that Speaker Henderson's unfriendliness to the measure is well supported and likely to continue at least till after the fall elections.