Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1900 — FOR AMERICAN SHIPS. [ARTICLE]

FOR AMERICAN SHIPS.

THE MUCH-DISCUSSED HANNA-PAYNE-FRYE BILL Senators Favor Passage of the Subsidy Measure—Why It Is Needed and What It Will Accomplish—Opposed by Free Traders and Foreign Ship Owners. _ Sentiment among members of the upper branch of Congress so strongly favors th'e shipping bill that its passage at the present session is assured. It is known as the Frye shipping bill, having been introduced by the President pro tqm. of the Senate, Hon. William P. Frye, of Maine, who is also chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, to which legislation affecting our marine is always referred. For twen-ty-five years Senator Frye has been the leading champion of American shipping In Congress. Senator Hanna first introduced this bill in the Senate, however, at the time Senator Frye was a member of the Peace Commission in Paris. It was introduced in the House of Representatives by Soren\ E. Payne, of New York. This its several hyphenated titles. This bill is ngcessary, because our shipping in the foreign trade is unprotected in competition with the cheaperbuilt, cheaper-operated, heavily subsidized and bountied shipping of other nations. Our ships now carry less than nine per cent, of our imports and exports. Foreign vessels annually receive $200,000,000 for carrying 91 per cent. This vast sum is taken out of the country and employs aliens, Instead of being spent in American shipyards and giving employment to our own citizens, and thereafter being used over and over again in adding to the employment and enhancing the wealth of the American people. This bill extends to American shipping on the sea precisely the same kinji of protection that is given to American land industries that are subject to foreign competition. More important than the expenditure of $4,000,000,000 during the last thirtyfive years in paying foreign ships for doing our foreign carrying, is our grow’ing national danger because of our increasing weakness upon the sea. For the support and re-enforcement of our navy, we need merchant ships and seamen. The difficulty now experienced in securing sailors for our navy would be removed if we possessed a merchant shipping equal to the needs of our foreign commerce. Our neglect of our shipping makes our foreign commerce a means for building up the.auxiliary naval strength of our maritime and commercial rivals. This commerce, now annually valued at over $2,000,000,000, pays for the auxiliary naval training of foreign merchant ships and seamen. This shipping bill is now upon the calendar in each branch of Congress, having been favorably reported from the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, and from the Senate Commerce Committee. Briefly, the “bill provides that all vessels under American register, making a foreign voyage distant more than 150 miles from the United States, shall be paid for the first 1,500 miles not to exceed 1% cents per gross ton per hundred miles sailed outward and inward, and 1 cent per ton for each additional hundred miles sailed outward and inward, this compensation being limited to not to exceed sixteen round voyages in any successive twelve months. In addition, vessels whose speed exceeds twelve knots per hour are paid extra compensation, graduated proportionately to their size and speed. This barely meets the extra cost involved in building and operating ships of high speed, although these vessels, for auxiliary naval and for mall carrying purposes, are most useful to the government. The compensation paid to slowsailing and steam vessels Is just equal to the higher cost of their construction in the United States, and their operation under the American flag; and the same is true of all vessels/recelving this compensation. Owners of existing American vessels for.which compensation is sougnt must have 25 per cent, additional new tonnage built in the United States before receiving any pay. It is proposed to admit to American register such foreign vessels as are now owned by American citizens, on condition that these owners have new tonnage built in the United States equal to that so admitted. The compensation to the foreign-built vessels is but onehalf that paid to American-built ships. Not to exceed nine million dollars may be expended in any one year. If the amount earned exceeds the amount available, there is a pro rata reduction in the payments made to each vessel under contract. All vessels receiving compensation must carry the mails free of extra charge. The bill remains in force for ten years, during which time any American citizen can build any number of vessels and put them in our foreign trade, and receive, according to size, speed and cargo carried, the same amount of compensation that is paid to other vessels. High speed steamships are not to receive more than $2,000,000 in any one yeaj', out of the total amount, and 30 per cent, of the latter is reserved exclusively for Pacific Ocean shipping under the American flag. Foreign governments now pay their merchant ships over $26,(XX),000 a year in subsidies, mall pay, subventions, na-' val reserve retainers and bounties, to enable them to successfully compete with their rivals. To secure a merchant marine equal to the carrying of our foreign commerce, this nation must do likewise. Unprotected American ships cannot compete with the ships of other nations, aided as shown. President McKinley’s recommendations to Congress in his last two annual messages have been conformed to in the drafting of this bill, which' is supported by the Republicans and a number of Democrats in each branch of

Congress. It has the specific indorsement of about 250 of the leading commercial and agricultural associations all over the country, and has been widely commended by the press in every section of the United States. Its passage will strengthen the one weak spot in the national armor of the United States. Its opponents are the fr.ee-tradars and the foreign Shipping interests, ’ Porto Rican Affairs. Speaking of affairs in Porto Rico, C. F. Sayton, an official of the Department of Agriculture, who has recently been there, says: “Whatever capital is invested in the sugar factories, emanating at all from island sources, is purely Spanish. It does not belong to Porto Rico. The peculiar system maintained by Spain through all of the business concerns, and so far as their own capital was employed, threw everything into the hands of the Spaniards, who were simply in Porto Rico doing business. They do not belong to that element of Porto Ricans that we feel so tender about, and would not become citizens of Porto Rico or this country, whatever becomes of the constitutional question. Other factories are owned and controlled by English capital, others by .German, and the entire factory system by'Spanish, English and German. “They agree with tlie planters or manufacturers to take their sugar, refine it, and place it on the market, dividing the profit on a certain basis, as is how being done, and as has been done between the Hawaiian planters and the sugar Trust for years. How will they divide the profits? Even? Each getting 37% per cent.? We do not know. Only the parties interested know. This point is clear, however, and that is that the Porto Ricans are not benefited. Simply the sugar combinations of this country and the foreign planters or manufacturers of Porto Rico. “Isn’t it a great deal that we should have freed the Porto Ricans from a condition as bad as slavery, making what concession' we of right ought to make, in justice to the people of this country, assuring them that after they had attained the standard that one bught to have to enjoy the rights and privileges of the Constitution of the country, that then they might be admitted with equal privileges with the rest? Do you think this ought to be before wages are paid in that country somewhfere near in comparison with wages in this country, or before the average-citizen of that country.shall_at_ least be able to understand the primary principles of our government and institutions? We say no. We should especially not bring in this great horde of cheap laborers who receive less per day than one person could live on in this country, and yet they are supposed to support families on this. We believe the laborers of this country will en masse resent this proposition. “I am a thorough believer in- expansion. I believe that expansion is fraught with incalculable benefit both to the inhabitants of the island and to the people of this country, when Congress shall have framed such fair, honest, just and equitable regulations as are consistent with the right of our own labor and industries.’’

Admissions from a Democrat. . The other day, says the Louisville Commercial, Eli Perkins was introduced to Judge Scott, an old dyed-in-the-wool Kentucky Democrat. The judge Is well known In the Blue Grass region and the grand old Kentuckian has always been looked up to as a High Priest of “befo’ the wah Democracy.” Perkins was introduced by an old Democrat, and Judge Scott supposed that Eli was a Democrat, too, and he became confidential with him at once. • “How are we Democrats getting along, Judge?” asked Eli, in a confidential tone. The Judge looked at Eli a moment to see If he really w’anted information about the party, and slowly remarked: “Well, sir, we are getting on very well financially, but politically we are running behind. Yes, I’m afraid we are running behind.” “What causes this?” asked Ell. “Well, sir,” said the Judge; sadly, “I am afraid our ptirty has not been altogether right. We have erred in some things.” “Where have we erred, Judge?” “Well, sir, I hate to admit It, but our Grover Cleveland policy hurt us Kentuckians. I wouldn’t say It to a black Republican, but we Democrats all admit it among ourselves. You see,” said the Judge, “we used to get 35 cents for wool, gnd a big price for hemp and to-, bacco before Grover came in, but that Wilson bill hurt us. It knocked wool down to 12 cents. Free jute, put in to help'the cotton fellows, ruined our hemp and it rotted in the ground. Then we lowered the tariff on tobacco and our tobacco went down on us. We didn’t complain, but we Democrats did a good deal of thinking. Cattle and hogs got lower and lower, and when Grover, went out we were pretty poor—yes, dog-gone hard up, sir!” “Are they still bad - the times?” asked Ell. “No, honestly the times are good. Wool and hemp and tobacco have doubled in price and are still going up. Cattle and hogs are high and our blue grass farmers are getting rich.” • “Well, what is the matter, then?” “Why, these good times have knocked out our dear old Democratic party. Our Democratic farmers say they will never vote for free trade or low tariff again.” “Well, what can we Democrats do?” asked Ell. “I hate to admit it," said the Judge, sadly, “but 1f we Democrats want to win In Kentucky again we’ve got to keep the tariff right where It Is. That old Wilson bill and Bryan’s free silver will be a scarecrow to every farmer In Kentncky and Tennessee. We’ve tried low tariff and we know—l’m ashamed to say so, but we know it hurt us! No,

sir; the people are prosperous, but out Democratic party fs doing poorly. I wouldn’t say it to a black Republican, but that is the way we Democrats talk among ourselves.” As the Judge got off the train at Lexington be remarked: “Yes, and there was another mistake we Democrats made. Grover Cleveland wanted to sink the Republic of Hawaii and put a nigger on the throne. We Democrats didn't complain, but it made us sick, for, between you and ,me, we Democrats ain’t puttin’ niggers on thrones. McKinley’s white Governor 6ver a republic suits old and the South.” ""I

Free Trade Trusts, ' United States Consul Halstead, who is at Birmingham, calls the attention of the State Department at Washington to the fact that the constantly recurring announcements that another “trust” has been formed does not create alarm in Great Britain. The London Mail refers to the formation as a bleaching trust with a capitalization of $50,000,000 or $60,000,000. This, in the judgment of the managing editor, is worthy of only one headline, twenty-two lines of nonpareil sype, set solid, so common has the formation of trusts in England become. The Daily Mail article reads as follows: “The Lancashire bleaching trade will shortly be in the <bands of a powerful company. “It is said that the combination will involve the capitalization of from £lO,000,000 to £12,000,000 ($48,665,000 to $58,398,000), and the object in view is to prevent individual concerns from indulging in sharp practices, cutting prices, discounts, etc. “Individual businesses are to be taken over and worked from March 31 by the company, which will be known as the Lancashire Bleachers’ Association, Limited, and the prospectus will probably be in the bands of the public soon after that date. ,—_ “Experts are confident that there is no branch of the textile industries which will so well and profitably lend itself to the adoption of joint-stock-com-bination princlplersts that of the Lancashire bleaching trade. “A provisional committee has been appointed from among the members of the largest firms.” Another large trust, called the United Velvet Cutters’ Association, Limited, has just been formed in England. It combines four of the largest businesses engaged in velvet cutting in the free trade country. The capital stock is; $1,000,000 and there Is an issue of first mortgage debenture stock amounting to $500,000. For Campaign Purposes. It was with refreshing candor that Col. Nicholas N. Cox, one of the most prominent Democratic members of the House Military Affairs Committee investigating the Couer d’Alene mining troubles, admitted that the investigation was gotten up for Democratic campaign purposes. The Colonel did not express himself in exactly those words, but in an exchange of views previous to the assembling of the committee, he suggested: “Why not adjourn this meeting until the next session of Congress? After the campaign fs over we’ll have no use for the investigation.” The purpose of Mr. Lentz's resolution providing for the investigation was not that he cared so much to relieve the critical situation in Shoshone County, but that he hoped to fabricate some hostility to organized labor on the part of the Republican party, and thus afford Democracy new material with which to fight in the coming campaign. Dr. France concluded his testlnjony by flatly and plainly contradicting, paragraph by paragraph, every charge and accusation made against the United States troops and the local authorities that was contained in the resolution of Representative Lentz, upon which the House of Representatives ordered the inquiry.

Railroads and Prosperity. Railroads afford a good index of prosperity or poverty. Study the following exhibit of the number of miles of new road built during the last decade, and note the administration: Harrison. Cleveland. McKinley. Year. Mlles. Year. Mlles. Year. Mlles. 1890.. .5.378 1893... .2,346 1897... .1.822 1891.. .4,075 1894. .. .1.899 1898... .2,219 1892.. 4.041., 1895. .. .1.650 1899. .. .4,500 1.896. .. .1,704' An average of 4,494 miles of new road built in President Harrison’s term; an average of only 1,900 miles under President Cleveland; and now we are up again to 4,500 miles last year, uhder President McKinley. Democratic Change of Mind. The Democratic editors affect great perturbation over tlie fact that some Republican legislators have seen fit to change their minds on the Porto Rican question. Mr. Cleveland rather counteracts the effect of their agitation by telling the Princeton students how he took a Democratic Congress in hand and changed its mind on the financial question. Question of Expansion. Senator Morgan’s great victory in Alabama is a criterion of the feeling of the Soilth on the question of expansion. The Southern politicians may be a trifle slow in heeding the mandates of public sentiment, but they will get around in course of time. Carl Browne’s Advice. Carl Browne, whose claim on fame is predicated largely upon the fact that he Is the son-in-law of General Coxey, came very near breaking up a Populist convention the other day by advising it to exercise a little common sense. May Be Some Vacancies. The-Kentucky judges are trying to rule deadly weapons out of their courtrooms. The innovation ls> commendable, but the chances are that it will cause several judicial vacancies before it la firmly established.