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The Commoner.
March 2:, 1903
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The Ship Subsidy Bill.
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A bill to provide for ocean mall ser
vice between the United States and
foreign ports, and the common de
fense; to promote commerce, and to
encourage the deep-sea fisheries.
Bo it enacted by the senate and
house of representatives of the United
States of America in congress assem
bled. TITLE I. Ocean Mail Steamships.
Section 1. That section one of an
act approved March 3rd, 1891, entitled
"An act to provide for ocean mail ser
vice between the United States and
foreign ports, and to promote com
merce," be, and hereby is, amended to
read:
"The postmaster general is hereby
authorized and directed to enter into
contracts, for a term not less than five
nor more than fifteen years in dura
tion, with American citizens for the
carrying of mails on American steam
ships between ports of the United
States and such ports in foreign coun
tries, the Dominion of Canada ex
cepted, as in his judgment, having re
gard to the national defense, will best
subserve and promote the postal, com
mercial, and maritime interests of
the United States; the mail service on
Buch lines to be equitably distributed
among the' Atlantic, Mexican Gulf, and
Pacific ports. Said contracts shall be
made with the lowest responsible bid
der for the performance of said ser
vice on each route, and the postmaster
general shall have the right to reject
all bids not in his opinion reasonable
for the attaining of the purposes
named."
Sec. 2. That section three of the, act
aforesaid be, and the. same is hereby,
amended to read:
"Sec. 3. That the vessels employed
In the mail service under the provi
sions of this act shall be American
built steamships, owned and officered
by American citizens, in conformity
with the existing laws, or so owned
and officered and registered according
to law; and upon each departure from
the United States the following pro
portion of the crew shall be citizens
of the United States, to-wit: During
the first two years of such contract for
carrying the mails, one-fourth thereof;
during the next three succeeding years,
one-third thereof, and during the re
maining time of the continuance of
such contract, at least one-half there
of; and shall be constructed after the
latest and most approved types, with
all the modern improvements and ap
pliances for ocean steamers. They
shall be screw steamships of iron or
steel, and divided into the following
classes according to gross registered
tonnage and capacity to maintain at
sea in ordinary weather the following
speeds:
"Over ten thousand tons:
"First class, twenty knots or over.
"Second class, nineteen knots and less
than twenty knots.
"Over five thousand tons:
"Third class, eighteen knots or over.
"Fourth class, seventeen knots and
less than eighteen knots.
"Fifth class, sixteen knots and less
than seventeen knots.
"Sixth class, fifteen knots and less
than sixteen knots.
"Over two thousand tons:
"Seventh class, fourteen knots or over.
"It shall be stipulated in the con
tract or contracts to be entered into
for the said mail service that said ves
sels may carry passengers with their
baggage, in addition to said mails,
and may do all ordinary business done
by steamships."
Sec. 3. That section four of the act
aforesaid be, and hereby is, amended
to read as follows:
"Sec. 4. That all steamships of the
first, second, third, fourth, and fifth
classes, employed as above and here-
after built, shall be constructed with
particular reference to prompt and
economical conversion into auxiliary
naval cruisers, and according to plans
and specifications to be agreed upon
by and between the owners and the
secretary of the navy; and they shall
bo of sufficient strength and stability
to carry and sustain the working and
operation of at least four effective
rifled cannon of a caliber of not less
than six inches, and shall be of the
highest rating known to maritime
commerce. And all vessels of said
five classes heretofore built and so.
employed shall, before they are ac
cepted for the mail service herein pro
vided for, be thoroughly inspected by
a competent naval officer or construc
tor detailed for that service by the
secretary of the navy; and such offi
cers shall report, in writing, to the
secretary of the navy, who shall trans
mit said report to the postmaster gen
eral; and no such vessel not approved
by the secretary of the navy as suit
able for the service required shall
be employed by the postmaster gen
eral as provided for in this act."
Sec. 4. That section five of the
Aforesaid act be, and is hereby, amend
ed to read:
"Sec. 5. The rate of compensation
for such ocean mail service, to be paid
per gross registered ton for each one
hundred nautical miles sailed from
the port of clearance in the United
States to the port of entry in the
United States, according to the route
required by the postoffice department,
shall not exceed the following:
"Steamships of the first class, two
and seven-tenths cents.
"Steamships of the second class,
two and five-tenths cents.
"Steamships of the third class, two
and three-tenths cents.
"Steamships of the fourth class, two
and one-tenth cents.
"Steamships of the fifth class, one
and nine-tenths cents.
"Steamships of the sixth class, one
and seven-tenths cents.
"Steamships of the seventh class,
one and five-tenths cents.
"The rates of compensation to a
steamship to be employed in carrying
the mails to a foreign port in North
America under any contract hereafter
to be made under the provisions of
this act shall not exceed 70 per centum
of the maximum rates established by
this section: Provided, that in the
case of failure from any cause to per
form the regular voyages stipulated
for in said contracts, or any of them,
a pro rata deduction shall be made
from the compensation on account of
such omitted voyage or voyages, and
that suitable fines and penalties may
be imposed for delays or Irregularities
in the due performance of service ac
cording to the contract, to be deter
mined by the postmaster general."
Sec. 5. That section eight of the
act aforesaid be, and the same is here
by, amended to read:
"Sec. 8. Such vessels shall take, as
cadets or apprentices, one American
born boy, under twenty-one years of
age, for each one thousand tons gross
register, and one for each majority
fraction thereof, who shall be educated
in thfi duties of seamanship or engi
neering, rank as petty officers, and re
ceive such pay for their services as
may be reasonable. -
TITLE II. General Subsidy.
Sec. 6 .That from and after the first
day of June, 1902, the secretary of the
tronniirv is hereby authorized and di
rected to pay, subject to the provisions
of this title, out of any money in the
trfuisiirv not otherwise appropriated
to thfi owner or owners of any vessel
of the United States duly registered by
a citizen or citizens of the United
States (including as such citizens any
DE LAVAL
CREAM SEPARATORS
highest and only regular awarc
Chicago Exposition, 1893.
HIGHEST AWARD AND ONLY GRAND PRIZE
PARIS EXPOSITION, 1900.
V If DBLAVAU ' M Sjf
HIGHEST AWARD AND ONLY COLD MEDAL
Buffalo Exposition, 1901.
2000 PRIZES, MEDALS AWD AWARDS.
Every Important World's Highest Award
From 1880 to 1902.
THE DE LAVAL SEPARATOR CO.
RANDOLPH & OANAL 8T3.,
CHICAGO.
1 1 02 Arch Street,
PHILADELPHIA.
103 & 105 MISSION 8T.
SAN FRANCISCO.
General Offices:
74 Cortlandt Street,
NEW YORK.
327 Commissioners St.
MONTREAL.
76 & 77 York Street,
TORONTO.
248 McDermott Avenue,
WINNIPEG.
corporation created under the laws of
the United States or any of the states
thereof), and being at the time of en
try engaged in the foreign trade of
the United States, which shall be en
tered in the United States from a for
eign port in the Philippine islands,
compensation as hereinafter provided,
that is to say:
(a) On each entry, not exceeding
sixteen entries In any ore fiscal year,
Continued on Page Eleven.)
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