Our shipping facilities with Asia enjoy special advantages over the lines of competitive nations. A subsidy to such lines is absolutely indefensible. It requires no argument to show that the position of the United States places European nations at a disadvantage in competing for the trade of Asia. Still the friends of this bill emphasize the subsidy and benefits to accrue to our Asiatic trade under the provisions of this bill. I am sure that the city of Chicago is more than 3.000 miles nearer to Shanghai than Livespool or Bremen. It is true that our Pacific ports are more than 5.000 miles nearer to Shanghai than either the British or German ports.