Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-03

as they existed at the time ana d
everybody knew them to exist, me
with a prompt challenge by the Illinoi
member, whose reputation for blunt
ness of speech and aggressive actio
in debate has made him feared as al
opponent
Attendance Unusually Large.
Continuing, Mr.. Mann said:
II is unnecessary in the house, so
far as membership in the house is
concerned, to state that that state
ment is without foundation be
cause we all remember that in the
discussion of the Panama canal
bill. and particularly of the Dore-
mus amendment or substitute,
which was finally agreed to, the
membership of the house was quite
generally present; and l have sell
dom seen in my service in the
house as large a membership of
the house present when any dis
cussion was being carried on.
Paragraph l of the treaty reads:
The canal shall be free and open
W NAlV NC7S'iF9 VI OoIllllAClNC anu W OIL
Of all nation. ="
Applies Also to War Vessels.
And the contention is made that
that puts us upon the same terms
precisely as any other nation. If
that be true as to merchant marine
it is also true as to vessels of war.
There is no distinction in the
treaty in that paragraph between
war vessels and merchant vessels.
If We have no authority under
the provisions Of this treaty to give
then we have no authority to give
preference to our war vessels; and
if this treaty applies to our mer-
chant marine it also applies to the
war vessels; if we happen to be at
war with any country, then we can
not keep one of our war vessels
anywhere within three miles of
either end of the canal for more
than "A hours except in case of dis
tress, and in case of distress the
vessel must depart as soon as po-
sible.
Do We propose to submit to arbi-
tratiOn the question whether in
time of war with some other coun-
try we can maintain one of our
Warships within three miles of
either end Of the canal? Yet it is
perfectly plain that if we can give
no preference to the merchant ma
rine, we have no authority to keep
a
any other country within three
miles of either end of the canal.
Railroads First to Protest.
At this point Nicholas Longworth in
terrupted to ask:
Mr.. Chairman, was any protes
made by any foreign nation at the tim
of the negotiations of any of thes
treaties to which the gentleman ha
REFEREED"
And to this the Republican Ieade
replied:
There was no protest by any foreig
nation at the time. l do not think tina
any foreign nation ever dreamed tina
there was no authority on the part {
the United States to grant the prefer
ence which we have granted until afte
the transcontinental railroads &c
busy" (Applause.)
These are not the words of a casuf
haphazard enthusiast or of an IRE
sponsible belligerent. They are sobe
words coming from the ablest and mos
influential Republican in the leg!sla
tive arena of the country.
With O'Gorman in the senate. an
o. TO 10 majority recorded behind him
with Mann and Underwood in tn
house, and l47 to 128 majority eve
now behind them; with such stron
statements and facts to sustain ther
and the great mass of patriotic Amer
leans behind them, there would seer
to be small hope for the Tories an
the Toadies and the transcontinentf
Hobbies to surrender the rights and tn
interests of the American people to tn
arrogant selfishness of Great Britain.