Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-01-23
ROOT TAKES SIDE
Of GREAT BRITAIN
Delivers Most Vigorous Attack
on Attitude of U. s. in Pan
anna Controversy.
APPEALS FOR ARBITRATION
We Long Asserted Central
America Had No Right to
Debar World from Pass
age across Isthmus.

NdShlnGton, Jan. 2l-'Shall we In
form the world that the United States
| is false 10 it's agreements, false to its
| pledged word? Shall we have II made
known the world over that you must
look out for the United states or 1t
will get the advantage of you? That
/ It is astute cunning, slippery"
With this vigorous denunciation Of
the attitude of this country in tho
Panama canal controversy with Great
Britain, Senator Elhu Root closed a
| tWo-hour speech in the Senate to-day
with an appeal for the submission of
the Panama question to arbitration
or the repeal of that section OF the
canal law that would give free pass
age to American coastwise ships.
Speaking from the experience Of
member Of President Roosevelt's cab
| met when the Panama canal zone was
| purchased and when over % arbitra-
! tion treaties were made with foreign
nations, Senator Root delivered tie
most vigorous attack on the present
attitud" of the United states that has
/ been heard since the Panama contto@
versy with Great Britain arose.
! 1t became known following the senator's
address that Senator Brandegee. chair
man Of the interoceanic canals committee,
will call a meeting within a few days to
| take mp senator Roots amendment for
the repeal of the free toll provision. Led
| by Senators Root and Brandegee, both of
whom opposed the original passage of
| this provision, a determined effort will be
made at this session Of Congress to
change the law before it goes into effect
at The canal So thai the cause of dispute
with Great Britain will be removed
WOULD VIOLATE ALL PLEDGES
Senator Root declared the United states
would violate all Of It's pledges and
promises to the world would be guilty
Of false pretenscS' in its advocacy of
general arbitration and would proclaim
i.sen Indifferent TO national honor and
integrity. If it refused to submit to
arbitration. or to retreat from the unjust
position 1t had taken
lie declared free coastWse tolls to
American ships We're illegal unless the
same concessions We're made to foreign
y ships Tie claim that the United States
lad domeSticc rights over tho canal, be-
cause it owned the canal zone, constituted
! a violation of the express guarantee of
the United States to Great he said.
1T is not our territory except in trust
| he declared, treaty or no treaty, we have
I long asserted that the nations of Central
American had no right to debar the world
| from its right of passage across the 18TH
| must. Upon that We based the justice of
| our entire action, which resulted In our
having the canal zone
THE United States had preached arbi-
tlation for years" senator Root declared.
and had besouGht the nations of the
world To enter into arbitration agree
m.nts for the settlement of all disputes"
".rc W. pharisees?" he cried. Have
W, been insncere and false Have We
been prot,ndlng in all these long years
of declaration Are we ready now to
adndt that our country, through its pres
ld,nts and congresses, have been guilty
OF falls" uretrnscs, Of humbug, of talk
inp to the galleries, of uttering fine words
to secure applause?
"'ihc instant that an interest Is at
STAKE. W. propose to falslfy every de-
claration, every promise, by the arrogant
lusistenCc that we alone can determine
the Interpretation Of this treaty; that We
viii refuse to abide BY the treaty.
And is the game worth the candle? Is
tion to maintain which we may be driven
to rol udiatc our principles, our profess
sions and our agreements, for the pur-
pose Of conf, rriug money benefit at the
expense of the treasury of the t'nrod
states, IN tho most highly ana absolutely
protected special Industry IN the United
St,es. our coastwise shippins9'
PRESIDENT APPROVES NOTE.
Washington. Jan. 2I.-President
TAFT has approved the note prepared
by the state department in reply to
the communication from Sir Edward
Grey, the British secretary. for for
egn affairs, protesting against the
exemption of American cuastwise
shipping from the payment of tolls in
the Panama canal AS "A matter of Of
ficial courtesy information is with
held as to the exact status of the note
until it has been received by the Bri-
fish government in London through
the American embassy there.
1t is believed that the American
note was despatched by mail imme-
diately upon its approval by the
President and that it should be in
London within a week.
Meantime. however, Ambassador Bryce,
who in accordance with diplomatic usage,
was probably given copy Of the note
simultaneously with its mailing. will be
at liberty to cable a summary to his
governments
1t is believed here that after attempt
ing to eliminate number of propositions
contained I'm the British note regarded as
not gcrmane to the real issue, Mr.. Knox