The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1914-04-10

VI uitO buitCu obatEh cukuScu Ill
the coastwise traffic? w h vi
should not nations as we'll as In |
diyidnals be governed by the
Golden Rule? But, for the sake
of argument, let it be admitted
that under the terms OF the Hay.
Pauncefote treaty we can pass
,ur coAstwise vessels through the
canal without charge; would it
not be q foolish and nnwise.
policy for ns to do so in the face
Of the charge. and belief by all
other nations of the world that
such action was unfair and dis.
.rimatory to all other users Of
che canal? How are we to build
lp our foreign traes if we at the
,ame time so demean ourselves
toward them as give them just
canse to complain that we are
Il selfish and greedy nation; that
We are driver of hard bargains !;
that We are narrow, illiberal and
picayunishY Much of the for
eign commerce of the world is so
situated as to make the Suez
and the Panama canals, compel
titors. Now, why should we
give our own monopolistic coast
wise shipping a free service
through the canal over the pro
tests of all other nations when
10 such course is pursued With
reference to the Suez canal, the
policy Of which IS largely domi
mated by Greats Britain, and es-
pecially when pttr treaty pro.
vides that the rules of'the Suez
canal, as to conditions and
charges of traffic, shall be the
rules of the Panama canal?
Does it not stand to reason that
70 such portions of the world
where other nations may use
either of these canals they will
prefer Snez to Panama? M
Mr.. Speaker. | cannot bring
myself to any other conclusion
than that our policy is short.
sighted and on the whole very
Injurious to our country insits
efforts to build up our foreign
commerce. Even though there
should be no question as to our
right under the treaty to. pursue
such d course, q legal right to d.
q moral wrong does not make II
wise to do such a wrong.
] Mr.. Speaker, is it reasonable
to suppose that the great masses
of the people that are going to
believe that the president Of the
United States, swho hae direct
charge of the enforcement of all
our treaties with foreign coun.
tries, is going to surrender the
rights of the American people,
whose trusted representative he
is, by accepting an erroneous
construction OF treaty upon the
anwarranted demand of any one
or all the foreign nations of the
world? Would not any president
this country has ever had or ever
will have hesitate long before
being guilty of such cowardly
and treasonable conduct toward
the citizens of his own country!
| And yet such is the charge that
is being made every day against
President Wilson, and tits hu
initiating and notifying to know
THAT members of his own party
are guilty of making the charge,
] For one, | do not believe it, and
il | did | would feel that / was q
coward if did not Immediately
ask for his impeachment by the
house Of representative es. Ii on
president is as bad a man as
these charges would make him,
no selfrespecting member Of the
house so believing can ever agail,
cross the threshold of the White
House even to pay his respects
to the present president of the
| United States, for certainly, Mr..
Speaker, no man worthy Of seat
in this house could have any re-
spect for President Wilson while
entertaining such an opinion OF
him.
| Mr.. Speaker, the perpetuity of
our institutions depends upon
the confidence in and respect for
the agencies Of our government,
selected by the people to do their
will, and whenever the people az
the United States lose confidence
in the honor and integrity OF
public officials our form of gov
eminent will be immediately
abolished.
Mr.. Sneaker tits l,aing charged