The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-03-26
RCORE president FOR
| PANAMA TOLLS STAND
chubetts: Stevens, Of Minnesota;
Hamilton, of Michigan; Kent OF Cali
fOrnia and Esch of Wisconsin.

Hamilton, of Michigan; Kent OF Cali
fornia and Esch of Wisconsin.
Alleged reputation of the Baltimore
platform; surrender to England and
ship subsidy were the three battle
standards Of the debate. The Mexican
policy loomed ominously behind ali.
The presidents cohorts pleaded pa.
triotism above party platforms" to
sustain the presidents request for
the repeal in aiding him to solve in
ternational problems Of nearer con-
sequence"
How slight switch" Of votes was
necessary to give the president vic
tory was pointed out by the vote of
May %, 1918, on the free tolls clause
of the Panama canal act. A scant ma
jority of only nineteen was mustered
then by bipartisan coalition OF
democrats and republicans. the vote
being lat to 12S, with III paired or
not voting. Many republicans then
voted against free tolls but over sixty
democrats voted for tolls exemption.
How, many democrats would reverse
their former vote and sustain the ad-
ministration's repeal policy was the
doubtful element of the situation to-
day.
i Before the house met. the house
rules committee reported out ar
amended rule for consideration. rule
extending ueb.to from fifteen to TWEEN.
ty hours.
It was agTe.G 10 allow two hours
for discussion on the rule itself The
twenty hoGrs vii, be divided as fol-
lows
Represa1tarlve Adamson, for the re-
peal. ten hours; Representative Know
land, Of California, and the repubH-
cans, against, fivc hours; Representa-.
tive poremus and democrats against.
four hours; and progressives against,
one hour.
Consideration OF the repeal was
postponed more than an hour by An
unexps.ted fepoft ana opposition To-
the conferences report OF the urgent
deficiency appropriation bill which
preceded the rivers and harbor meas.
ure. Representative Buchanan of Him
ois, fillibustered against the appro-
priation bill, forcing call Of tho
house upon the point of no quorum.
Extension Of debate time to twenty
hours, it was predicted, will postpone
the final vote on the passage of the re.
peal resolution probably until Monday
and possibly until Tuesday. 1t was
also uncertain whether the house
could be kept within the two hour
limit for debate on the special rule
this afternoon.
Bitter Contest.
IBy Bond P. Geddes, staff correspon-
dent Of the United Press.]
WASHINGTON, March 26.-How
bitterly cont ested will be the presi-
dents plan for repeal Of the tolls
exemption to American coastwise YES
sells using the Panama canal was in
dicated during the opening Ger smonies
in the house today. Leaders prac-
tically attempted to postpone the
final until next Monday, possibly
Tuesday. To bring up the resolution
presidents spokesman hoped for.
When the house met today at II. It
planned to brush aside the rivers and
harbors bill within an hour and jump
into the free tolls fight. Instead, Rep
resentative Fitzgerald. an opponent
to the repeal brought in an appropria-
ton bill. Two hours were required
to dispose of it. Opposition to its pro-
visions in what looked suspiciously
like filibuster. delayed the rivers
and harbors measure until after one
O'Clock Agreement Of the presidents
supporters to longer debate, was an
9th sr evidence Of determination Of
the anti-repeal forces to oppose every
inch. The rules committee agreed to