The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-05-19
DECLARES BRYAN
FAVORED POLICY
Montana Senator Says Secretary
Approved Free Tolls Plank in
Baltimore Platform.
QUESTlONTO
Scion Argues That Matter Of Rights OF
U. S. in Canal Should Be Submit
ted to High Tribunal of Land
for Adjudication.

Washington, May 18.-That William
Jennings Bryan personally approved
a free-tolls plank in the Baltimore
platform when it was read to him in
subcommittee, and that he asked only
that it be accompanied by another
plank declaring against the admission
of railroad-owned ships to the canal,
was the declaration of Senator Walsh
of Montana in the senate in speech
denouncing the free tolls repeal bill
Senator Walsh said he personally
transcribed the proceedings when the
free tolls policy was approved by the
party leaders.
Senator Walsh argued that the ques-
ton of the rights Of the United States
in the canal should be submitted to
the Supreme court as suggested by
former President Taft. He asserted
he believed the world would acquiesce
in that decision.
Policy Declared by Platform.
"The Democratic platform has de-
clared the policy Of the Democratic
party on this subject" he said. II
went before the people on it and was
elected to carry out this mandate,
whatever my individual opinion might
be. We're the open reputation of
this solemn covenant of the party pro-
posed by any man other than the pres
ident of the United States, we should
all recoil from it with horror. For
myself, it's moral aspect assumes no
different view because he commends 1t.
my relationship to the Baltimore
platform is too intimate to permit me
with an easy Conscience to escape the
letters it places upon my official ac-
tions, even though did not concur al
together in any particular policy it
adopted.
Delegated to Bryan and O'0orman.
.The work of putting into appropri-
ate language the ideas to which a gen
eral acquiescence had been given by
the platform committee were reposed
in Mr.. Bryan of Nebraska and Mr..
O'Gorman of New York, who; were au-
thorized to all to their aid such mem
bers of the committee as they chose.
They requested Senator Pomerene and
myself to remain with them. The
draft prepared by this committee of
the subcommittee was transcribed un-
der my own supervision, was read to
the subcommittee and by it read to- the
entire committee, before which 1t was
again read, and, being by 1t approved.
was presented to and adopted by the
convention without change The plank
referring to canal tolls was, as my
memory serves me, rendered by the
senator from New York and was
adopted by the subcommittee of eleven
before the smaller committee assumed
the task imposed upon it.
Says Bryan Approved Plank.
There was no debate upon it, sim
ply because it was generally approved
and acquiesced in When it was pre-
sented Mr.. Bryan expressed his ap
proval, but said that it should be ac
companied by another plank, declaring
against the admission of railroad
owned ships to the canal. The draft
! rendered used the expression free
tolls Someone suggested that the
two words we contradictory of each
other. 1t was changed to read as we
find it: We favor the exemption from
tolls Of American ships engaged IL
coastwise traffic through the canal