Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-06

ger that an organized conspiracy of the country
will destroy of the greatest benefits of the Pan
Canal to the American people.
Briefly these the facts For twenty the trans
continental successfully opposed the construction of the
Panama Canal They opposed this tremendous development con
Meeting the greatest and bringing Eastern and
Western 10000 miles each other because the
canal would the railroads to reduce their freight rates
The cost transporting goods by always very much less
than by land and in is not half as much
When they longer delay the coming of this remen
dous American people they made desperate strug
gle ships through the canal which the rail
roads owned also to prevent American ships
from going through the canal free of toll charge The railroads
knew that they could their ships through the canal
they could with their gigantic financial resources soon drive
every independent steamship line out of the canal as they have
everywhere they operate steamships They also knew that
toll charge levied every ship that passed through the
canal would raise the cost of water transportation by just
that amount and by also would relieve the railroads
necessity of reducing their rates by land
Therefore years ago when the law governing the use OF
canal before Congress the railroads poured their horde
of lobbyists the Capital City prevent free tolls and
themselves the right to operate ships through the
canal
But happened to be moment when Congress was sin
gulay free from the corporations The national
election The specter of Roosevelt whose genius courage
and energy given canal doomed dry the
in Congress usually their orders from these corpora
tons
The Democratic party had just held its national convention
at Baltimore soemny declared that American ships
trade ought not to toll for passing through
the canal
So the railroads were the right operate their
steamships the canal and the attempt to make the American
ships passing through the canal pay toll voted down
whelmingly in the Senate ONLY ELEVEN SENATORS
VOTED IT. Of Lodge that notorious reactonay
who gregouy msrepresents Massachusetts, and Crane also
voted for the railroads EVERY DEMOCRAT IN THE SENATE
VOTED TO LET AMERICAN SHIPS PASS THE CANAL FREE
OF TOLL CHARGES.
Thus it seemed that one of the great objects which the
American people had spent four hundred million dollars on the
canal had been curedhch to reduce the cost OF trans
porting goods across the American continent.
But the railroads do not surrender after defeat With
election day they calculated that the they are accus
both parties would dare to take orders
they could be supplied with new excuse for chang
ing their This ngeniousy furnished in
the outrageous petene that we must have the friendship OF
Britain dangerous isolation in the worlds affairs
Great Britain opposed to free tolls to ships because the
Canadian Pacific Railroad opposed it. Great Britain bases
her claim of right to protest the ground that 1t is violation
of her treaty rights
Now great cry has that requires
abandon free tolls for American ships 1t pretended that
in difficult straits international relations and must have
respect friendship of Great Britain unnamed
catastrophe likely bea This is the strange story that
President Wilson whispering into the ears of the Democratic
members of Congress
The British protest was made when the canal question was
before Congress two years ago and it WAS REJECTED BY
CRATIC PARTY IN ITS NATIONAL CONVENTION which
pledged the Democrats Congress vote for free tolls and
pledged also Mr. Wilson whom it nominated for President MR.
WILSON HIMSELF REJECTED THE BRITISH PROTEST
AND ADVOCATED FREE TOLLS ON THE STUMP DURING
THE CAMPAIGN.
opinions? Nothing ALL except election
in Congress are less controlled by public opinion.
Do the Democrats dare to repudate their platform repu
date their the behes of these railroads the
fear of the Presidents power to dispose of patronage?
Where William j. Bryan this crisis? He declared
and over again that the MAN WHO VIOLATES HIS PARTY
PLATFORM is WORSE THAN THIEF" This question
arises out of the State Department and Mr. Bryan the head
Of the State Department He the Committee
of the last Democratic convention that drew up the platform
which declared favor OF free tolls for American ships On thy
voicee lips the heroic lay is uneess now matter
ing out of his very department he watches silence conspiracy
which according to his political code than theft
When the Democratic members of Congress called
account by their constituents they will not be allowed hide be-
hind the skirts OF the President He will be the keeper of
their conscience of their judgment We have neither
client nor maeoent despom in this country Congress there
TO make the laws and Representative Senator abca
his powers duties favor of the President without being ra
sonao to his country he be driven by the power Pres
ldenta patronage to reputation of his party platform
reversal Of his own vote without causing injury
= party and to himself.