Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-04-01
WILSON s POLICY
UPHELD BY HOUSE
Decisive Vote of 274 Ayes to
161 Noes, After Tense
Debate.
CLARK INEFFECTIVE.
Democrats Loyal to Administration
22O, but 50 Fail in Allegiance to
The Executive.

Washington, April THE House of
Representative last night, after one
of the most spectacular legislative
struggles in the history of the nation,
voted to repeal the provision of the
Panama Canal act exempting Ameri-
can vessels from the payment of tolls.
The vote on the repeal bill was 247 TO
161, "a majority of So votes in support
of the personal plea of Woodrow Will
son, President of the United States.
The verdict on the issue which has
absorbed Congress for many weeks
came at the close of a stirring day,
made memorable in the ANNALS of the
House by party division which found
Speaker Champ Clark, Majority
Leaiaer underwood ard other Demo-
cratic chieftains lined up in open op-
position to the President on an issue
which the latter had declare vital to
his conduct of the nations foreign poi
Yesterdays result was victory Tor
the administration in but the opening
stage Of the first struggle within the
party since Democracy took control
of the government a year ago. The
bill goes TO the senate today where the
fight VIII be renewed with all Of the
vigor ard determination that at
tended it in the lower house.
CA the final vcte &c Den,oy.,, IS as-;i-: y:
the House stood by the President,
giving him in "ungruigirg measure"
what he had asked "for the honor OF
the nation in its foreign relations.
twenty-five Republicans ami two Pro-
grsssives also voted to sustain
President.
Fifty-two Democrats followed
Speaker Clark and Lea:er Under
wood to defeat in their steadfast de-
termination that the President was
wrong in his decision that toll exemp-
tions for American ships is violation
of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty with
Great Britain.
Nothing, it seemed, couli stem the
tide of Administration success,
Speaker Clark, for nearly % years
a member of the House, matte the
speech of his life to forestall what nc
termed ,!''unquestionable degredation'
of the nation. In this he failed, but
he did smooth over the party breecf
with kindly words for his adversaries
praise for President Wilson, and an
unqualified denial of any vaulting am
bition on his own behalf. When he
had closed the debate for the opposi-
ton to the repeal with an irlpassion,
enlargement in which he often de,
iparted from his prepared speech, the
Speaker was triumphant in defeat, fol
the entire legislative assemblage, il
which We're many Senators, arose CT
mass, to cheer him.
President Wilson was at dinner
when the result of the vote was an
nounced. He was gratitied but made
no comment.
In the Senate the bill will be re
ferred to the Committee on Inter
oceanic Canals, of which Senator O.
German, of New York, a vigorous op
ponent of the measure, is chairman
Senator O'Gorman has said he woun
call meeting of the com!rtittee a
once to consider the bill. That ther
will be fight in that committee /
certain. How long it will be ther
cannot be predicted, but administra
tion Senator'S propose that vote shall
be taken by the, committee within Z
reasonable time. ,, Senator Owen
lea:ing the fight, for the PreSiden
there. .,fa.. f
The committee will have many pre-
posals before it, several of ther i
the nature of compromises, some c
them resembling a motion Of tn
House minority to recomnlit the r.
peal bill and to repeal the exemptic
clause with a declaration that tt
United States couA1 have con
plete sovereignty over the.c canal. Th
motion in the House was defeated b
vote of S2S to 176 1t will be II
aim of the administration senators
have the repeal reach its final vot