The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-04
FREE TOLLS INCONSISTENT,
BALTIMORE PLATFORM PLANKS
CONTRADICTORY.
President Wilson Explains That Free
Passage is a Form of Subsidy, Re-
pugnant to Democracy.

| Washington, March 30.-President
Wilson declared today that because
OF contradictory statements in the
Baltimore platform, Democrats should
have no hesitation in voting for re-
peal Of the Panama canal tolls exemp-
ton.
The president emphatcally char
acterized the exemption as a subsidy
and pointed out that one plank in the
Baltimore platform expressed OppO-
sit,on to any subsidy direct or indi-
rect while another plank declared
for tolls exemption. The president as
serted there should be no doubt
among Democrats as to which should
take precedence.
The president reiterated that the
exemption never was a policy of the
Democratic house because it was pass
ed through a coalition of Republicans
and a minority Of Democrats, the
majority Of Democrats voting against
it on the ground that it was subsidy
The president explained that even
if the international situation to which
he referred in his message had not
arisen he would have been opposed
to the tolls exemption as against Dem
ocratic doctrine. But he indicated
however, that if it were not for the
international situation he did not feel
that it would have been proper for
him to question the acts OF a previous
! administration.
Mr.. Wilson talked frankly about
the tolls controversy in congress, say
ing that the story that he had enter
ed into a bargain with Great Britain
through Sir William Tyrell, private
secretary to Sir Edward Grey, was
one Of number Of insults that had
been introduced in the congressional
debate. The president declared he
wanted to express his regret that
what he had promised to be a digni-
fled contest with genuine differences
in his opinion, into an attempt to
discredit the administration. He re-
marked that while it made all the
more certain the result in favor Of the
administration, he thought it a great
pity that public affairs should be ham
died in that way. He did not think
nf a1t
! that way but such color had been in
terJected in the controversy and he
did not understand the motives for it.
The president said he had no anX-
iety over any political friction in the
Democratic party over the result and
referred to the repeal contest as not
valescence."
Mr.. Wilson let it be known that he
was unqualiliedly opposed to any COM
promise or amendments such as have
been proposed in the senate. He is
for a straight repeal without equivo-
cation.
quotation Of what the president had
said in answer to the charge to the
effect that the president had made a
deal with Sir William Tyrrell, private
secretary to Sir Edward Grey, the
British foreign secretary. The presi-
dent had been asked if the charge
| tpl,n
that answers itself. 1t is just the
crowning insult Of a number of in
suits which have been introduced in
this debate. This whole thing reminds
me of a story l used to be fond of
telling of very effective debater-I
need not say where this happened
who sent a challenge down into a
county very hostile to him, to debate.
The people down there did not like
the job very much, but they put up
the man they liked best and who is
! generally put up on such occasions,
a great big husky fellow whom they
all called Tom. The challenger was
given the first hour OF the two hours
allotted to the debate and he hadn't
got more than half way through his
speech when, it becoming evident
that he was convincing the audience,
one of Toms partisans i'm the back Of
the room cried out: Tom, Tom, Call
him liar and make il fight That
is the stage this has reached"
The presidents auditors asked him
If he was going to fight and he, smil-
ngly answered that he did not
need to.