Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-03-28
TREATY UNbR0KEN
SAID UNDERWOOD
continued from page ~

AfE'' - hf
easily without charging American YES
sells TOLLS and hl charging foreign vessels
4 fair and reasonable toll. lie com
pared the tolls charged ~ the British
"a the Sucz canal with The proposed
Panama tolls.
Tho purpose uf Congress ~ said.
In providing in the net for he opening.
maintenance. protection and orcrit on ~
the canal. 'tha, no tolls shall he levied
upon vessels engaged ia coa>twi>c trade
~ the United states. aud providing
further that I; should BE- left discretion
AIRY with the President of The United
States 10 exempt from tolls our ships Gu
gagged iu foreign trade WAS an effort nn
thr part ~ Congress 10 discriminate in
favor uf American shipping aud 90 r.
establish our merchant marine. This
has been the pnlic, of The Democratic
party since the beginning ~ the govern
mrui. The Democratic party has never
~tpud FOR direct Subsidies hut has always
favored s~uhycniiou~ and Determinations
ia favor ~ our shipping.
ne was rhroI@h discriminating tariff
dutlc. that our merchant mlIiuc Mas dc
-oiopcd in the first three decades of our
governments r%Ni>tcn r. Tho Democratic
tariff Law that i> uuN 40 the >iatIltr
books carries IN ID 4 discrimination
amounting To- Il reduction of : per cent
~ the duties un goods impaired ia Amer
lean ~ r..
"lf NJ have built the canal Tor The
benefit of an American merchant ma
rinc aud not Tor the practical exclusive
~" ~ foreign shipping" Ne must adopt
n pulicN NJ discrimination IN favor ~
\mcricia Ship, or wr must ~ The cuti
pay indirect subsidies to cuahlc our
ships a. compete with ships ~ foreign
nations. The subsidies and di>rrimiua
iiuu~ that European governments have
practically driven american ships from
ne seas.
For the reasons given ! %iclicNr thai
the Democratic party was both wise and
patriotic when il a%nsnunccd q policy IN
favor of Discriminate. ia favor ~ coast
wise ships going through The Panama
canal and hat there '- 80 reason IA this
time why VI should abandon q solemn
promise made a. the american people Ia
one ~ the mo>i prominent piank> in nm
part, platform.
But Nc are told that Wr are Violating
4 solemn treaty madr with another pa
tinn aud IN good llith that vr -hnlli
abandon thr canal io foreign rivals With
o.l contest or dispute, iH order that NC
may Keep our standing in the family ~
nations.
Not for one moment dn h~lirvr that WIKI
havt Niolatcd 4 treaty right and not for
one moment ,o I hclicvc that the Eng
li>h government seriously contends that
~ have violated " trttiv right. our
whole difficulty ia that matter arises
from the ma American spirit 81 >urrcnd
cr that some Of our people have exhibited
toward this important question from the
yer, beginning
III the Congress had unanimously
passed the canal tolls Hill two wears ago.
! "a NOT hrlirvr that he question would
ever have been raised that ~ ~ not
have the right to exempt American
ships from the payment Of tolls when W
charge foreign >hinS i fair ami equitable
rate for their UJ-agr through the raHal
Great Britain charges ~ ~ for the na>
sage ihrouhg 4 canal that cost onl, one
third Of what il cost NJ - build The
ranamH raifnl aH.l "Er tolls charge IL
vnlt ~l.n net per ton
II seem clear Ia me that il does not
he within the mouth IT Great Britain
~ ant foreign nation ~ complain that
vr havr nnt given them fair ana rruif
able treatment III the tolls that Ne have
charged for the passage Of their ships
through the canal
There Il 4 more %Scriuus question In
vol,cd III the passage Of this bill. The