The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-04-09
Massachusetts Senator De-
livers Stirring Speech on
Panama Canal Tolls
APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM
TO DENY EXEMPTION
But at Same Time He Main
tains United States
Legal Right

| Washington, II. u, Aprll 9.--Senatol
Lodge, ranking Republican member o.
the foreign relations committee, ad
dressed the Senate to-day in sup
port of President Wilson's Panama cana
tolls policy. He maintained vigorously
the legal right of the United States tc
exempt its shipping, foreign as well as
coastwise, from tolls, but declared that
"a decent respect to the opinions Of man
kind and the "distrust and in some
cases dislike" with which the United
States is regarded abroad, demanded
prompt repeal of the exemption clause
of the canal act.
"Whether we shall insist upon giving
to our ships two or three millions oi
dollars in disputed way is, in my con,
ception, very small question compared
to the larger issues which are here in.
Ivolved," said the senator. "When the year
1909 opened, the United States occu'
pied higher and stronger position
among the nations of the earth than at
amy period in our history Never before
had we possessed such an influence in
international affairs and that influence
had been used benefcently and for the
worlds peace in two conspicuous in
stances--at Portmouth and at Algeci-
ras Never before had our relations
with the various states OF Central and
South America been so good.
"It seemed as il the shadow of sus-
picion which, owing to our dominant and
at times domineering power, had dark
ened and chilled our relations with the
people of Latin America had at last
been lifted. This great position and
this commanding influence have been
largely lost. / am not in the councils
of the president of the United States,
but | believe that during the past year
the present position of the United States
in its foreign relations has become very
apparent to him, as il has to other re-
sponsible and rejecting men, and with
this appreciation of our present position
has come the earnest wish to retrace
some of our steps, at least, and TO re-
gain, so far as possible, the high plane
which we formerly occupied.
"It would be an obvious impropriety
to point out the specific conditions of
our present relations with the various
nations, both in the old world and the
new; it is enough TO note the fact that
we are regarded by other nations with
distrust and in some cases with dislike.
Rightly or wrongly, they have come to
believe that we are not to be trusted;
that we make our international rela-
tions the sport of politics and treat
them as if they were in no wise differ
ent from questions of domestic legisla-
tion. This has not been in accord with
our history or our position. Only once
have we abrogated a treaty, and then
actual if not declared war existed. We
have scrupulously observed our interna-
tional agreements, and where differences
have arisen we have settled them not
with the high hand of power but by
negotiation and arbitration.
q suppose that at this moment in
the midst of the adroitly stimulated pas.
sions raised against the presidents rec
ommendation that we should repeal the
toll exemption it will be thought very
poor spirit and even truelIling-I believe
that is the accepted word--to suggest
that in deciding this question we should
take into consideration the opinions of
other nations. Nevertheless, / consider
this very important element in any
decision which / may reach, and | am
encouraged to believe that | am right in
so thinking, because | have the warrant
and authority of the author of the Dec
laration of Independence. When Jeffer-
son framed that great instrument he
declared that the impelling reason for
making the declaration was "a decent re-
speet to the opinions of mankind
"The long delay in the ratification by
the Senate of the treaties renewing the
arbitration treaties of 1908 produced
widespread feeling among other nations
that our championship of the principle
of arbitration and our loud boasts of
our devotion to the cause of peace were
the merest hypocrisy, because we seemed
ready to abandon the cause of arbitra-
tion of questions which we did not desire
to have decided by an impartial tribu-
nal The president renewed the arbitra-
tion treaties, and finally, after delay
which, as | have said, aroused unpleas-
ant suspicious, those which have been
sent to the Senate have been ratified.
This was the presidents first step, as
looked at it, in his effort to restore the
influence and reputation of the United
States, which he had found to be i'm
paired. The second step is in his recon-
mendation of the repeal of the toll ex-
empton clause of the canal act.
''The outcry about exhibiting subservi-
ency to Great Britain or any other eoun-
try because we see fit to repeal the tolls
seems TO me hardly worthy of serious
The United States is al
together too great and too powerful to
be subservient TO any one, and the mere
fact of suggesting it seems to me to in
dicate an uneasy suspicion on the part |
of those from whom it emanates not |
only of the validity of their position but |
Of the power and greatness of their own |
as to which l, for one, am trou- |
bled by no doubts.
"As | have listened to some recent
stirring, declarations of our utter fea-
lessness, of our readiness to face world |
in arms, in defense of toll exemption. |
about which noble cause no country |
would think of fighting. there have been 1
when | have marveIled as
thought of the coolness and indilTer.