South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-20
FREE TOLLS BILL
BLOT ON RECORD
FOR GOOD FAITH
BY Gibson GARDNER.

BY gibson GARDNER
WASHINGTON, April 2O--T1le best
season for supporting Pres. wilson
In his demand for the repeal Of the
present canal tolls law is found in the
closing paragraph OF the presidents
message 10 congress. IN which he
asked congress TO give him this legis-
latiOn for the sake OF our foreign
policy.
The law passed during the Taft ad-
ministration exemptng American
coastwise ships was regarded BY prac-
tcalIy all, foreign nations as viola
ton OF the spirit. if not the letter Of
the -Pauncefote treaty. 1t is not
necessary 20 go iato rehnements as
TO how that treaty ought 10 be inter
preted; the fact remains that the
treaty was understood by all foreign
nations TO mean that our ships would
not be given any greater advantage
than those OF other nations
When the United States rePudiated
this idea and gave our ships an ad
vantage over those Of all foreign
countries We laid ourselves open TO
charge Of bad faith. This reputation
FOR not being strictly honorable about
our agreements has been growing OF
late.
In several matters we have been
open 20 the charge of playing fast
and loose.
We were ready 10 arbitrate except
when the matter was likely TO be
arbitrated against u.s. then We re-
pudiated arbitration.
The seizure of the canal strip from
Columbia after carefully iustigating a
local revolution brought US under ser
iOus suspiCian among all the Latin
American republics, and colum bia
has been diligent in keeping alive her
complaint
Tafts course in sending the army
Overwhelmingly TO the Mexican border,
while it was intended merely as
bluff. was a threat Of Mexican inYaS-
i09 and had the same effect on our
sister republics TO the south
81 altogether we have come TO be
IN the position OF nation whose
promises are regarded as lightly made
and easily broken. We may deny this
and make explanations satisfactory to
ourselves. but the fact remains that
all the world has of late come TO 50
look upon us.
old Record Broken.
This is all against a background of
very high moral stand in diplomatic
affairs under the leadership OF Hay
States refused TO be a party TO d.
vision Of territory in China and even
went SO far as TO return the lndem-
nifty money paid as a result OF the
Boxer rebellion. and when we gave
our promise to get out of Cuba after
the work OF pacifiCatiOn was COM
pIeted and surprised the world by
keeping our promises.
When Pres. Wilson took Office he
found that the first step toward re-
storing our diplomatic relations to
their former high standing and Sc
curing the confidence OF other powers
In our honesty and integrity would
have TO begin with making repara-
ton to Columbia, and constituting the
canal tolls treaty in a fair, or at least
a broader way. II IS admitted that
there is room for honest difference of
opinion as TO the construction of this
treaty. but there is no difference of
opinion in the minds Of foreign ma
tons as TO what an honorable con-
ztructiOn Of the treaty would mean.
II must be remembered that the
treaty Of 1850. known as the Clayton
Bulwer treaty bound the United
States government to q promise
never to obtain or maintain for it.
self any exclusive control over ship
canal across the isthmus which con-
meets North and South America.
Hay and Pauncefote drew a treaty
90 substitute this on Feb ;. 1900. in
which Great Britain agreed 20 re
nounce the right TO share in the con-
struction and maintenance of the
canal If the United States would agree
in guaranteeing the neutrality OF the
canal and would invite other nations
10 Join in this guarantee.
once Tulked Repeal.
Tn 1901 the senate proposed TO
amend the Hay PauncefOte treaty
By making the United states solely
responsible for defending the treaty
in time of war. Here was q definite
consideration which Great Britain
was 10 give up and the price which
was demanded and which we prom
ised was that the United States would
see that the canal was open 90 the
use of all the world on the same
terms as Great Britain's SueZ canal
was opened 20 the world.
This was understood by all the ma
lions Of the world 90 include the ships
Of the United States; otherwise there
would have been no consideration. 1t
was in Difference TO this international
opinion as TO the meaning of the
treaty that the president asked con-
gress 20 repeal ITS legislation giving
special privileges 10 American coast
wise ships. These reasons are con-
sidered sufficient for the course taken
by the president. IL is not necessary
% 60 into matters or platform deClaT-
atoms nor TO allude 10 the fact that
the present law was put over by the
,rOwd in congress which has always
looked for special legislative favOrs
for American shipping interests.
namely. what IS known as the ship
subsidy crowd.