Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-30
President Defends
EXEMPTION REPEAL
POINTS TO CONTRADICTORY
PARTY PLATFORM TO De.
FENp ACTION.
DECLARES DEBATE IN
CONGRESS TOO HOSTILE
Denies Aorssmsnt With Great Britain
8 and Declares Discussion Has psgsn.
Grated Into Attempt to Disersdit Ad.
rninistration - Opponents Have
Grown Insulting, Asserts President.


Baltimore platform democrats here
have no hesitation in voting the repeal
Of the Panama canal tolls exemption.
He declared the exemption was a
subsidy and pointed out that o1e plank
In the Baltimore platform expressed
opposition to any subsidy. The presi-
dent asserted there should bs no doubt
among democrats as to which should
take precedence.
The president declared the exemption
was never really favored by the demo-
Gratis Of the house. it being effected
thru coalition with republicans.
The president explained that even il
the international situation. to which he
referred in his message. had not arisen
he would have been opposed to the
tolls exemption as against democratic
doctrine, but he indicated, however,
that were 1t not for the international
situation he did not feel that it would
have been proper for him to have
questioned the acts OF previous ad-
ministration.
Il Denies Agreement With England.
Mr.. Wilson talked frankly about the
tolls CONTROVERSY in congress, saying
that the story that he had ertered into
bargain with Great Britain thru Sir
William Tyrrell. private secretary to
Sir Edward Hfey. was one Of a number
OF insults that had been introduced into
the congressional debate. The presl-
dent declared he wanted to express his
regret that what promised to be a dig
nified contest with genuine differences
Of opinion seemed to be degenerating
into an attempt to discredit the ad-
ministration. He remarked that while
II made almost certain the result In
favor OF the, administration he thought
1t a great pity that public affairs
should be handled in that way. He
did not think all the opponents of the
repeal felt that way but such color had
been injected into the controversy and
he did not understand the motives for
It. The president said he had no anxi-
ETY. over any political friction In the
democratic party over the result and
referred to the repeal contest as not
capital operation" but just con-
valescence."'
oppossd to the compron,iss.
Mr.. Wilson let it be known that he
promise or amendment such as has
been proposed in the senate He Is
for q straight repeal without equivoca-
ton.
The White House later authorized
quotation Of what the president had
said in answer to the charge to the ef-
feet that the president had made q
deal with Sir William Tyrrell, private
secretary to Sir Edward Grey, the
British foreign secretary. The president
had been asked II the charge were true.
The president replied:
s"Of coure, that answers itelf. 1t Is
lust the crowning insult of a number
Of insults which have been introduced
in this debate. This whole thing re-
minds me Of story used to be fond
Of telling Of a very effective debater-1
need not say where this happened!
who sent a challenge down into coun-
ty very hostile to him in debate. The
people down there did not like the job
very much but they put up the man
thew liked best and who Is generally
put up on such occasion, q 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 thru his speech when 1t
became evident that he was convinc-
ing the audience, when one of Toms
partisans cried out, Tom. Tom. call
him liar and make II hight That
il the state this has reached.
The presidents auditors asked him II
he was going to fight and he answered
that he did not need to.
Representative Dorsmus OPpooos.
Representative Doremus. OF Mtchi-
gan. chairman Of the democratic con-
rressional committee. led on the ngnt
on repeating the Panama tolls exemp-
ton in the house today. II was the
third day Of debate on the question.
Expressing regret that ne oinereo
With the president, he declared tnat
J. Great Britain had admitted the Amer
ican right to exempt coastwise trade
from tolls.
..If We can not grant free transit to
our ships thru the canal" ne said Ns
dement's VIII accrue to England ana hot
to ourselves"
s~rdoument "whicl1 derives an annual
incr..se of 100000 from steel trust
shnn,is sras most active in rescuing the
naftonal honor by promoting the re-
ra.1 ~ the law that Great Britain had
ADMITTED we had treaty right to
enact!'s
ss senator Lewis, democrat, urged MS
resolution ,to give the president dis
cretions to suspend tolls. He supmitted
HIS resolution, he said first, TO sug.
rest I method Of applying tolls. ana
ato aive the democratic party an IN
itermedinto course that 1t may avoid the
ySnSSlr. X. MYle side or the other.
.SssS, Now Aspect g ConsrovSsey.
ssa ssss yenasee m 4, republican, OF new
fexie6t the controversy = new e.
i 3,1c, SN' ~ fod,c 1 bill TO forbid that
t6ll1 On Aus &c ',