The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-04-30
Senator Thornton's Answer.

of the Democratic party.
Senator Thornton's Answer.
To the Honorable President Members the Police Jury
of the Parish of Ouachta, State Of Louisiana:
Gentlemen: am in receipt of a resolu-
ton passed by your Honorable Body and
transmitted to me by your clerk, requesting
ME to vote against the repeal of the law
exempting American coastwise vessels
from the payment of Panama Canal tolls.
Your reasons for this request as set forth
in the resolution are that in the opinion of
your Honorable Body the repeal "would
be serious injury to the American coast
wise trade and American seaports includ-
ing the Port of New Orleans" and that
"the only ones to be benefited by the re-
peal of said exemption would be the Trans
continental Railroad" and that sit would
increase the cost of commodities moving
by such coastwise trade to the consumer in
increased freight rates and would be an
injury to every business in the State of
Louisiana"
Your Honorable Body also declares "that
in our opinion the mere unexplained re-
quest of the President of the United States
is not sufficient for our Senators and Rep
resentatives in Congress to vote against the
interests of their constituents as we'll as
against the interests of the entire people of
the United States"
Fully recognizing the right of~all citizens
of Louisiana to criticise my public acts as
long as they do so in a courteous manner
as in this instance and to request me to
adopt views or change such as | may have
already adopted, am compelled to say to
you that my convictions of public duty
prevent me from complying with your re-
Quest.
In my Judgment, not a single premise
laid down by you is correct.
do not believe that the repeal of the
toll exemption of American coastwise ships
would be a serious injury, or any injury
whatever to the American coastwise trade,
unless by preventing the owners of coast
wise vessels from pocketing the amount of
the tolls at the expense of the remainder of
the United States without making them any
return for it, or to American seaports, in
Guiding the Port of New Orleans, or that
the imposition of tolls would prevent COM
petition with the Transcontinental Rail-
roads, or that it would increase the cost of
goods carried to the consumer or be an in
jury to any business in Louisiana.
1t is impossible to enter into an argument
Ou tlSSC QUcSilOuS ucTcs UuC VIII w 81 Ill
my speech in the Senate, which the people
of Louisiana will have full opportunity to
read, and by whose judgment hope to be
vindicated in my present course.
must also be permitted to deny the cor
rectness of the proposition that am yield
ing in this matter to 1.-The mere unexplained
request OF the President OF the United
States"
His request was sufficiently explained to
me as mentioned in my statement to the
press of I'd March, and published again in
Congressional Record of 10th of March
and it was amplifed in his address to the
joint session of Congress on the 9th of
March, when he asked for the repeal of the
tolls exemption on economic and moral
grounds as we'll as to enable him to sue
cessfully conduct our foreign relations; and
! may add that the recent investigation of
the House Committee proving conclusively
that the American coastwise shipping in
terest is not -only monopoly but trust
ridden one with all competition as to either
territory served or rates charged eliminated
by understandings that cannot be reached
by the antitrust law; and the testimony
only four days ago before the Interoceanic
Canal Committee of the parties who rep
esented the United States in the making
of the Hay -Pauncefote treaty, together
with the production of the correspondence
concerning it from beginning to end, show
ing conciusively to any mind open to con-
viction that both parties to the treaty un-
derstood and meant that the United States
could not make any difference in the treat
ment Of even the coastwse vessels of her
citizens from the treatment accorded the
ships of other nations, proves that the
President was right not only in his moral
contention that exemption is violation oil
the treaty, but in his economic contention
also, assuming it is against we'll settled
Democratic principle at least to 4subsidize
an existing trust controlled monopoly.
Finally, assure you that heve never
consciously cast vote against the interest
of the State of Louisiana and never will
do SO while | represent her in the Senate oil
the United States.
As you have given your resolution to the
press, ask that you do likewise with my
answer. Respectfully,
j. R. THORNTON.
April 20, 1914.