The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-26

says there was no violation OF the treaty.
II know there are some OF my friends
here who do not like the man who was
| President when that treaty was negoti-
ated. but whether they like him or not
he Is "A man OF his own convictions and
1 he is not afraid Of any Power on the face
! OF the earth when II comes to asserting
a doctrine that appeals to the American
people"
Roosevclt's Words Read.
! Senator william Alden Smith OF Mlchi-
I gan obtained permission from Senator
Chamberlain to read what President
Roosevelt had said OF the provisions OF
the Pauncefote treaty and its effect
on the exemption Of tolls for American
! coastwise vessels. He quoted from Pres
| ident Roosevelts letter OF acceptance OF
, the nomination for the Presidency In part
| as follows
ave have a perfect right to permit our
coastwise traffic with which there can be
no competition by the merchant marine OF
any foreign nation. so that there IL no
discrimination against any foreign ma
rine) to pass through that canal on any
terms We choose. and l personally think
no tolls should he charged on such traffic
But at all times the canal should be
open on equal terms TO the ships of all
nations. including our own. engaged In In
ternational commerce. That was the UNI
derstandng OF the treaty when IL was
adopted and the United States must al
ways. rs a matter of honorable oblga-
ton and with scrupulous nicely. live up
to every understanding which she has en-
tered into with any foreign Power.
If We had been so unwtse as to adopt
the general arbitration treaties a few
months ago we should now be bound to
arbitrate the question OF our right to
free our own coastwise traffic from canal
tolls. and at any future time We might
have found ourselves obliged to arbitrate
the question whether in the event OF war
we could keep the canal open TO our own
war vessels and closed to those OF our
foes
After reading from Col Roosevelt, Sen
ator Smith said;
MIR. Roosevelt was the President of
the United States Mt the time this treaty
was negotiated. He negotiated II. he was
the author OF II and he proclaimed with
great solemnity that We not only have
the right to do II but AS a matter OF
Government policy II IL wise and should
he done
O'Gorman Opposes Repeal.
At the conclusion OF Senator Smiths
reference to President, Roosevelts views
senator O'Gorman said
In an article over his own signature
written over two years ago in the outlook
there was nothing in the treaty that pre-
vented the American Government from
exempting It's coastwise trade, In that
connection he declared that he knew OF no
interest disputing the right OF the Ameri-
can Government in that respect other
than that Of the transcontinental rail-
roads, and particularly the Canadian
transcontinental railroads. through whose
influence the British Government was in
duced to make an objection
when u II remembered that on July
9, 1912. the British Government concod ID
that no objection could be taken to the
exclusive exemption of coastwise traffic
and that because OF this attitude the
Senate largely receded from the amend
ment proposed by the senate committee
extending the exemption to all ships, II Ia
incomprehe nsible how this agitation has
continued to the present time. There
must be- influences other than purely In
ternatunai influences that precip.tate
from time 20 time the assertion that we
have violated our treaty"
1T is inconceivabe To me" INTERRUPTED
Senator Chamberlain. how any man who
loves his country and his kind can consent
for a moment 10 yield to the demands OF
Great Britain. The people may talk about
demagogic speeches. I do not care what
they charge me with. I will not stand
upon the floor OF the Senate and advocate
and plead the cause of Great Britain
against my own country He who has
pleaded the cause OF America in this con-
test knows that the countries abroad
recognize that Great Britain Ia not the
friend OF America"