The Sentinel=record., 1914-04-02


 in the situation, even before the com mittee because there are half doz- en bills pertaining to the tolls ques ton now before the committee. That there will be a persistent effort made to amend the repeal as it passed the house is certain, but friends ot the president declare that nothing but fiat repeal of the toll exemption will be accepted
 In support of this they claim a safe majority. Many polls nave been talk en, democrats and republicans includ- , ed, but they have been incomplete. Estimates of the majority in favor of the repeal vary from two to twen- | ty-fOur Today Senator Norris of Ne braska introduced a resolution which would provide for arbitration of the | treaty dispute in the tolls controversy and Senator PoindeXter submitted another to provide for postponemen 1 of consideration of the tolls issue until President Wilson submits de- tails in confidence if he chooses as to foreign relations to be affected | by toll exemption repeal. No action was taken on either resolution.
 The PoiadeXter resolution follows.
 Resolved by the senate that the president is hereby respectfully re- quested to inform the senate, in con iidence if he so desires. what are the unnamed matters of nearer conse- quence and greater delicacy referred to in his message and, resolved. fur. ther, that action on the bill for the repeal of the tolls exemption clause of the Panama canal act and all con sideration thereof by the senate or ! by the senate committee on inter- oceanic canals be deferred until the information called for by this reso- lution can be obtained"
 In his preamble, Senator Poindex- ter asserted that the action was bas- ed on an admission by the British embassy that the United States had the right to exempt it's coastwise shipping and the statement ill writ, ing of the British foreign minister that the material provisions of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty did not apply to the Panama canal because the particular object of that treaty was the construction of canal along the lNicaragual route.
 The preamble also set forth that the United States dealt wholly wltl the republics of Panama and Colon. bia ana the French canals company in obtaining the right to build the canal and that Great Britain had no rights or interest whatever in the transaction.
 Speaking il support of the pending resolution asking the president what nations have protested against the tolls eXemtion clause, Senator Jones of Washington charged that no SC. rious problems faced the United States except those arising from mis. takes of the administration.
 If this resolution were passed and answered" said Senator Jones' it would show that no question con fronts us as a nation that endangers our peace or threatens our security or requires any other treatment than that of firmness, tact and strict ad- herence to justice. It would show no serious problems except those aris ing out of the mistakes of the admin istration and which would have been avoided if congress had been taken into the confidence of the execu- tive.
 Tt would be shown that no nation on the face of the earth has protest ed against our action in exempting our coastwise ships from paying tolls except Great Britain. and that she practically admitted our right to do this. but feared we would not be able to enforce our laws.
 ''lt might show, I rear it would, that taking advantage of the situa- tlon our diplomacy has gotten Us into in relation to Mexico, she is exacting this as a part of the price for her assistance in extricating ourselves from the endorsements of our own making.
 We will stand Dy the president in his treatment of the Mexican situa ton whether We believe he is taking the wise course or not, but we Win not buy England's assistance at any price or the assistance of any other nation"
 Senator Jones sald the people of the United States were now asked to place their coastwise shipping at the mercy of that nation that from the foundation of our government has used every possible means ot piracy from war and discrimination and sub- sides, treaties and conventions, to hamper and destroy our shipping"