Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-06

ger organized conspiracy of the railroads this country
Canada will destroy of the greatest benefits Of the Pan
anna Canal to the American people.
Briefly the facts For twenty-five years the trans
continental railroads successfully opposed the construction OF the
Canal They opposed this tremendous development CON
Meeting the greatest and bringing Eastern and
Western 90 600 miles each other because The
canal would compel railroads reduce their freight rates
The of transporting goods by water is always very much less
than by land and in some cases is not half much
they could longer delay the coming OF this remen
ous benefit to the people they made desperate srug
gle to be allowed ships through the canal which the rail
roads themselves and also prevent any American ships
going through the canal free of toll charge The railroads
knew that they could their ships through the canal
they could with their gigantic financial resources soon drive
every independent steamship line out Of the canal as they nave
everywhere they operate steamships They also knew th
if toll charge every ship that passed through the
canal would Of water transportation by just
that amount and by also would relieve the railroads
the necessity of reducing their own rates by land
Therefore two years ago. the law governing The use OF
the before Congress- the railroads poured their hoae
of trained lobbyists Capital City prevent free tolls and
for themselves the right to operate ships through the
canal.
But it happened to be a moment when Congress was sin
guary the influence OF the corporations me naon
election The pec of Roosevelt whose genius courage
and energy given the canal doomed dar over the men
in Congress usually take their orders from these corpora
tons
The Democratic party had just held its national convention
at Baltimore and had soemny declared that American ships in
our coastse trade ought pay toll for passing through
the canal
So the railroads were denied right operate their
steamships the canal and the attempt to make the American
ships passing through the canal toll voted down over
Iyhemjnglv in the Senate ONLY ELEVEN SENATORS
VOTED FOR IT course Lodge that notorious reaconary
who egregousy msrprents Massachusetts, and Crane also
voted for the railroads EVERY DEMOCRAT IN THE SENATE
VOTED TO LET AMERICAN SHIPS PASS THE CANAL FREE
Thus seemed that one of the great objects which the
bodc bTndre mill
canal securedh to reduce the cost OF trans
porting goods across the American continent
But railroads do surrender after one defeat With
election day over they calculated that the they accus
conro both parties would dare to take orders once
they could be supplied with some new excuse for chang
ing their votes inns new excuse was ilgehouy ~
outrageous preense that must have the friendship OF
Britain in dangerous isolation in the worlds affairs
Great Britain Is opposed to free tolls to our shp because the
Canadian Pacific Railroad opposed to It, Great Britain bases
her claim of right protest on the ground that Is violation
Now great cry has been raised that our honor requires
abandon free tolls for American ships 1t pretended that we
are in difficult international relations and must have
the respect and friendship of Great Britain unnamed
catastrophe likely to befa This is the strange story that
President Wilson whispering into the ears of the Democratic
members Of Congress,
The British protest made when the canal question
before Congress years ago and it WAS REJECTED BY
CONGRESS THEN. IT WAS REJECTED BY THE DEMO
CRATIC PARTY IN IT'S NATIONAL CONVENTION which
pledged the Democrats Congress to vote for free tolls and
pledged also Mr. Wilson whom it nominated President
WILSON HIMSELF REJECTED THE BRITISH PROTEST
AND ADVOCATED FREE TOLLS ON THE STUMP DURING
THE CAMPAIGN.
What has happened since to bring about this change in
men opinions Nothing at ALL except that election is over and
in Congress are less controlled by public opinion
the Democrats dare repudate their platform to
date their the behst of these railroads and the
fear OF the President power to dispose OF patronage?
Where William Bryan this crisis? He declared
and again that the MAN WHO VIOLATES HIS PARTY
PLATFORM is WORSE THAN A THIEF" This question
of the State Department Bryan the head
of the State Department he the Committee Resolutions
of the last Democratic convention that drew up the platform
which declared in favor Of free tolls American ships On thy
Voceless lips the heroic lay uneless now On matter
ing Of his very department he watches silence conspiracy
which according to his political code is than theft
When the Democratic members OF Congress called 10
account by their constituents they will not be allowed hide be
hind thesrts OF the President He will not be the keeper of
their conscience of their Judgment We have neither beney
ont malevoent 6epoam this country Congress there
to make the laws and representative Senator abdcte
his powers or duties ia favor OF the President without being rea
onabe his country he be driven by the Of Pres
dena patronage reputation of his party platform