The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-03-05

fthe United states In upholdlng treaty
obligations by repeating the Panama
tolls exemption aEaiust which Great
Britain protests. Hp asked coE. rcss
tn do that lin support OF The forclsn
policy OF the United states" and add
ed that an exemption for American
ships not only was o. mistaken eco-
nomic policy but was in contruven-
tion Of the Hay pauncefotc treat,
81 shall not know how 10 deal with
other matters OF even greater dcii-
cacy ana nearer consequence f YOU
do not grant it To me in ungrudsing
measure said the president
The large Trims to do IS the only
thing We can afford ~ do voiun-
tary withdrawal from position
everywhere questioned aud misundcr-
stood. We ought Co reverse our a,-
ton without raising the question
whether We were Iisht or WRONG. and
So once more deserve our reputation
lfOr generosity and the redemption Of
every obligauon without qulbhlo or
| hesitation
/ President Wilson'S address. the
shortest he has yet delivered to con-
exactly ago words was ar fol-
lows
"Gcutlemen uf the Congress.
II have come To you on an crfand
which can bc very briefly performed.
! but : beg that You Will not mcasure
it, Importance by the number OF sem
fences In which J state IL. No cum-
munioRtion I have addressed to the
congress carried with &C gravcr or
more tar-reaching implications to the
interest OF tho country. and I come
now TO speak on u matter with re-
gard To which I am charged In Pc
euliar degree, by the constitution it,
sell with personal responsibility
Il have come to ask for the repeal
OF that provision of the Panama pa-
nal act of August -. 1879. which ex-
empts vessels engaged in the coast
wise trade Of the United states from
payment Of tolls, and to urge on YOU
the Justice, the wisdom and the large
policy of such repeal with the ut
most cnrucstncss Of which I am cn-
pnbie
In my own Judgment very fully
considered and matureb formed. that
exemption constitutes "a mistaken ceo-
nOmic policy from every point OF view
and is. moreover. Ia plain contrnVcn-
tion OF the treaty with Great Britain
concerning the canal. concluded ON
November IS, 1901 But have not
come To YOU to urge my personal
Views have came to state 10 YOU
a fact and a situation. whatever may
De our own differences OF opinion con
corning this much debated measure.
its meaning is not debated outsld. the
United states. EVcrewnerc els. the
language of the treaty be- given but one
Interpretation, and that intcrpreta-
ton prccludcs the exemption I am
asking you TO repeal. We consented
To the treaty. its languages were ac-
cepted. ~ We did not arigluat,, Il
ana We are too blk too powerful. too
"li-rcspecting nation TO interprot
with too strained or refined reading
the words ~ our own promises lust
because we have power enough 10
give us leave % read them ns we
please. The large thing to do h. the
only thing We can AFFORD To- do a vol
untary withdrawal from position
everywhere questioned aud misundcr-
stood. We ought Co reverse our ur-
ton without raising the question
whether We were right cor wrong, and
80 once more deserve our reputation
for generosity aud the redemption Of
very obligation without quibblc or
hesitation
II ask this of YOU Ia support ct
the foreign policy of the idminlstra-
tion. shall not know how 10 deaf
with other matters of even groatcr
dclicacy and nearer consequence II
YOU do not grant it 10 mo IN un-
grudging measure"
The Panama tolls question has been
subject OF dispute for nearly two
years. Diplomatic correspondence be-
tween Great Britain ana the United
states found the question unsettled
when President TAFT LETT Office Ex-
cept for nn assurance Go aames Bryce.
then British ambassador when ne
left the United States year ago.
that the question would Doe taken up
in the regular session of congress.
President Wilson has never directed
any official communication tn Eng
land on the tolls question. The pres
ideut recently told callers he had
never discussed the matter formally
or informally with the British am haH-
std"f here. sir Cecil ~prng Rice. be-
cause he believed the obligation uu
the part OF the United states To repeal
the exemption ciause was one which
this government Itself should realize
without outside influence or pressure.
Administration leaders In both
house aud senate have assured the
president that with the delivery ir "a
message hy him. showing thnt intcr-
national circumstances had arisen
since thc measure was laat debated.
the presidents suggestion for repeal
would De met with prompt action
tMMINs TAKES HOT SHOT
. MN.