The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-03-30
And He Declares That Insult
after Insult is being Heaped
upon Him.
TO DIsCREDlT PRESIDENT
Chief Executive Lets 1t Be
Known That He is Opposed
to Any Compromise.

WASHINGTON, Mar. 30.-President
Wilson declared today that on account
Of the contradictory statement in the
Baltimore platform, Democrats should
have no hesitation in voting for the
reepal of the Panama tolls exemption.
The president emphatfcally char
acterized the exemption as a subsidy
and pointed out that one plank in the
Baltimore platform expressed opposi-
ton to any subsidy direct or indirect
while another plank declared for tolls
exemption. The president asserted
there should be no doubt among DEM
ocrats as to which should take pre-
cedent.
The president reiterated that the ex-
emption never was a policy of the
Democratic House because it was
passed through coalition of Repub-
Ifcans and a minority of Democrats,
the majority of Democrats voting
against it on the grounds that it was
a subsidy.
The president explained that even
If the international situation to whlch
he referred to in his message had not
arisen he would have been opposed to
the tolls exemption as against the
Democratic doctrine. But he 1ndi-
Gated, however, that If 1t were not for
the international situation he did not
feel that it would have been proper
for him to question the act OF a prev
ious administration.
Mr.. Wilson talked frankly about
the tolls controversy in Congress say
ing that the story that he had entered
into a bargain with Great Britain
through Sir William IyrreI, prlv 'as
secretary to Sir Edward Grey, was
one of a number Of insults that had
been introduced in the congressional
debate The president declared ne
wanted to express his regret that what
had promised to be a dignified con-
test with genuine differences or opln-
ion seemed to be degenerattng in ms
opinion into an attempt to discrealt
the administration. He remarked thaI
while it made all the more &c talh
4he result in favor of the administra-
fion he thought it, a great pity that
nubIic affairs should be handled In
that way. He did not think all the
onnonents of the repeal felt that way
INT sI1c;h color had been interjected
In the controversy and he did not IN
derstand the motives for 1t.
MT. Wilson let 1t be known that ne
was unqualifiedly opposed TO an!
compromise or amendments such "a, as
have been proposed in the Senate. he
e for q straight repeal without equiyo-
cation. - 1,,obi-
Gan, chairman of the Democratic CON
gressional committee, led off the fignt
on repeating the tolls exemption IN
the House today. 1t was the thlra
day of debate on the question.
Expressing regret that he dinerea
with the president, he declared tna'
Great Britain had admitted the Amer
lean right to exempt coastwise trade
" IF we cannot grant free transit to
our ships through the canal" ne sala'
"its benefits will accrue to England
and not to ourself."
He declared that the Carnegie peace
endowment (which derives an annual
income of 100000 from steer T u.s.
bands was most active in rescuing the
national honor by promoting the re-
n neal Of the law, that Great Britain
had admitted we had treaty right to
enact"