The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-20
Opposition Is Most StubbOrn That Yet Has Faced Policies of Wilson's
 Administration
WILSON SUPPORTERS
 EXPECTING ONLY A
 SMALL MAJORITY
Senator Jones Corrects Speech on Controversy Following Confer ence With President Wilson.
 Debate on Measure Be-
 gins in House Today

Washington, March 1a.--Nore stub stir the tranquility of the democratic majority since the party came Into control oe the national government Is inc opposition to President Wilson's p;en for repeal of the toll eNemptiou provision for American ships in the Panama canal net.
 With the time almost at hand when the question is to be decided the un- yielding question Of the democrats who still believe it will be an economic mis- take to reverse the policy of the gov- olnment on the tolls question becomes more active. and in the Senate and House the discussion is certain to be the most vieorous that has been precipitated by any issue Congress has had before 1t.
 Small Majority Expected
 While the President and democratic members in both h..lses who will sup- port his position are confident Chat the repeal will pass by committee for majority. few have any idea that the majority will be large. Debate on the repeal will begin in the House Saturday when a rule will be offered limiting de- bate to b hours. In the Senate action by the committee on interoceanc canals on a repeal bill submitted by Senator owen may be taken up tomorrow or Sat urday, Senator O'Gorman, chairman of the committed, will consider the matter cf taking up the resolution tomorrow.
 President Wilson today conferred with Senator Jones of Washington, informing the senator that there was absolutely no basis for conclusions he had refer el l to in a senate speech Wednesday to | the effect that the tolls repeal was the | price to he paid as a result of negotia- l tirns with Great Britain for noninterfer- l enoe by foreign powers in Mexico. and 1 for lGngland's defense of the Monroe doc trine The President told the senator that he twas skating on thin ice' in circulating such conclusions after reading them in some publication. Discussing the matter with other callers, the Presi- dent said his address to Congress on repeal of the tolls clause was written before the visit to Washington of tho British minister to Mexico, Sir Lionel Garden, to whom Senator Jones had re- fcrred in his speech and that the canal controversy was not mentioned during the minister's conference at the White House.
 Jones Explains
 Later In the day Senator Jones made a statement to the Senate asserting that he had not wished to misrepresent any body. that he had referred to the con cusions as he had read them in news Dc per, and that it was due the President that he express to the Senate his flat denial of the matter.
 Senator Jones resolution calling upon the President for information as to the position of foreign governments on the tolls questions will come up again to- morrow, when Senator Bristow will make an effort to have il referred to the ca nals instead of the foreign relations com mittee. Senator PoindeXter plans to talk on his resolution, which would ask the President for an explanation of some pf the features of his message to Congress on the tolls issue.