Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-06
Watches for Opportunity.


Mr.. Norris has been watching the tolls
exemption debate closely for weeks. wait
ing for his opportunity. Two days ago
the Vice President laid the bill before the
Senate and declared that the question
was on the committee amendment. which
is the one fathered by Senator Simmons
weeks ago. and which says no rights of
this nation under the Hay-Pauncefote
of the repeal bill. No democrat was
watching when the Vice President put
the question and Mr.. Norris obtaining the
floor Immediately offered mis- amendment
as a substitute.
Under parliamentary procedure the
substitute must be voted on first, and the
question which will come before the Sem
ate when the debate is finished will be the
Norris amendment.
Debate Nearing End.
General debate on the repeal measure
may be ended late this Afternoon and a
vote on it reached early next week. The
bill came up in the Senate automatic
and was to be considered to the exclu-
sion of all other business.
Several speeches on the bill were In pros
pect when the Senate met, those OF
Senators Cummins. Poindexter and La
Toilette being the first. The vote on the
bill may be reached by the middle Of
next week.
Senator Simmons stated. just as Senator
Cummins resumed his speech against re-
peal. that there was Just faint hope"
of reaching a final vote on the bill at a
night session.
Senator Simmons explained the time of
voting depended largely upon the length
OF the addresses by the senators vet to
speak.
Sees No Treaty Violation.
Senator Cummins continued his argu-
ment of last Thursday-that the tolls
exemption law did not violate the Hay
Pauncefote treaty. and that Great Britain
had not contended it violated the treaty.
notwithstanding prominent Americans
were anxious to give Great Britain more
than that country was asking.
Senator CummfnS speech developed
into Joint debate with Senator Sim
mons as to Great Britain's protest
Senator Cummins declared Great
Britain's first ground for complaint
against the exemption, namely. that it
placed an additional burden on foreign
ships, had been met by President Taft S
proclamation in which he based the
tolls on the assumption that American
coastwise vessels were to pay tolls.
But that is not permanent guaranty
of equality suggested Senator Simmons.
let there be put into the law a provi.
sion requiring the President in changing
the rates to make the same assumption -
replied Senator Cummins.
Senator Simmons admitted that would
be effective.
Legislation a Remedy.
Senator Cummins added that the othe,
objection of Great Britain, namely. that
American coastwise vessels engaged in
foreign trade could be remedied likewise
by legislation or regulations. Senator
Simmons agreed. Senator Simmons de-
clared Senator Cummins had overlooked
the point that Great Britain had said
that lit would be impossible to frame
regulations which would prevent the ex.
emption from resulting in fact in a pref
erence to United States shipping anG
consequently in an infraction of the
treaty"
Senator Simmons said this meant that
exemption of American coastwise vessels
would be a discrimination against for
eign vessels competing for trade at the
same port
Great Britain's Position.
That is the entire point of my argu-
ment." replied Senator Cummins Great
Britain has never had the assurance to
say the exemption violated the treaty
because it would injure her in competing
with American commerce but some
Americans have become imbued with the
idea of surrendering part of our sover-
eighty that Great Britain does not ask
us to give her. l shall not on the stump
say that Great Britain coerced the SEN
ator from North Carolina to surrender
our rights, but that the senator voted to
surrender our rights without Great Brit
ain demanding it"