The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-30
The Tolls Problem Angles

The Panama Canal tolls question, which has
now reached it's incandescent stage, is going to
make history whichever way it is settled. The
problem has raised at least four issues, any one
of which is momentous almost to justify
Representative Underwood in characterizing the
present debate as lone of the most important of
the past one hundred and twenty-five years."
The leading issue, of course, is that concern!
ing foreign policy. In the Hay-PauncefoteI
treaty, contracted with Great Britain that no
country would be favored more than other coun-
tries in canal charges. If our own ships are ex-
empted from paying tolls, that contract mani
testify is violated and shall have proved our
word worthless, thing which will affect
our relationships with France, Germany and
Russia as we'll as England
Majority leader Underwood is arguing that
the repeal Of the exemption clause will change
our historic foreign policy. The Alabama Repre-
sentative is surely wrong in this because review
of our past international canal agreements shows
that the repeal of the exemption clause is the
very thing that policy demands. The treaty of
Washington, which ratified in 1871 and
which agreement with Canada concerning
the lake canals, provided that these waterways
should be used without tolls by both countries.
When Canada tried to do with us the very thing
we are now attempting to do with her, we pro-
tested and we carried our point. It is Representa-
tive Underwood and those others who are crying
for tolls exemption that fly in the face of our for
leign policy.
The political angle of the tolls debate is al
most as interesting as these economic issues.
Speaker Champ Clark who it will be remem-
bered, went down in defeat before Wilson at Bal
tmore, has stepped forward in this controversy
in a desperate attempt to organize following to
flight Wilson. His failure to best the New Jersey
leader at the convention still rankles in his mind
and he willing at this time to risk the in
tegrity of the party in feverish attempt to make
political capital for himself. The only possible
outcome of this Benedict Arnold scheme will be
| to label Clark as a vengeance seeker and
make him presidential impossibility forever
The tolls debate is also clearly revealing in
| just what the much boosted unity" of the DEM
ocratc party really consists. In the fight now
going on in the house, Clark and Underwood,
next to Wilson and Bryan the most conspicuous
leaders in the party, have united against the
President, but even with coalition of their fore
| es they have proved themselves helpless against
his influence and thus plainly show that it is he
who, with his personality, is the hoop that
holds the barrel together.
This means nothing less than that the destiny
of the Democratic party has now been placed in
the Presidents own hands. If he retains the
confidence of the country, the party is safe. If
he stumbles it is done with When we consider
that he has served but one year of the four and
that, while the nation has all confidence in his
character his record as an executive in the more
trying issues that lie ahead of him is yet to be
made, the precarious predicament of the Demo-
cratic party is plainly seen.
|