The Sentinel=record., 1914-02-10
SENATOR STONE SAYS COUN TRYs NEEDS SHOULD COME
 AHEAD OF THE PARTY.
HE VOTED FOR THE PLANK
But Says He FaVors Repeal of the Free Toll to American Ships Law if It Is Deemed of National Benefit Will Call Caucus.

Washington. Feb. 9-Repeal of the provision of the Panama canal act eXempting American coastwise ships from tolls favored by President Wilson is to be made a subject of consideration by democratic eau GUS of the senate.
 How soon the caucus will be called has not been determined. The fact that the democratic party endorsed the tolls exemption policy at the Baltimore convention a number of senators and President Wilson hold should not be a object of controversy at this time because conditions in volyed in the tolls question have changed since that time. The point to be settled is whether the policy of tolls adopted by the nation through he action of congress should be re. versed regardless of the declaration of the Baltimore platform.
 As a forerunner of the caucus Sen ator Stone of Missouri, who is con fined to his home by illness, has ad dressed some pointed comments or the controversy i'll a letter to Sena tor Kern, as chairman of the senate democratic caucus.
 Referring to the discussion of th, question with reference to the tol plank of the platform as a Joker. Senator Stone called such a sugges ton utterly puerlle" though admit ting that only a small percentage O the members of the convention haC more than an Imperfect knowledge of the subject"
 It does not seem to me-" the Mis souri senator continued, "that here is the least occasion for starting 6 'Tuckus' about this platform deelara tion.
 "The declaration is in the platform as the deliberate act of the national convention. That proposition might as well be taken as settled and there fore it is not joker The trouble is that the time has come when many good men and good democrats think that the policy outlined in the plat form was a mistake and that the ma tion cannot in honor or good faith adhere to it. Manifestly the honor and good faith of the American peo. pie are of greater consequence than a mere dogged adherence to a decla- ration in party platform on a ques- tion of purely public policy. If those who drafted the platform or those who adopted it should be convinced that the nation cannot honorably and in good faith carry out the policy proclaimed in the platform, then those so believing could not well do otherwise than to give a frank dec laration of their purpose to follow a contrary course.
 Moreover, l hold. that in mat ter of this kind if some reason or cause arising since the Baltimore convention should make t advisable and even wise for our government not to insist, at least for the time being on the letter of the Baltimore declaration patriotism and good sense would dictate that we pass consideration of the question of en- forcing the policy proposed in the platform to some future time. That is all there is to it. There is no need of any fuss about the platform, nor any need of cussing" those who made it.
 q voted for the platform and voted for the bill exempting our coastwise vessels from tolls; but if there Is any good reason and I now think there is, why we should re- verse the policy so far followed, at least temporarily and until the whole subject could be again reviewed, am ready to vote to take that course. I would rather do this right out in the open like a man than to go dodg- ing around to hunt some flimsy ex- euse for doing it."
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