Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-03-05
WILSON READS
MESSAGE TODAY
President Urges Repeal of
Toll Exemptions of
Panama Canal.
He MUST TAKE BLAME.
President in Message Reverses Bal
timore Platform and His Own Po-
sition on Question.

Washington, March 5.-Reversing
the Baltimore platform and his own
previous position on the question OF
free canal tolls. and asking Congress
to do likewise. President Wilson
appeared before the House and Sen
ate in joint convention shortly af-
ter noon today and read his special
message on tolls, in which he urged
repeal of the exemption provision.
The President was forced to read
to Congress a special message, be-
cause leading Democrats in Con-
CESS refused to take the response
bility for fight to make their
party colleagues face about on the
tolls question and go back on a
prominent plank in the platform.
The Presidents message was as
follows.
Gentlemen of the Congress:
| have come 10 you upon an crrand
which can be very briefly performe2,
but | beg that you will not measure
its Importance by the number of SEN
tences in which | state it. No COM
| have addressed to the
Congress carries with it graver Or
more far-reaching Implications to the
interest of the country, and | come
now to speak upon a matter with re-
gard to which ] am charged in a pc
caliar desree. by the Constitution IL
self. with personal responsibility.
! have come to ask for the repeal
Of that provision Of the Panama ca
nal act of August "a, 1912, which ex-
empts vessels engaged in the coast
wise traIe of the United States from
pavment of tolls. and to urge upon
YOU the justice, the wisdom, and the
large policy Of such a repeal with the
utmost earnestness of which am
capable.
In my own judgment, very fu'ly
considered and naturely formed, that
exemption constitutes a mistaken
economic policy from every point o1
view. and is. moreover, in PLAIN
contravention Of the treaty with
Great Britain concerning the canal
on November IS, 1901
put.T have not come to you to urge
r,,, norsonal views. ! have come TO
.+.+c 10 YOU fact and situation.
vrb,tever nav be our own diiferen-
oos of oninion concerning this much
,oh.+ed measure. its meaning is not
Joh,+ed outside the United States.
else the language OF the
treaty is given but one inteFpre'"
ZION and that Interpretation pre-
cl,,des the exemption I am asking
Won TO repeal. We consented TO 'ne
.naatv. its language we accepted II
-, did rot originate it; and we af'
Zoo b;o too powerful, too sen1re-
snont;rq nation to interpret with
.ao strained or refined a reading Ihe
words Of our own promises just De-
c,use we have power enough to give
ne leave to read them as we pieahe'
The large thing to do is the o"ls
thing we can afford to do' 'o'""
tarv withdrawal from a position ev-
orywbere questioned and misunder-
food We ought TO reverse our ac
tion without raising the question
whether we were right or wrong
and so once more deserve our repu-
alton for gnerosity and the redemp
ton of every obligation without
bubble or hesitation.
I ask this of you in support of the
foreign policy OF the administration.
I shall not know how to deal with
ether matters of even greater deli
cacv and nearer consequnce if you
do not grant it to plei'in unerudg-
ing measure.
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