Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-01

that it is with genuine sorrow that I
cannot see as they do. 1 entertain
genuine affection for the members of
this House. Some of them have said
things about me which they will re-
greet when the fever cools down, but /
pass them by.
81 have no word of criticism for my
Democratic friends who are going to vote
for the repeal. We have worked togeth-
err too long; we have fought shoulder to
shoulder, heart to heart. too often; we
have mourned together in defeat for Is
years, but never were disheartened; We
have rejoiced together in our victories
during the last four years and 1 hope we
will have, cause to rejoice in many more
Owners Of Canal
ITO whom does the Panama canal be-
long, anyway? To the United States of
America. We built 1t at the enormous
cost of $400, 1900. We built it on Ameri-
can soil. We have fortified 1t; We will
control it, In order to get chance to
build 1t we created a republic. For whose
benefit did we build II? Primarily for
our own; secondarily for the worlds BEN
eft. Why did we build it? in order to
secure cheaper water freight rates
WHO fought the building of the canal
for 10 long, wearisome years? The trans
continental railroads
WHO would be the chief beneficiaries
of this repeal bill? The same trans-con-
tinental railroads.&c. Canadian Pacific
and the Tehuantepec National Railway
heading the list. 1t would be many mil
lions of dollars in their capacious pockets
annually. To do a thing to enable them
to hold up their old rates is altruistic
generosity run mad and an outrage on
the American people. l refuse to en-
dorse any such pregnant
Mr.. Clark said that when Woodrow
Wilson was elected governor of New Jer-
sey he declared that he had been elected
governor of the people of that state, and
that when he was elected President he
declared that he had become leader of
the United States.
Presidents Limitations
I'm both declarations he was correct"
the Speaker continued, but even leader
ship has it's limitations. I am willing to
follow where he leads SO long as he is
in the White House and so long as he
declaration" ssss THE declaration in
favor of free tolls for our coastwise trade
was writ large in the Baltimore plat
form It is in these words:
1--WE favor the exemption from toll Of
American ships engaged in coastwise
trade passing through the canal.
1--WE also favor legislation forbidding
the use Of the Panama canal by ships
owned or controlled by railroad carriers
engaged In transportation competitive
with the canal
THE proponents Of the repeal at first
with far more zeal than discretion as
serted that that plank was inserted in the
platform surreptitiously and without any
consideration. The truth is the tolls
plank was introduced in the usual way
and was fully discussed-not only dis
cussed, but amended and agreed to in its
amended form by the full committee and
then by the whole convention
Issue with President
Mr.. Clark said the Democrats, head
ed by President Wilson, went to the
people on the platform containing the
free tolls plank and they enabled us
to sweep the country from sea to sea
by amazing majorities in the Electoral
College"
And now" he continued, at is pro-
posed that we reward their faith in us
and their support of us by repudia ting
one of the planks of that platform on
which we achieved that astounding
victory, plank so clear there is no
misunderstanding about it. no possible
misconstruetion of it. l refuse abso-
lutely to be party to any such per-
Torrance. Tell it not in Gath; proclaim
il not in the streets of Ascalon that
the Democratic party will not keep
faith with a confiding public.
I'VE most earnestly desire peace
with all nations; We will buy peace
from none. In the memorable words
of the immortal Pinckney: Millions
for defence, but not one cent for trib-
ute
Wilson Request "Amazins'
The amazing request of the Presi-
dent for the repeal. like the peace of
God, passeth all understanding. II he
has any reasons which are not utterly
untenable and which impelled him to
make the request, he has not vouch-
safed them to us as a body or, so far
as l am informed, to any member of
the House. If he has adequate rea-
sons and did not deem it prudent to
make them known to the world at
large he could have communicated
them to us in secret session. With all
due Difference to the President IL seems
to me that We are entitled to those
reasons before boiling a Democratic
platform which is generally consider
ed an indefensible. an extra-hazard
performance frequently fatal in its re-
suits.
Mistaken Policy?
In his message one reason assigned
by the President was in these words:
That exemption constitutes mis-
taken economic policy from either
point of view.
If it is a mistaken economic policy
now, was it not "a mistaken economic
policy during the campaign of 1912
when we all under the lead of the
President himself, Endorsed it as part
of the Democratic creed on which we
appealed for votes? If so. why did the
President indorse it then? 1t cannot be
that proposition which was good be-
fore the election can be so awfully