The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-04-02
WILSON, INSULTED,
RESENTS EFFORTS
or REACTlONARIES

Washington, March 31.--PreSident
Wilson declared today that on account
Of the contradictory statements In the
Baltimore platform, democrats should
have no hesitation in voting for the re-
peal OF the Panama canal tolls exemp-
ton. -. .
The president emphatically charac-
terized the exemption as a subsidy
and pointed out that n plank In the
Baltimore platform expressed opposi-
ton to any subsidy, direct or indirect.
while another plank declared for tolls
exemption. The president asserted
there should be no doubt among dem
ocIats as to which should take prece-
dence. 49,
The president reiterated that h ex-
emption never was a policy or the
democratic House, because it was
passed through a coalition OF repub-
licans and a minorilyr Of democrats, the
majority Of democrats voting against
1t on the gorund that 1t was a subsidy:
The president explained that even II
the international situation, to which ne
referred in his message, had not arisen,
he would have been opposed to the
tolls exemption as against democratic
doctrine. But, III indicated, however,
that If 1t were not for the international
situation. he did not feel that 1T would
have been proper for him to question
the acts of a previous administration
insuIted. Says Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson talked frankly about the
\ tolls controversy in congress-, saying
that the story he had entered into a
bargain with Great Britain through Sir
William Tyrell. private secretary to
Sir Edward Grey, was one OF a num-
Der Of insults that had been intro
duced in the congressional debate the
president declared he wanted to ex-
press his regret that what had prom
ised to be a dignifed contest with
genuine differences of opinion, seemed
to be degenerating, in his opinion, into
an attempt to discredit the administra-
ton.
He remarked tina while it made all
the more certain the result In favor OF
the administration, he thought 1t q
great pity that public affairs should be
handled in that way. He did not think
all the opponents of the repeal did feel
that way, but such color a been In
teriected in the controversy and he dld
not understand the motives for 1t. He
said he had no anxiety over any POLL
teal friction in the democratic party
over the result and referred to the re-
peal contest as not a capital opera
ton" but just a "convalescence."
F." Mr.. Wilson let 1t be known that he
was unqualifedly opposed to COM
promise or amendments, such as have
been proposed in the Senate. He is
VI a SlA IOpOuA ANAtSN
tion. .....
The Growing Insult.
The White House later authorized
quotation of what the president had
said in answer to the charge to the
effect that the president had made a
deal with Sir William Tyrell, private
secretary to Sir Edward Grey, the
British foreign secretary. The pres1-
dent had been asked II the charge were
frIIa The preSidpnt replied:
"Of course, that answers itself. 1t
Is lust the browning insult of q num-
Der of insults, which have been intro
duced into this debate. This whole
thing reminds me of a story / used to
be fond Of telling, of q very effective
debaterI will not say where this hap
pened-who sent q challenge down into
a county very hostile to him in debate.
The people down there did not like the
Job very much, but they put up the
man they liked best and who Is gener-
ally put up on such occasions, a great
big husky fellow, whom they all called
Tom. The challenger was given the
first hour of the two hours allotted to
the debate, and he had not got more
than half way through his speech when
It became evident that he was con.
vincing the audience, when one OF
Toms partisans in the back Of the room
cried: Tom, Tom. call him a liar and
make II a fight That is the stage this
has reached" -.
The presidents auditors asked him If
he was going to fight. and he smilingly
replied that he did not need to.
Doremus Opens Debate.
Representative Doremus, Of Mich
igan. chairman of the democratic con-
gressional committee, led off the fight
on repeating the Panama tolls eXemp-
ton in the House today. 1t was the
third day of debate on the question.
Expressing regret that he differed
with the president, he declared that
Great Britain had admitted the Amer
lean right to exempt coastwise trade
from tolls.
IF we cannot giant free transit to
our ships through the canal" he said,
2''its BENEFITS will accrue to England
/. and not to ourselves"
He declared that the Carnegie peace
endowment which derives an annual
income of $500, 900 from steel trust
bonds, was most active in rescuing the
national honor by promoting the re-
peal Of the law that Great Britain a
admitted that we had a treaty right to
enact"
Fall Suggests Plan.
Senator Fall. republican, Of New
Mexico. a the controversy a new
aspect by introducing a bill to pro-
vide that no tolls be levied on Ameri-
can coastwise vessels or those belong
tn0 nfo ritizars nf unU country on this