Evening journal., 1914-05-26
BROCKsON,s POSITION.

VAT not in sympathy with Representative Brock
W son, Of Delaware. He is Democrat and
stands for political principles which, view them.
are harmful to the country. In opinion however,
he is deserving Of fair criticism and it has been our
policy to accord 1t to him and when we thought he
deserved IT, to commend him for his public acts and
utterances.
The above is said. because we wish to call atten-
tion to an editorial ia the Sunday Star in which Mr.
Brockson is criticized for his attitude upon the mat
ter Of the exemption from the payment Of toll of
American coastwse ships which pass through the
Panama canal That editorial is as follows
SO far as representative Delawareans concerned
Congressman Brockson seems to be rather lonesome
IN MS advocacy of free tolls for coastwse vessels
through the Panama Canal. He appears to be the
only man Of prominence in the state who is on the
wrong side OF the fence in this matter. All OF the
delegates from Delaware to the Baltimore convention
express themselves strongly in favor Of the repeal of
the exemption act These delegates are Harlan NJ
Joseph LeWes; T. Bayard Heisel, Delaware City;
Francis de II. Janyier, New Castle; william J. Glib
bons, Wilmington; Dr. r. Y Watson, Milford, and Rob
ert Y Wallen, Clayton No one could expect Mr. Brock
son to 80 counter to his sincere convictions on this
question, or on any other but the puzzle is how
ne came by such convictions. Some time ago he prom
sed that he was going to explain that riddle but II he
has done so It has escaped attention Perhaps he
VIII get round to 1t before his term expires.
TO begin with. only of the men mentioned by
the Star was delegate to the Baltimore convention
The Delaware delegates we're willard Salisbury and
T. Bayard Heisel, Of New Castle county; Reynolds
Clough and Alfred Raughey of Kent county and VIII
liam II. Stevens and Andrew j. Lynch of Sussex coun-
y. The Star perhaps, got hold Of the wrong list of
delegates. Those six men from Delaware voted for
Woodrow Wilson for Presidential nominee They also
voted for the Baltimore platform as a solemn and
binding declaration of Democratic policies and pur-
poses One plank in that platform was as follows:
I'VE favor the exemption from toll of American
ships engaged in coastwse trade passing through the
canal"
Quite apart from the merits of the toll exemption
controversy Representative Brockson stands sauarely
upon that unequvocal declaration made in Baltimore
and which constituted integral and an important
part Of the platform upon which he and was
elected.
President Wilson and many Democratic members Of
Congress have repudiated that plank and pledge
Representative Brockson has refused to do SO
Wheeler right wrong from ethical and an equta-
bic point OF view, he has on the Baltimore Mat
form while President Wilson and others have deserted
it and repudated It, The convictions of Mr. Brock
son upon the toll exemption question ara the convic-
tions which ruled the Democratic National Convention
We fail to see that any explanation is due from him.
II seems to that the explanation should come from
those Democrats who have repudated the declaration
of their party We not saying that that decara-
ton was right or that It wrong. We do say how
ever that be il right wrong no Democrat can saw
that Representative Brockson is wrong today without
automatically admitting that the Democratic National
Convention was wrong in 1912 and that Democratic
hndsigh is possessed Of infinitely greater value than
Democratic foresight
Those who have repudia'ed that plank may advance
in attempted justification the well-lnown and long
established opposition of the Democratic party to ship
subsidies and also to the declaration against them that
is contained in that platform They also may.
seek refuge in the plea that is better to repudate
something that is wrong, though has sol
emny declared as party conviction, than to adhere
to it in the face OF more ature thought
The adoption OF such methods Of escape only serve
to emphasize the thoughtessness with which Demo-
cratic promises made for the sake OF political ex
pediency and the reckessness with which they are
broken when Democratic hindsight supplants Demo-
cratic foresight in shaping the governmental policies
and the practices Of the party.