The daily sentinel., 1914-03-30
WILSON SETS
OUT REASONS
FOR T0LLLAW
Scores Men Who
Would Discredit
Administration
Associated Press.


Washington, d. c.. March 3O.--
The President declared today that on
account OF the contradictory state
ments of the Baltimore platform that
Democrats shauld have no hesitation
in voting for the repeal OF tolls eN-
emption. He characterized the eX-
emption as n subsidy and pointed out
that one plank In the platform eV-
pressed opposition To any subsidy.
direct or Indirect. while another
plank declared for tolls exemption.
The President asserted there should
he no doubt among Democrats as t.
which should take precedence. He
reiterated that exemption was never
a Democratic policy: that 1t was
passed through q coalition Of Repub-
licans and minority Democrats. !
majority of the Democrats voting
against it on the ground that it was
"A subsidy.
The President said that even If the
International situation TO which he
referred had not arisen he would OPP
pose exemption as against the Dem
ocratic doctrine. but indicated that Ii
IL had not been for the international
situation he would not feel that it
would have been proper for him to
question the acts of the previous ad-
ministration.
The President talked frankly about
the tolls controversy, saying that the
story that he had entered into bar
gain with Great Britain, through Sir
William Tyrell, was one of the in
suits that had been introduced in con-
gressional debate. He expressed re-
gret that what promised to be dig
nified contest with genuine differ
ences of ipinion seemed to be degen-
Grating in his opinion, into an at
tempt to discredit the administration
He remarked that while 1t made more
certain the result would be in favor
OF the administration, he thought II
pity that public Affairs should he
handled thai way. He let u pc known
thst he opposed any compromise or
amendments.
Doremus OF Michigan opened to-
days toll debate in the house. He op-
posed the repeal. lie expressed re-
gret that he differed with the Presi-
dent. but declared that England had
admitted the American right to eX-
empt coastwise trade from tolls.
"1f we can't grant free transit to
our ships through the Panama canal
it's benefits viii accure TO England,
not ourselves" said Doremus.
He declared that the Carnegie
peace endowment. which he said had
derived an annual income OF 5000
600 from steel trust bonds. was the
most active in rescuing the national
honor by promoting the repeal of a
law that Great Britain had admitted
he had perfect right to enact.
From his invalid chair Representa-
tive Engle Democrat vigorously op-
posed the repeal
Senator Fall gave the controversy
"A new aspect by introducing a bill to
forbid that tolls be levied on Ameri-
can vessels or those belonging 10
citizens of any country on this conti-
nent and engaged solely in trade be-
tween ports of North and South
America" He contended ii would
work out to a logical conclusion OF
the policies as originally contemplate
ed in the Monroe Doctrine.
Senator Lewis (DemocraD urged
the resolution to give the President
the discretion to suspend the tolls.
Senator Owen. one OF the admins
tration supporters, expressed the
opinion that two weeks Will be all
that she senate will require for de-
bate of tolls exemption.
Senator Kern, Democratic leader,
told the President that while the de-
/ bate would be longer than at first
expected, the question would be dis
posed of without delay.
Lewis pictured the foreign rela-
tions of the United States asserting
! that conditions We're such that II this
government should intervene in Mex
I leo. Japan would at once seize the
! Philippine Islands and Hawaii. and
| that Russia. srieved over the sympa-
thy of the United States with Japan
\ in the Russian-Japanese war. would
( seize Alaska; that the Panama ca
nal could not be finished; that the
army and navy would be divided in
defending the nation against its enc
mics, and even England would not be
( sym pathetic in such a dilemma.