Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-31
SAYS PLATFORM
HITS FREE TOLL
President Claims His Plan
Is in Harmony With the
Party's Program
CONSTITUTES MERE
SUBSIDY FOR SHIPS
Points Out Plank Decrying
Such Subservience to q
Shipping Interest

Washington, D. c., March 3o.--Presi-
dent Wilson declared today that on ac-
count of the contradictory statements
| in the Baltimore platform, democrats
should have no hesitation in voting for
the repeal of the Panama canal tolls
exemption.
The president emphatically char
acterized the exemption as a subsidy
and pointed out that one plank in the
Baltimore platform expressed oppOsi-
tior to any subsidy, direct or indirect,
while another plank declared for tolls
exemption. The president asserted
there should be no doubt among demo
Gratis as to what should take prece-
dence.
The president reiterated that the ex-
emption never was policy of the
democratic house because it was
passed through coalition of repub-
lacans and minority Of democrats.
the majority of democrats voting
against it on the ground that it was a
subsidy
The president explained that even if
the international situation, to which
he referred in his message, had not
arisen, he would have been opposed
to the tolls exemption as against demo-
cratic doctrine. But he indicated,
how ever, that if it were not for the in
ternational situation he did not feel
that it would have been proper for
him to question the acts of previous
administration Mr.. Wilson talked
freely about the tolls controversy in
congress, saying that the story that
he had entered into bargain With
Great Britain through Sir William
Tyrell, private secretary to Sir Edward
Grey, was one OF a number Of insults
that has been introduced in con-
gressional debate.
Expresses Regrets.
The president declared he wanted
to express his regret that what had
promised to be dignif1ed contest with
genuine differences of opinion, seemed
to be degeneratlng. in his opinion. into
an attempt to discredit the administra-
ton. He remarked that while it made
all the more certain the result in favor
of the adm'nis'ra t;on, he thought It a
great pity Il 1t ~ lie affairs should be
handled in that way. He did not think
all the opponents of the repeal felt that
way, but such color had been interjcct-
ed into the controversy and he did not
understand the motives for it. The
president said he had no anxiety over
any political friction in the democratic
party over the result and referred to
the repeal contest as not "capital
opera tion" but just "convalescence."
MIR. Wilson let it be known that he
was unqualifieGly opposed to any COM
promise or amendments such as have
been proposed in the senate. He Is
for straight repeal without equivo-
cation. a
Denial From Grey.
London March S0.-Sir Edward
Grey, British foreign secretary in the
house of commons today denied the
published allegations that the action OF
President Wilson in regard to the
question of Panama canal tolls was the
result of an understanding between
tho governments Of the United States
and Great Britain.
1T has been g asserted he said, that
under the terms of the understanding
Great Britain has undertaken to as
sist President Wilson's policy in re-
gard to Mexico. There Is no foundation
whatever for these reports and I am
glad to be able to take as early an .op-
portunity as POSSIBLE for saying So"