Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-03
SOUTH FIRM FOR
FREE PASSAGE
Of ANAL
Section Opposes Surrender to
Pro-British Construction Under
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty.
gy JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES.

BY JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES.
WASHINGTON, March 3.-i'Tee
tolls for American domestic vessels
through Panama reciprocity in tar
IFS. the per cent preferential on
American carried goods and The
American merchant marine have each
an interlocking directorate Of splen-
did Americanism that binds them to-
gether In a genuine patriotic bond.
The American idea pulses through
them al Sooner or later each of
them must triumph in common sense
and in legislation. They carry inscp-
arably the best hope ~ American
commerce and trade The lines that
lead to these four measures are de-
hning a distinct demarcation in Amer
ication politics.
They work for the first time in
many years a definite and apparently
durable difference between the South
and the Democratic Administration.
No voice since the Civil War can find
aught 70 say against the Democratic
loyalty or the catholic patriotism OF
the South. The Spanish American
War attested in numbers and in the
magnificent quality of its officers and
soldiers ita prompt and effective de-
Votion to the restored Union,
Leaders TO swing Nlapamds
The South, which has always been
most prolific Of sentiment and keenest
in its response to any question of per
sonal or national honor, is putting its
splendid personality behind the Amer
lean idea in this international ques-
ton over the Panama tolls.
Underwood, the Democratic leader,
and Hohson, the sailor statesman, will
swing Alghafna into line,
Kitchin, the brilliant North Caro-
Imam. soon to lead the Democratic
Congress, will answer for North Caro-
lima. Senator Smith, the Harry Hot
spur of industrial South Carolina, will
speak for the Palmetto State. Wyatt
Aiken will be with him. Frank CLARK
and Sparkman say that Florida will
be solid for American rights in the
canal.
Mississippi, the land of cotton, Is in
line. Broussard and his Louisianans
will stand with Governor Hall ana
Senators Ramsdell and Thornton for
American shipping. Arkansas follows
blindly the Presidents lead, but Okla
homa and Tennessee will split the Ad-
ministrative line. and Texas is waver-
ing now from the Administration lead
ership of Henry and Garner.
oOuLn TNCtdSCS ~ ShibblSs
1t is not likely that the South
would bubble in a matter of national
honor. The sense of any real aud
honorable obligation would appeal
swiftly to the minds Of this grand and
sensitive people But the South. join
ing the majority sentiment, including
its own, sees that the honor and the
patriotism as well az all the national
interests in this matter, rest with the
American position.
Ii sees that the spirit and the con-
text of the Hay -PaunCefote treaty.
which is two-thirds of the law of con
structfon, make plain that the Ameri-
can parties had in view in the de-
struttion Of the Clayton RulweT treaty
the fixed idea Of making new treaty
which would eliminate the obstructive
equality of England and establish
American rights and American adj
vantage in its own canal, built by us
own money and on its own soil.
II sees that the whole surrounding
circumstance proves that this was the
common sense necessity of the Amer
lean position. 1t sees that IL was also
logically and naturally what was N
Tho minds of those Americans who
made the treaty And SO, even if the
words may admit a double construc-
ton. the spirit and the context are
clear. and if there are both an Ameri-
can and English construction 1t sees
no reason why the American majority
sentiment should make haste to lame
IL surrender to the minority pro- Brit
ish construction.
Business interests Vital.
The South believes this, and De
lieves that If the building Of the canal
had been put TO a popular vote, wish
the idea that this English construc-
ton would triumph. the American
people would never have voted the
money to build it. The South believes,
too. that under the rules Of internal
tional law the radical and revolution
airy change of conditions with one OF
the contracting partles-the Gnlted
States clearly makes the treaty void
able, even If the English construction
were better founded,
And the South has supreme ma
terial reason in the fact that as the
nearest and most growing of the sec
tious OF the industrial republics with
nAvigable rivers and an enormou5
coast line. its commercial and bust
ness interests are nightly involved
with it's cotton and other products n
the increase of domestic vessels OF
carriage ana in facilities Of transpor-
tatlon. lust as the great Middle West
is deeply concerned in this ocean com
petition which will compel for cheap
or rates OF freight from the trans
continental lines The fear Of Eng
Hsn battleships is abating, and with
this apprehension out Of the way
there can be no sound American ar
gument IN honor or IN interest for the
surrender Of Americas advantages.
with the solid South practically
behind free tolls for American ships,
ma Democratic patty will have TO 50
elsewhere for votes TO indorse its pro-
posed official policy of compromise or
surrender