The Washington herald., 1914-05-21
:
KENYON Lines UP
FOR REPEAL BILL
Iowa Senator Repudiates His
Former Vote on Tolls
Question.
BACKS THE PRESIDENT
Advocates of me Measure Now Claim
They Have at Least Twelve
Majority.
BACKS THE PRESIDENT

= -
The advocates of repeal Of the tons
exemptionS law received another. recruit
yesterday Senator Kenyon of Iowa
PROGRESSIVE Republican, announced thai
| he would vote for repeal The Senator
has been classed as f'eoubtful.'' His
colleague. Mr.. cumins. is opposed to re-
peal
Following closely upon the announce
menf that Senator Ashurst, of Arizona,
heretofore outspeken against repeal.
would vote with the Presidents Demo
cratic supporters, the declaration of Mr..
kenyon gave the advocates of the re-
psal bin unusual gratihcation. The
speech of Senator Kenyon and e speech
~ Senator Hollis. of New Hampshire,
Democrat. in favor Of repeal was the
pnncipaf developments in the canal tolls
)bttuation In the Senate yesterday.
Claim Twelve Majority.
The friends of the repeal bill now claim
at least twelve majority and say this
VIII be increased before the vote is
taken. Senator Kern, leader of the ma
nesday. May q. be fixed as the date
for taking the final vote on the bill and
that ali debate be closed on that day.
Objection was made by Senator McCum-
ber.
Senator Kern gave notice that he would
renew his request daily for q definite date
for the vote until he got the consent of
the Senate. He aiso intimated that daily
sessions beginning at Ii o'clock instead
of noon would be imposed and even night
sessions after this week. He feels GER
fatr that with sHch restrictions put upon
the debate it can be brought to a close
next week
Senator Kenyon in his speech yester-
day rsviewed the arguments which have
against repeal of the exemption clause.
He said:
IF this case was one presented to a
court of number OF members there
would most certainly be q disagreement
among the court The best legal mind
in the country have differed, honestly
differed: men in this chamber differ;
honestly differ. Were compelled, in de-
fermfning how my vote shall be cast to
determine it upon the treaty question,
should resolve the doubt might have in
: favor Of Whist may be termed the 'Ameri-
can construction the great weight Of
the argument Is on that side The bur-
den Of proof Is on Great Britain to make
clear case. The very fact that this 10
debatable question, however, il seems
to me, calls upon US to submit II to arbi-
tration- II We believe in the principle OF
arbitration We are now put to the test
OF universal peace in no surer way than
to submit this question to a commission
of arbitration. which need not be of The
Hagne, but may be a commission com.
posed OF justice of our Supreme Court
and of the High Court of England. No
one ought to object to such a course and
4 have been rather amazed that there
Is objection TO it,
Calls Former Vote wrour.
Senator Kenyon said that his former
vote for the exemption of coastwise ships
from the payment of tolls was wrong.
Call this what We WILL" said he, "it is
the voting of a special privilege to those
engaged in certain line of business,
namely, the coastwise shipping. who now
enjoy monopoly in that business under
'ur law. in that foreign nations cannot
engage therein.
IF no amendments were offered what
ever to the bill, I should vote for It,
placing in the Record as 1 now do the
statement that my vote is cast solely on
the economic question, that reserve the
right to meet the treaty question when II
may properly arise"
Senator Kenyon said that If a pariis-
nentary situation arose whereby his vote
Tor the bill must be construed as a vote
Tor the English theory OF the construc-
tion of the treaty. he would vote against
the measure
think 1t unfortunate" he said, that
the Presidsnt in his message made his
strongest point in asking for repeal that
the present law was a violation Of the
treaty. II he had placed II squarely ON
the economic ground l believe II would
nave passed Overwhelmingly"