Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-02
INSULT OF INSULTS,
Says PRESIDENT
Regrets That Dignified Contest
over Principles Is Degraded
into Personal Attack.

was completely absorbed in the contro-
versy. verbal artillery laundering
throughout the day in both Houses and
Senate.
While opposing forces were clashng
in oratorical flights at the capitol, Pres
ident Wilson took occasion to discuss the
all-engrossing situation with callers. ex-
pressing keen regret that what had prom
Used to be dignifled contest over prin-
clples had degenerated into fight upon
the administration. While on tho subject.
President Wilson characterized as "a
browning insult of a number of insults
in the debate, the declaration of Repre-
sentative Knowland of California that
the administration had made a deal to
repeal the toll exemption with Sir Will
liam Terrell secretary to Sir Edward
Grey, British secretary for foreign affairs.
Discussion of the issue in the Senate to-
day was enivened by Senator James
Hamilton Lewis Of Illinois, who pleaded
for the Presidents cause, urging, how
ever, a compromise, giving the President
authority to suspend tolls. Thus he pro-
posed to find "some intermediate channel
between what appears to be Scylla upon
the one side and Charybdis on the other
and to prevent the party craft from strlk-
/ ing upon either promontory. either to be
wounded or disrupted
Senator Lewis aroused mingled aston
| ishment and curiosity among his COL
| leagues by discussing the foreign relations
OF the United States and explaining what
he thought the President might have re-
| ferred to In his message on the tolls Issue
asking Congress to grant the repeal. He
drew vivid picture of dire things that
would happen should the United States
intervene In Mexico.
DEFENDS PRESIDENT.
Referring to the Presidents failure to
specify what foreign relations prompted
him to appeal for toll exemption repeal.
the senator did not hesitate TO give what
| ! feel may have been his reasons. He
then entered upon a recital of acts OF
aggression on the part OF the United
States, beginning with the taking Of the
Philippines.
You entered in the Philippines into a
system of colonial government" said the
senator, and gentlemen who cry Eng;
land from the other side of this cham
Der will not overlook that it was the
influence Of those who controlled in Eng
land. by which this nation was delivered
into the colonial policy of an English
form of government.
What happened? Hardly had yor
come into office, scarcely were you seat
ed until you met the problem. The CRY
was You have now come into our coun
try; we are Japan; we are China. 70,
have broken the bars that heretofor,
r..
Orient and brought your people, and W,
desire that our people shall now COM
into yours We cannot consent to that
PARALYSIS has set upon us to tn,
negotiations Of the treaty with Japan re
specting exclusion and hesitant indeed, /.
the movement respecting the matter O
immigration"
Taking up the Mexican situation and re
, viewing the operations of the United
States in other lands and the interests II
! Mexico of England France, Japan. anC
, other nations, Senator Lewis dramaticall,
l declared:
JAPAN WOULD SEIZE ISLANDS.
1.-THE very first moment we move dow
=, into Mexico with view Of executing tn
. Monroe doctrine against these foreign ma
-
there upon the theory that we no longe
had a right to execute the doctrine be
cause of our past folly. Japan woul
promptly seize the Philippine islands. Sh
would then seize Hawaii and then. in sucl
conditlons-our armies in Mexico. tn
y canal not finished, no way to have
I joinder of our navy-in what condition
would our country be?
Russia, with her grievances, sh
i who sent aid to the Union at a tim
when 1t was threatened in discord an
disunion, feels that because of Eng
lish influence the administration Il
power the last ten years lent its al
u TO Japan against her. Russia remem
J." berinG this wrong, now in an often
d, sive and defensive alliance Of life an
death with Japan, would not lose he
opportunity, Russia. with her griev
!, ance now so great that she has n
. treaty with the United States of eithe
companionship or amity, would prompt
" ~ aid in Selling Alaska. and the mort
near her.
n SITUATION. WOULD BE SAD.
Our navy divided would sail to tn
frigid sea against the enemy and {
the south to protect the Philippin
islands. The army would be divided
part in Mexico and the other par
o moving to our possessions to protec
/ them. England. feeling under thos
= conditions no friendliness to us, w
o would not seek her alliance on tn
II northern border without friendship
and South America, already imbue
with feeling that when under tn
administration of President Roosevelt
we performed Caesarian operatio
upon Colombia and excised from he
the government of Panama, only wait
that II may duplicate the performanc
- upon one equally defenseless on tn
south near the canal; furnishing sup
j. plies to the enemy and supporting tn
assault In what a splendid conditio
Q we would stand! Sad, indeed, It Is I
D. contemplate"
: Senator Lewis appealed to Congress
trust the President hoping that we ma
= return to the doctrine OF a true party"
y again to-day in the House crowde
= floor and galleries thronged to poir
which broke all records for attendance
-, listened to the arguments on the issu
-, The President was attacked and d.
-, Tended by vigorous orators. The foreig
policy OF the administration was deride
and commended. The economic policy
granting American vessels free tolls wa
y alternately supported and condemned.
Is Attacks on the President brought Re,
| tatiN lsh nf Nay I,