The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-13
REPEAL QUESTION
IS ONE OF MORALS
Bryan Wants This Country to
Have Clean Slate Be
fore World
PLATFORM NOT VIOLATED
He Dccries Present Appeal TO
Prejudice Rather Than
Reason

Washington April 12. secretary
Bryan. i'm a statement made public TO-
day. lcngthily reviews the Panama tolls
question. and in the course Of tn"
statements declares that the repeal
OF the tols exemption in the Fauami,
canal act Cannot be construed To lie
q construction OF the Hay -HauuCcfotc
treaty but is simply refusal on
tho part of the United states t. raise
that question I'm that way"
Mr. Bryan discusses various features
of til" subject-the limiting of debate
in the lIousa Of Representatives., the
repeal on tic treaty.
"AppcnI To Prciudicc."
Claiming that the opponents of tho
repeal had seized upon the charge that
the President was "surreuderiug To
England" Mr. Bryan declared that the
opposition TO the repeal had attempted
10 appeal ''to prejudice rather than TO
reason"
What has Great britain done" he
asked. to justify the accusation that
she is trying 10 dictate to this coun-
Try. She has simply called attention
TO the terms of the treaty. and asked
for arbitration or the question OF con
struction, in case this government diff
fcrs from the british government in
the construction to be placed upon the
language. The very men VINO are so
insistcnt upon constituting the treaty
to permit free tolls. delayed for months
the ratification Of the treaty with
Great Britain because of their opposi-
tion to any arbitration Of the subject.
IN other words. they construed the
treaty 10 permit discrimination and
then objected to allowing any intcrna-
tonai court To express an opinion on
the subject. IL, as matter of fact.
tie treaty grants the rights which
Great Britain claims. is il surren-
der To Great Britain for our nation
TO repeal a law that raised that uues-
ton? The repeal of the law cannot be
construed to be a construction of the
treaty III is simply refusal on the
part of the United States To raise that
question i'll that way. in the contro-
vcrsy over the Wclland Canal. Canada
withdrew Il discrimination which she
had made in favor of Canadian ships.
in order that no cause for friction
with the United States authorities in
regard TO the matter should exist
Attitude Not Strange.
why cannot the United States with
draw discrimination for the same rca-
son? When the treaty involved was
before the Senate for ratification an
attempt was made to so amend II as
TO permit a discrimination in favor OF
CoaStwisc vessels. but 1t was voted
down by a decided majority with this
record to support them, is 1t strange
that foreign nations question our
right to make an exception In favor
Of American vcsscls?'
Discussing the Presidents right to
expect the support of Congress when
hc deals with international questions.
Secretary Bryan adds:
The chief executive speaks for the
nation in international affairs ana il
is only fair to assume that he speaks
adviscdly when he declares that inter-
course with other nations is seriously
lie seeks 10 repeal.
we occupy to-day n proud position
among The nations, we are the fore
most advocate of peace and arbitra-
ton: we are becoming more ana more
n moral factor throughout the world
Can We afford to surrender this posi-
ton? can we afford to bclittlr tho
great enterprise which has reached lis
contamination at the ISthnuS? II our
nation desires to be measured by in
teilectual and ethical standards. how
unworthy 10 brag OF our strength and
to threaten TO use that strength We
are ready 10 fight does NOT arouse thr
enthusiasm now that it did a few cen
turics ago. Brute force is not the level
upon which this nation settles It's con-
trovcrsies 'o-day The question is not
what We can do. but what we ought
TO do. The path of history is strcwn
with the wreck of nations that boastcd
that they wcr" all-powcrful This
question must he decided on moral
principles. and not by the counting OF
our regiments and battlcships What
shall ii profit nation il il conpuers
tho whole world and loses its faith in
the doctrine that righteousness cxalt-
eth a nation"
Two I'Ianks in Platform.
Mr.. bryan was Il member Of the reso-
lutionS committee of the Baltimore
Convention. ana his observations on the
platform constitute his first utterance
on the subject. Mr. Bryan argues that
there are two planks In tho Baltimore
platform, pertinent to the. discussion
one Of which declares the belief OF the
Democratic party in tho encourage
mcnt OF the merchant marine but
states that IL should be developed
without imposing additional burdens
upon the people. and without bounty or
subsidies from the public trcaaurics,"
and Il second plank declaring I'm favor
OF tho exemption from tolls Of Amcri-
can coastwisc ships. Mr.. Bryan de-
claroa that the opposition to bountics
is a doctrine FOR which the Demo
cratic party has stood from time imme-
mortal" lie refers to the exemption
plank as u little plank" and to the
pronounccment on bcuntics and subsi-
dies rs the larger plank" and says:
what Opiatc does the little plank
contain that IL can make those who uc-
cept Il obliEious of the larger plank?
Continual On Second povaN