Norwich bulletin., 1914-02-10

W ashlnglon, Feb. 9.-Repeal of the provision of the Panama canal act eS- empting American coastwise ships from tolls, favored by President Will son. is to be made a subject of con- sideratlon and action by d democratic caucus Of the senate. That this would DC wise and necessary course in the interest of party harmony and the ma tons foreign policy is the conclusion or administration senators who have discussed the subject with the presi- dent within the last few days.
 How soon the caucus wifi be called mas not been determined, but several senators today frankly asserted that the democrats would get together to weigh the situation as presented by the president and settle for themselves the whole controversy. The fact that the democratic party endorsed the tolls exemption policy at the Baltimore con Yenuon, these senators and President Wilson hold, should not be a subject of open controversy at this time because conditions involved in the tolls uueS- tion nave changed since that time. The point to be settled is whether the pol icy of tolls adopted by the nation through the action of congress should be reversed regardless Of the declar2- ton in the Baltimore platform.
 Should Not Be Party Question. President Wilson has made it clear to senate and house leaders that he is
 
 reverse itself He has outlined to them the country's situation with respect To foreign relations and his belief that a . reversal of the policy on the tolls question would be the best thing. He Is seeking to convince congress that this is so, but party leaders who have ; talked with him declare that he IS not attempting it in any spirit of ;lntagOn- ism but in & spirit of cooperation for the general welfare.
 nVe I -r. general understanding in congress that the shaping Of the country's foreign - policy IS up to the president and that congress must g.Ve ear to hlm when ever legislation affects that policy. For this reason. the feeling is that the tolls question should not be Q. party cues- tion. ~ Senator Stone of Missouri. who IS confined tu his home by illness, ad- dressed some poignant questions on ! the coutroN ocsy in a letter to Senator Kern as chairman of the senate demo- cratic caucus.
 Baltimore Plank Not "Joker."
 Referring to the discussion of the question with reference to the toll plank of the platform as a joker" Senator Stone called such a suggestion utterly puerile." although admitting that only q small percentage of mem bers of the convention had more than an imperfect knowledge of the sub ject.''
 1 Tt does not seem to me 1he Mis- 1 sOuri senator continued. that there Is | the least occasion for starting 'rump- us' about this platform declaration. [ The declaration is in the platform as ' the deliberate act of the national con- i vention. That proposition might as 1 well be taken as settled. and therefore | 1t is not a joker The trouble is that ! the time has come when many good men and good democrats think that the s,, .I..e : mistake and that the nation cannot in honor or in Sood faith adhere to it. ManifeStly, the honor and good faith { of the American people are of greater ! consequence than a mere logged sd- hefence to d declaration in d party platform on a question of purely public policy. If those who drafted he rIaJ- form or those who adppt d it should he convinced that the uaticn cannot nouoTInl5- and in .ood faith ,arIy uUt the policy proclaimed in taai platform. then those SD believing cnu,d Hol well do otherwise than I' give frank declaration or .n".r purpose to follow i d contrary course.
 striotisnr-Stperior to Platform
 Moreover. ! hold that in a matter or this kind. il some asuu or cause arising since inc Baltimore convention should make it sdvisa hle and even wise for our government not to insist. . vast HUI tiit ti4ttf iF4tlS- Ntf'til Eile letter ot--t he Baltimore convent ion. : then patriotism srd good sense would dictate that we pass the considera tion i of the question of enforcing the policy proposed in the platform to some ftt- rlIre time. That is all there is 1O it There is no need of any fuss about the platform. nor any need of 'cuSsing' . those W ho made il.
 T voted for the platform and I vot- | ed for the bill exempting our coast l wise vessels from tolls, but if there Is any good reason. and I now think | there is. why we should reverse the 1 policy so far followed. al least ten- porarily. and until the whole subject | could be again reviewed, I am ready to vote to take that course. I would rather do this right out in the open 1 like q man than tn go tiodEing around to hunt some dimsy excuse for dcine ] it"