The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-03-06
UNFOLDING THE
NATIONAL HONOR

President Wilson personally ap-
pealed to Congress, assembled in
Joint session yesterday, to sustain the
national honor Of the United States
in upholding treaty obligations by
repeating the Panama tolls exemp-
ton against which Great Britain pro-
tests. He asked Congress to do this
in support Of the foreign policy of
the administration, and added that
an exemption for American ships not
only was "a mistaken economic poll
icy but was in contravention of the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
Il shall not know how TO deal
with other matters of even greater
delicacy and nearer consequence if
you do not grant it to me in I'M
grudging measure" said the presi-
dent.
President Wilson's address, the
shortest he has yet delivered to Con-
gress-exactly 420 words-was as
follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress: l
have come to you upon an errand
which can be very briefly perform
ed, but | beg that you will not meas
ure its Importance by the number
of sentences in which | state it, No
communication | have addressed to
Congress carried with it graver or
more far-reaching implications to the
interest of the country, and | come
now to speak upon a matter with re-
gard to which / am charged in a pc
culiar degree by the constitution it
self with personal responsibility.
Il have come to ask for the repeal
of that provision of the Panama
canal act of August 26, 1912. which
exempts vessels engaged in the
cOastwise trade of the United States
from payment Of tolls and to urge
upon you the justice, the wisdom
and the large policy of such a repeal
with the utmost earnestness of
which | am capable
In my own judgment very fully
considered and naturally formed,
that exemption constituted mistak-
en- economic policy from every point
of view, and is, moreover, in plain
contravention of treaty with Great
Britain concerning the canal, con-
Guided on November Is, 1901. But
/ have not come to you to urge my
personal views. l have come to
state to you fact and a situation.
Whatever may be our own differ
ences of opinion concerning this
much debated measure, its meaning
is not debated outside the United
States. Everywhere the language of
the treaty is given but one inter
probation and that Interpretation
precludes any exemption | am ask
ing you to repeal. We consented to
the treaty; its language we accepted.
if we did not originate it; and we
are too big, too powerful, too self
respecting a nation to interpret with
too strained or refined a reading of
because We have power enough to
give us leave to read them as We
please. The large thing to do is the
only thing we can afford to do, vol
untary withdrawal from a position
everywhere questioned and misun-
! derstood. We ought to reverse our
action without raising the question
| whether we were right or wrong and
| SO once more deserve our reputation
for generosity and the redemption
of every obligation without bubble
| or hesitation.
Il ask this of you in support of
! the foreign policy of the administra-
ton. I shall not know how to deal
with other matters of even greater
/ delicacy and nearer consequence If
you do not grant it to me in I'M
grudging measure.
| The Panama tolls question has
|