Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1914-04-11
OPEN SESSIONS
COMMITTEE SAYS
ON T0LLSQ UEST|ON
MEASURE WILL BE
RUSHED RAPIDLY

North Dakota, Defe nds the Presi.
dents Stand in Great Speech and
Asks Votes of the "Risht Think.
Observation-Disclosures Confident.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April T.
Publicity for the deliberations on the
bill to repeal tolls exemption for
American ships passing through the
Panama canal has been determined
upon by the senate committee on in
teroceanic canals, which today began
consideration Of the controversy
Whether hearings are to be held has
not been decided, but this will be de-
termined when the house repeal bill
and various compromise senate mea-
sures are formally taken up. How
long the committee will deliberate
before making a report to the senate
no one would predict last night, but
any effort to prolong the prelimin-
cry consideration will be opposed by
administration leaders. Senator
O"Gorman, chairman Of the commit
tee, and leading Democrat opponent
OF the repeal, and his followers in
sist, however, that there will be no
effort to delay.
Senator McCumber, Republican, of
North Dakota, member of the For
eign Relations Committee, who stead
lastly refuses to join the party op-
position to President Wilson'S policy
addressed the senate at length yes
terday, in support Of the repeal bill
He fatty declared that tolls exemp.
ton for American ships was a viola.
tion Of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty,
and that it was against the spirit OF
the senate when the treaty was rati-
fed. For congress to insist upon tolls
exemption for American coastwise
ships, he said, was to hide behind
the American flag while burglarizing
the treasury for the benefit Of "a
coastwise shipping trust"
He talked for three and one-half
hours, virtually without interruption,
and at the conclusion of his speech
he appealed to all right thinking
men in the senate" to support the
lofty stand the President had taken
regardless of party or political ex-
pediency. The galleries broke into
applause as Senator McCumber sat
down, and half dozen Democratic
senators crossed the chamber to con-
graduate him.
President Still Confident
Senator McCumber said he had no
concern with the provisions of the
Democratic platform; that the ques-
ton at Issue was the honor of the
nation. He devoted his address to
the two reasons given in the Presi-
dents message urging repeal, that ex-
emption constituted a violation of
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, and that
1T was an economic mistake. He de-
clared the repeal controversy had
brought an avalanche OF misrepre-
sentation" of the Presidents action
and motives.
Senator Brandegee, Of Connecticut,
yesterday introduced a resolution re-
questing the President, If not incom-
Ipatible with the public interest, to
give the senate all information, rec
ords and correspondence relating to
negotiation of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty. Senator Brandegee favors
the repeal.
Action on Representative Know
lands resolution calling on President
Wilson and Secretary Bryan for dip
lomatic correspondence over the Pan
anna tolls exemption repeal was de-
layed indefinitely yesterday in the
house foreign affairs committee.
Administration senators last night
seemed to be more confident than
ever that the repeal bill would carry
in the senate unamended maintain.