The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-05-05
SAVING OUR HONOR
HOW PRESIDENTS iNTtA4ATtoN
IN TOLLS MESSAGE - NOW
INTERPRETER
EFFECT ON TREATY MAKING
Many Democrats Think hfs. Wsaeon
Made Mistake In Not Grounding
His Opposition on Subsidy
Basis Alone.
Nv GEORGE CLINTON

of the fight for the repeal OF the Pan
anna canal tolls exemption clause are
still being heard, it may be of inter-
est to say something about what
members of congress generally seem
to think was the meaning of the presi-
dent in his message on this matter
when he intimated that our course in
all foreign relations would be smooth
er II his request for repeal was
granted
What Mr.. Wilson meant in this con-
nection always has been more or less
of a mystery, but Democrats. Repub-
licans and Progressives finally have
come to put one Interpretation upon
it At first it was thought he meant
that if we offended Great Britain 1t
might give its sympathy to Japan
in case the latter country attempted
to carry out certain things In Mexico
which 1t was suspected and even
charged at one time it had in view.
Now there seems to be q general
agreement that the president, through
thu state department, learned that all
the European countries, and Japan,
too, would feel the United States had
not kept faith in its treaty-making,
and therefore could not be trusted to
stand by its diplomatic word in the
future. Mr. Wilson, the men of all
parties now seem to think, felt that
in future treaty-making the charge Of
faithlessness In this matter, whether
~ Cd rf Mould
be laid up against this country and
that it would be much harder to make
proper treaties In the future than it
has been in the past.
Think Wilson Made Mistake.
1t should be said, however, that
there are many Democrats in con-
gress who are standing by the prest
dent in his endeavor to secure the re-
peal Of the tolls exemption provision
who think and who say that the pres
ident would have had much easier
sailing with his party if he had left
out all reference to possible foreign
trouble, and had confined himself to
the setting forth of one reason only
why repeal should be forthcoming.
1t is not intended to intimate that
these party men are right, but it ought
not to be uninteresting to let it be
known what they say on this subject,
for 1t must be remembered that the
Democratic party in the house and
senate is divided on the question of
the wisdom of carrying out the presi
dents recommendation for repeal
Some of the Democrats who are sup
porting the president say they are dis
appointed in the manner OF the
course which he took, rather than
with the course itself. The Demo
cratic platform, it will be remembered
declared for tolls exemption, and now
the president is asking the repeal OF
| the law which provides for the exemp-
ton. Some Of the Democrats say
that If the president simply had de-
clared that tolls exemption was really
a subsidy thinly disguised. and that
| good Democratic doctrine demanded
no subsidies should be granted, he
would have Jared better with his
! party in congress.
One Democrat, a southerner who
| is supporting the president. but who
is unpopular in his state because Of
that support, said this:
THE president should have said to
his party and to his party men in
! congress: Our record has been
against subsidies from the beginning
and this tolls exemption pledge is
nothing more nor less than the sub
sidizing of trust, an eager, hungry
| trust. There is nothing for us as q
| party to do except to repudiate the
pledge out and out and say it was a
mistake and that the real substituting
force Of the provision was not clearly
understood in the convention We
should hurry to make amends for ou1
error, and the country will be with
| u.s.
Wide Division of Opinion.
1t is not intended to say that this
congressman is right in his contention
but there are a great many OF the
Democrats who are supporting the
! president who say the same thing
| There are other congressman of all
three parties who insist, however, that
the president was perfectly right in
intimating what he did about foreign
relations difficulties as being immi
nent unless repeal were forthcoming
because this matter was one ''involv.
ing the honor Of the United States and
the matter of its faith In treaty max
ing" There are differences of opin.
ion on these subjects, and they are
entering into the general trouble over
securing the repeal which the presi.
dent has asked.
At the White House from the begin
ming it has been said that the country
generally in It's letters has manifest
ed IT'S approval of the administration
course. Representatives and senators
who are opposed to repeal say that
their letters tell different story. II
must perhaps be left to the ballot box
later on to determine to which side OF
this controversy the greatest popular
approval has been given
No matter what kind of an effort