The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-02-11
SEEKS ITS REPEAL
WILSON ANNOUNCES HIMSELF OP.
POSED TO EXEMPTION
AGAINST FREE PASSAGE

President Reaches Conclusion After
Mature Consideration Of the Sub
ject mvolyed-Course Of Repeal In
House Will be Easy, But Senate
May Not Agree.
President Wilson announced
Thursday that he would endeaVor to
have repealed at the present session
Of congress that provision Of the Pan
ANA canal act which exempts Ameri-
can coastwise ships from the pay
ment Of tolls. He made his position
clear to callers at the White House in
unequivocal terms.
The president believes that the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty with Great
Britain guarantees equality Of treat
ment to all nations, including the
United States in the matter Of tolls
and that the United States is in hon
or bound to charge American vessels
the same tolls it imposes upon those
foreign nations. The president i'm
pressed on his callers that he would
use every legitimate means at his
disposal to have the exemption clause
eliminated from the canal act.
This announcement was expected
by administration leaders. The pres
ident's views will be carried out In
the House with little difficulty, ac-
cording to Representative Adamson,
chairman Of the interstate and for
eign commerce committee. Not so
certain, however, are some Of the
Democratic leaders in the Senate that
the president will be sustained in his
resolve on this question which agt.
! tated American relations with Great
Britain for several years and has
been subject Of international con-
troversy since the passage of the
Panama canal act in 1912.
Senator O'Gorman, chairman OF
the interoceanic canals committee,
which had charge of the bill, and who
led the victorious fight in the Senate
to exempt American coastWise ship
ping from tolls, declared his intention
| to stand by the bill. Other senators
| pointed to the recent action Of the
| fora}or ro1ationS connjttae in recoY,-
mending the British general arbitra-
ton treaty for extension IS an indi-
cation that the Senate IS ready to
rescind its action On the tolls ques-
ion, fear Of having to submit it to
arbitration having delayed its extern
sion by the Senate last summer.
Senator Stone, who voted for the
provision, has said he would vote for
! the repeal, taking the position that,
while under the treaty the United
States still has he right to levy any
tolls it wishes, the exemption should
! be stricken out In Difference to inter-
national good feeling and in line with
a desire to avoid any i'll feeling with
Great Britain. The presidents an
nouncement grew out Of a report that
he did not seek action at the present
congress. Senator O'Gorman said he
had discussed the tolls question cas-
ually with the president and express
ed the view that congress could do
little else at the present session be-
sides passing the trust bidls and ap-
preparation measures.
The president sought to make clear
that this was Senator O'Gorman's
own impression Of the legislative sit
uation, but that so far as he was con-
cerned he earnestly hoped for action
at the present session. There has
been considerable talk in this connec-
ton of the resolution introduced by
Representative Adamson which would
suspend for two years the operation
Of the exemption so that it might be
definitely determined whether or nct
the canal could be self-supporting,
and at the same time allow time for
further diplon tic parley.
The president, however, has aban-
doned any idea Of having the ques-
ton suspended or postponed and
wishes a settlement Of it from the
present congress so that the great
waterway may be opened at the be-
ginning Of next year with the nations
of the world on a basis Of equality,
and with friendship unimpaired by
any impending issue Of diplomacy.
The illness of Chairman Bacon Of the
Senate foreign relations committee,
which is holding up consideration OF
the arbitration treaties, including
one with Great Britain, also may de-
lay action in congress.
The president already has COM
municated his view on the subject OF
tolls to the committee. There have
been no developments on the diplo-
matte side Of the controversy since
the last note Of Sir Edward Grey was
received in the closing days Of the
Taft administration. President Will
sons final decision followed more
than a year of careful study Of the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty and the de-
bates in congress for and against the
exemption. He always has been OPP
posed to ship subsidies and intina-
tions Of his attitude began to come
out while he was president-elect. At
the time, it was asserted that he &C
tually indicated to Democratic sena-
tors his desire to have passed the
Root amendment providing for repeal