Bisbee daily review., 1914-05-09
O'GORMAN REVIEWS HIS ATTACK UPON
 REPEAL OF TOLLS
NEW YORK SENATOR DENIES EXEMPTION WOULD MEAN A
 SUBSIDY TO SHIPPING


 WASHINGTON, May 8.-senato O'Gorman, chairman of the Inte. ocean committee and leaders of th, forces opposed to the repeal of the tolls exemption clause of the Panama canal act, gave the Senate today the legal economic and political reason. for his opposition.
 In a three hour speech, the Sen ator discussed exhaustvely every phase of the subject He discovered no ground in international law which would forbid exemption oi American coastwise ship from tollt payment, saw behind the repeal move ment the hand of the railroads anu declared that a failure to impose c. tax could not be called a subsidy.
 The Senator warned his Democrat. ic colleagues that the repeal of the exemption was to violate the pledges of the Baltimore platform and Co reverse the verdict of it's people when they elected President Wilson last No yember on that platform.
 Senator O'Gorman said that mas much as former Presidents Roosevelt and Taft and preceding congress agreed that coastwise vessels should be exempt, another congress should think twice before giving the approv- al to the repeal bill for it in turn might find itself reversed by a con gress yet to be elected.
 This question of tolls" said the 1 Senator, eis but an incident in grea' contest now in its initial stage, whicu may determine the control of the Panama canal for all time. The con struction of the canal will rank among the worlds wonders, but the opinion of mankind will pronounce the sur render of our sovel eighty over 1t a colossal blunder azd a triumph oi British diplomacy
 "I know there is a vague suspicion ! tbat diplomatic reasons require this national abasement, but my judgment naturally formed and based upon sucl information as is available, is thai l the gravity of our international rela tions, has been grossly, though un ] consciously eggerated. The American people want peace, but they fear nc power on earth.
 No Senator questions the patrio usm and high purposes of the Presi dent, but if legislation is to be made aependent upon bis will alone no onC can predict the mischief to which suct a precedent will expose this govern Daeut in future years. I believe tha the passage of this bill compromise the dignity and honor of this country anS before the deed is Consumated, enter my solemn protest against wha . 1 conceive to be a betrayal of th' American people,
 The Senator argued that 1t is { we'll known principle of internauona law that conditions in any interna uonal agreement cease to be obhga tory when the state of facts on whicl they were founded has ceased to eMs or has been changed
 He pointed out that when the Unit ed States became the sovereign of th, Panama canal zone and it becam, United States territory, the Hay7 ] Pouncefote treaty no longer boun' the United States.
 To back up his contention the Sen ator showed that England fortified th' suez canal after Egypt became Britisl territory and that when the great pow CTS which were parties to the conven ton under which that canal was con sructed, raised objection, the Britis
 Government relied upon this sam principle of international law.