Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-04-16
Not TIMES COMING.
WILSON, ROOSEVELT AND TAFT
MAY ALL TAKE THE STUMP
IN THE AUTUMN.
TOLLS REPEAL THE ISSUE
President Probably Will Defend His
Course, Which the Two Former
Chief Executives Are Expect
ed to Attack in Campaign.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-A few days ago
President Wilson was asked at one Of
his Monday conferences with the
Washington correspondents if it was
his intention to go into some of the
states this fall for the purpose Of
campaigning in behalf of his party,
which then will be engaged in battle
for continuance Of its supremacy in
the house of representatives. The
presidents answer was that he had
not yet been invited. The inference
from what followed was directly to
the point that Mr.. Wilson probably
would consider seriously a campaign
ing trip after his summers rest.
If the president makes up his mind
to go before the country he will have
two great matters to defend, or, if
not to defend, to explain. One is his
Mexican policy and the other is the
request that congress should repeal
the tolls exemption clause of the Pan
ANA canal act. The opposition par
ties, the Republicans and the Progress
ives, and here and there some Demo
ocrats, have charged that the presi-
dents Mexican endeavoFs have failed,
that WatchfuI Waiting has been i'm
potent to accomplish anything. and
that his course on the repeal act has
been un-American.
Roosevelt May Oppose.
Democrats and Republicans here be
lieve, and it seems likely that the Pro
gressiYes know, that when Theodore
Roosevelt comes back to this country
he viii assail the administration pol
icies in Mexican and in toll exemption
repeal matters. Colonel Roosevelt
has been a long way off for a long
time, but it is known he has been in
touch with the leaders of the Progress
i've movement in this country 1t is
surmised from what the Progressives
say that the colonel has not been al
lowed to remain in ignorance of the
developments of affairs here, political
economic and legislative.
If Colonel Roosevelt should carry
out the suggestions already made to
him and should fulfill the prophecies
which Democrats and Republicans are
making day by day, by going before
the country on a speech-making tour
in opposition to President Wilson, and
should speak simultaneously with Mr.
Wilson speaking in defense, the coun-
try would witness warm time of it
in the field of discussion.
Every Progressive in the house of
representatives except three, voted
against the presidents demand that
the tolls exemption clause should be
repealed. The Progressives who part
ed on this matter from their brethren
| said they were acting as they did
through conviction, for they thought
the exemption Of cOastwise sailing
ships from the payment of tolls was a
plain violation of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty.
Issue for Progressives.
Both Theodore Roosevelt and VIII
liam Howard Taft were in favor OF
| exempting American coasters from
the payment of canal tolls. Mr.. VIII
SOu bclhCS CAdCJ4S LhC OppO0lIO VIC"
The Progressives, like the Republic,
ans, now have a distinct and up-to
date issue with which to go before
the country in opposition to the de.
| mand of the Democrats that they be
continued in power. If this repeal
bill had not come up for discussion
| the congressional campaign of next
| fall probably would have been devoid
| of great interest. AS it is, with
Woodrow Wilson campaigning in be
half of the Democrats, Theodore
Roosevelt campaigning in behalf OF
the Progressiyes and William H. Taft
and other Republican leaders cam
| paigning III behalf of Republicanism
and making arguments fly like arrows
| the contest promises to be interesting
and perhaps warlike.
| Wilson Felt InsuIted
There have been evidences of strong
| personal feeling in the White House
| over the nature of the debate in con,
gress on the repeal of the Panama
canal tolls act. President Wilson has
| let it be known that he feels nothing
| but the noun insults" fits in describ-
| ing the charges Of certain congress,
| men that the administration made
deals. with representatives of Great
| Britain which resulted in his recon-
mendation to repeal Of the tolls ex
| emption clause.
At the White House the word insult
| came into use in connection with the
unveiled assertion of a representative
| in congress that even if Mr.. Wilson
! denied he had made a deal with Sir
Lionel Garden, late British ambassa-
| dor to Mexico, he had made one with
| some other representative of the Brit,
| ish government
1t has been made perfectly appar-
| ent by Mr.. Wilson in direct converse
| ton that he thinks it strange Demo
| Gratis in congress who, with their
party members elsewhere, always
have been staunchly opposed to subsi-
! dies in whatever form, suddenly should
become so much in love with subsidy
| in the form in which it was provided
in the tolls exemption provision of the
Panama canal act.
Real New Workers Scarce.
The real New Yorker is as scarce
oo in h1rr-c