The Red Cloud chief., 1914-03-12
WILSON'S MESSAGE
ON TOLL QUESTION
President Declares Exemption OF
U. S. Coastwise Shipping a
Mistaken Economic Policy.
ASKS AOAMSON ACT REPEAL
Chief Executive Says All World Pow
ers Were Unanimous In Judgment
Exemption Was In Violation
OF Treaty Obligations.


Washington. March 5.--Declaring
that the exemption OF American coast.
wise shipping from the payment OF
Panama canal tolls was based upon
mistaken economic policy" and was
"in contravention OF our treaty with
Great Britain" President Wilson to-
day asked congress to repeal the Ad-
amson act containing the exemption
clause. The appeal was made In per-
son by tho president, who appeared
before the senate and house OF repre-
sentatives In joint session.
The president declared that all the
world powers were unanimous in judg-
ment that the exemption was In vio-
lation of our treaty obligations. Only
In the United States, he said. was the
exemption clause regarded as debat-
| able or as open to question. He said
/ he had not come to congress to deliver
| u personal view. but that considera-
lions Of Justice and wisdom led him to
believe that the proviso should be re-
pealed without delay.
The president added that the United
States ought not to bubble In the
matter OF treaty obligation. He In
timated that the Panama canal tolls
question was involved In oil the other
foreign questions now before the Uni
ted States, because he would not know
how to deal with them unless the ex
emption Is repealed.
Presidents Message.
The address follows:
Gentlemen OF the Congress:
81 have come to you upon an errand
which can be very briefly performed,
but I beg that you will not measure
its Importance by the number OF SEN
fences In which I state 1t. No COM
munication I have addressed to the
congress carried with IT graver or
more far-reaching implications to the
interest OF the country and now
come to speak upon matter with
regard to which I am charged In Q
peculiar degree by the constitution 1t.
self with personal responsibility.
81 have come to ask for the repeal
Of that provision Of the Panama canal
act Of August "a. 1912, which exempts
vessels engaged in the coastwise trade
. | Oh tu6 Oulttu otuNCo iioh phy a'>.S -
tolls. and to urge upon you the JUS
: tice, the wisdom. and the large policy
; OF such repeal with the utmost
earnestness OF which am capable.
Exemption a Mistake.
"In my own Judgment very fully
considered and maturely formed. that
exemption constitutes q mistaken
economic policy from every point o.
view. and is. moreover. in plain con
travention Of the treaty with Great
Britain concerning the canal conclud
ed on November 10. 1901. But I have
not come to you to urge my personal
views. I have come to state to you q
fact and q situation.
whatever may be our own diner
ences of opinion concerning this much
debated measure. its meaning Is moi
debated outside the United States
Everywhere else the language Of the
treaty Is given but one Interpretation
and that Interpretation precludes the
exemption am asking you to repeal
Consented 20 Treaty.
I'VE consented to the treaty; iti
language we accepted, II we did no,
originate It; and we are too big, toe
powerful. too self-respecting a natior
to interpret with too strained or re
fined a reading the words of our OWL
promises just because we have power
enough to give us leave to read then
as we please. The large thing to d.
is the only thing we can AFFORD to do
voluntary withdrawal from posi-
ton everywhere questioned and misun
derstood We ought to reverse oul
action without raising the question
, whether we we're right or wrong, ant
so once more deserve our reputation
, for generosity and the redemption o
every obligation without bubble o.
hesitation.
, IT ask this of you in support OF thu
foreign policy OF the administration
! shall not know how to deal will
other meetings of even greater dell
, cacy and nearer consequence II yo,
do not grant 1t to me In ungrudgini
measure"