The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-24
WILSON DECLARES
 DEMOCRATS FAVOR
 EXEMPTION REPEAL
President Makes No Secrecy of Anxiety of Passage of Sims Bill-Filibuster-
 ing Claimed

Washington. March 2S.-Presdent Will son declared today that, in seeking the re- peal of the Panama tolls exemption he not only was asking that the nation do that which it was bound in honor to do, but was going the way of the majority in the democratic party. He pointed out that, when the Panama canal act was passed. u majority of the democrats then against the tolls exemption, and that only by coalition of minority of dem- ocrats with a number of republicans did the measure become law.
 This announcement was taken in admin istration circles as the Presidents answer to the argument that the Baltimore plat form made the tolls exemption dem- ocratic doctrine. The President is under stood to believe that the majority opinion of the democrats in the House, as last expressed. was a result of more deliberate consideration of the question than was possible at the Baltimore convention.
 Anxious for Repeal
 The President made no secret to callers Of his anxiety for the repeal measure to come to a vote. Asked if he thought in- fiuence were at work to prolong debate unnecessarily. MT. Wilson said he did not know. but it certainly appeared to him as if there had been flibustering; that mi norities always filibustered and disclosed themselves in tilibusters.
 The President is confident that he will have the majority of his party behind him in the House when the repeal comes to q vote. He has been assured that at least 200 democrats will support him and many republicans. Senator James of Kentucky has informed the President the vote in the Senate would be at least 5s to s4 in favor of the repeal.
 There seemed little prospect tonight of getting the sims repeal bill before the House until late in the week at the earliest. Debate on the rivers and harbors appropriation bill is dragging along slowly with no prospect of immediate conclusion. Today the apparent effort of members to prolong discussion of trivial matters brought constant references by champions of the toll exemption repeal to filibuster- ing tactics.
 Underwood to Speak No attempt will be made to report a rule that would limit debate on the repeal bill to 15 hours until the measure actu- diy ils Dcti tdlitu uI1r diu lhlS plODdDly cannot be done until Thursday, when Ma jority Leader Underwood is scheduled to make the opening speech in opposition to the repeal.
 Representative Murdock, progressive leader. urged today that if the House would limit the repeal discussion to 70 in- stead of 15 hours sentiment on the tolls issue would be so shifted that the vote would result "Amerca's way instead of England's." Several suggestions of "gag rule" was made, but Minority Leader Mann declared that. while he had heard it reported that the White House had sent word to hasten the repeal. he did not believe the President had attempted to interfere with House procedure.
 That all progressive party members of the House are not opposed to repeal of toll exemption was disorosed today when Representative Charles NJ Thomson of Chicago issued statement declaring his intention to support the President
 Tn view of the statement recently ls- sued by Mr. Murdock to the effect that the progressives in Congress are sllbstan- italy unit against the proposition to re- peal the toll exemption clause in the Panama canal act" said Representative Thomson. 'I feel called upon to say that l am unable to agree with my progressive colleague in this matter
 'T am not unmipdful of the fact that my party platform demands free tolls for American astwise shipping. My study of this subject has been thorough as (Cent1nued en Page Eleveal