The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-04-02
WILSON, INSULTED,
RESENTS EFFORTS
OF REACTI0NARIES

w loii Ill oi."Ll Iot
Wilson declared today that on account
of the contradictory statements in the
baltimore platform, democrats should
have no hesitation in voting for the re-
peal OF the Panama canal tolls eXemp-
ton.
The president emphatically charac-
terized the exemption as a subsidy
and pointed out that one plank in the
Baltimore platform expressed opposi-
ton to any subsidy, direct or indirect,
while another plank declared for tolls
exemption. The president asserted
there should be no doubt among dem
ocrats as to which should take prece-
dence.
The president reiterated that the ex-
emption never was a policy of the
democratic House, because it was
passed through a coalition of repub-
Leans and a minority of democrats, the
majority of democrats voting against
1t on the gorund that it was a subsidy.
The president explained that even if
the international situation, to which he
referred in his message, had not arisen,
he would have been opposed to the
tolls exemption as against democratic
doctrine. But, he indicated, however,
that if it were not for the international
situation. he did not feel that it would
have been proper for him to question
the acts of a previous administration.
Insulted, Says Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson talked frankly about the
tolls controversy in congress, saying
that the story he had entered into a
bargain with Great Britain through Sir
William Tyrell, private secretary to
Sir Edward Grey, was one of a num-
Der of insults that had been intro
duced in the congressional debate. The
president declared he wanted to eX-
press his regret that what had prom
ised to be a dignifed contest with
genuine differences of opinion, seemed
to be degenerating, in his opinion, into
an attempt to discredit the administra-
ton.
He remarked that while it made all
the more certain the result in favor of
the administration, he thought it q
great pity that public affairs should be
handled in hat way. He did not think
all the opponents of the repeal did feel
hat way. but such color had been in
teTiected in the controversy and he did
not understand the motives for it. He
said he had no anxiety over any poll
tical friction in the democratic party
over the result and referred to the re-
peal contest as not a capital opera
ton" but just a Commissioners
Mr.. Wilson let it be known that he
was unqualifiedly opposed to any COM
promise or amendments. such as have
been proposed in the Senate. He is
for a straight repeal without e~quivoca-
ton.
The Growing Insult.
The White Hous later authorized
quotation of what the president had
said in answer to the charge to the
effect that the president had made a
deal with Sir William Tyrell. private
secretary to Sir Edward Grey, the
British foreign secretary. The presi-
dent had been asked if the charge We're
true. The president replied:
"Of course, that ansWer itself. 1t
is just the crowning insult of a num-
Der of insults, which have been intro
duced into this debate. This whole
thing reminds me of a story l used to
be fond of telling, of a very effective
debater-I will not say where this hap
pened-Who sent a challenge down into
a county very hostile to him in debate.
The people down there did not like the
Job very much, but they put up the
man they liked best and who is gener-
ally put up on such occasions, a great
big husky fellow, whom they all called
Tom. The challenger was given the
first hour of the two hours allotted to
the debate and he had not got more
than half way through his speech when
it became evident that he was con-
vincing the audience. when one OF
Toms partisans in the back of the room
cried: Tom. Tom. call him a liar and
make it q light. That is the stage TINS
has reached"
The presidents auditors asked him if
he was going to fight, and he smilingly
replied that he did not need to.
Doremus Opens Debate.
Representative Doremus, of Mich
Jpa1. .cIIdllIlldl - IS Nv IN MI
gressional committee, led off the fight
on repeating the Panama tolls eSemp-
ton in the House today. 1t was the
third day of debate on the question.
Expressing regret that he differed
with the president, he declared that
Great Britain had admitted the Amer
lean right to exempt coastwise trade
from tolls.
IF we cannot grant free transit to
our ships through the canal he said,
Its benefits will accrue to England
and not to ourselves
He declared hat the Carnegie peace
endowment which derives an annual
income of $780, 600 from steel trust
bonds, vas most active in rescuing the
national honor by promoting the re-
peal of the law that Great Britain had
admitted that we had a treaty right to
enact
Fall Suggests Plan.
Senator Fall. republican, of New
Mexico, gave the controversy a new
aspect by introducing a bill to pro-
vide that no tolls be levied on Arneri-
can coastwise vessels or those belong
ing ito citizens Of any country on this