The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-04-01
Opponents of Repeal in Senate
Would Assert U. S. Sovereign
ty Over Canal Zone
WILSON FORCES SEE VICTORY
Latest Canvass Gives Majority of
Sixteen for Repeal; No Final
Action for Weeks

aSnlnSion, AIIll IL ne idnatnd
tolls controversy. surprising in in
terest any problem that has absorbed
the attention of Congress i'm recent
years, was transferred To the Senate
today from the House. where last night
the Sims bill. repeating the tolls eN
emption clause. was passed.
The measures appearance i'm the
Senate was accepted as the signal for
beginning one of the most protractcd
and complicated contests that body
ever faced.
Senators for and against the repeal
said they saw no hope for Il final dis
position of the issue within five or
six weeks.
O'Gorman, who win lead the fight
against the bill today planned to have
the inter oceanic canals committee uf
which he is chairman begin the con-
sideration OF the measure immediate
lN. The committee already has before
il various other bills relating To tolls
exemption II appeared today that it's
members are nearly evenly divided or
result is extremely uncertain at the
present time but unless there is Il
change in the lineup the opponents of
repeal appear To have a majority OF
one.
Claim Majority for Repeal.
The latest poll brought To the White
House ny an administration senator
a nd
cludcd from the count those he con
sidcrel doubtful. Indicated that the
presidents contention viii nave Il ma
iority of AT least sixteen, Republicans
as well as Democrats.
Senator owens. administration lead
ar In the canals committee, where tn"
m,asurc is now pending, conferred
with Secretary Tumulty this morning
Asked about the procedure in the
Senate and the length of time of dis
cussion, owens said
1T is natural To- assume that if the
committee does not report promptly.
Il motion will he made To discharge
the measure from the consideration
of the committee. There will he no
we want no dilatory tactics. The
committee stands. I should say,
against the president. ana | think
when the committee was organized
those in favor of tolls exemption were
~ the ma jorty \ week i'm committee |
would be a reasonable time for dis |
Cussion.
In n. Ia ioh ila
name Of Dyer, Republican of St.
Louis, who voted against repeal was /
omitted. As corrected today the vote
is 247 for repeal, and 1872 against il. |
Chairman O'Gorman said he would |
issue a call for the canals committee |
TO meet next Tuesday. IL Is apparent |
an effort will be made to amend the |
House bill with clause asserting the |
sovereicnty of the United States over
the canal zone. Some senator's who
favor repeal believe such an amend
ment would not be considered in the
light ot a compromise.
Democratic senators most active fol
repeal insist that the bill should pre-
vail without amendment. THE repeal
has not yet been won by any means.
said Chamberlain, leading the oppo-
nents.
After some debate the Senate refer
red the House bill To the canals com
mittee, which already has "A bill by |
owens 10 the same effect
House Vote for Repeal.
The House last night, after one of
the most spectacular legislative strug
giles i'm the history of the nation, vot-
ed to repeal the provision of the Pa
mama canal act exempting American
coastwise vessels from the payment of
tolls. The vote on the repeal bill |
was 2i7 To 1872, Il majority of S5 votes
in support of the personal plea Of
w, odrow Wilson.
An eleventh hour sensation was
sprung in the tolls exemption debate
when Representative Peters. n Demo-
crat of Massachusetts. read n letter
from Richard Olney. former Democrat
ic secretary of state. urging all Demo-