Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1914-02-18
he OPPOSES HIS POLICY
KANSAS SENATOR THINKS FREE
TOLLS PLAN SHOULD GOV
ERN THE CANAL
REPUBLICANS DEFEND HIN
SOME DEMOCRATS, HOWEVER,
THINK HEAD or ADMINS,
TRATIoN is WRONG

Washington, Feb. 1S-President
Wilson's plan to repeal the tolls ex-
emption came in for its first senate
debate today, during which it was
characterized by Senator Bristow re-
publican, as an aid to trans-continent-
al railroads. Senator Lodge, republi-
can, and Senator Owen defended the
presidents position while sena-
tor Chamberlain. democrat de-
oIined to agree with it. Mr.. Bristow
denied having impugned the presi !
dents motives.
Senator Bristow declared Mr.. Will
sons attitude on the Panama canal
plank Of the Baltimore convention
and on the suffrage question had "giv-
en- us a line on some Of the peculiar
and interesting characteristics Of our
chief executive which may be exceed
ingly useful to the country in the flu
ture." He quoted the single presi-
Dental term plank and asked.
cat the proper time VIII the presi-
dent interpret this plank in harmony
with his position as to suffrage or asI
ts canal tSllsa
Senator Bristow charged President
Wilson with being Inconsistent when
he declined to favor woman's suffrage
because it was not treated in the dem
ocratic platform, while he was asking
congress to repeal the Panama tolls
exemption. which the platform favor
ed.
"The greed Of the railroads and the
audacious claims Of Great Britain
seem far more potent with our chief
executive than the appeals Of wom-
en-" said he.
Senator Sutherland declared the
most convincing argument for woman
suffrage was the lack Of any persua-
sive argument against it.
When Senator owen took the floor
to defend President Wilson, the de-
bate turned from suffrage TO Panama
tolls. He declared there was likely
to creep into party platform some
plank not fully digested and therefore
not to be regarded as binding upon
the party.
'That question had not been decided
on by the national democracy" said
he, Il say that tho conscience Of no
democrat is bound by the platform.
because it does not represent the So
Der Judgment Of the party but merely
represents what some persons, who
found themselves IN position to
voice the principles OF the party, be-
lieved had been determined on.
am opposed to no tolls. They would
be UNJUST to the taxpayers Of the
4 United States. don't believe one
dollar Of the exemption coastwise
vessels would ever find its way to
the ultimate consumer
Declaring that President Wilson did
not like to see the united States 10
the attitude Of an outlaw among the
nations Senator Louge, republican,
vigorously defended ene president.
1T is certain that She president Is
J guided in this matter entirely by what
j he thinks is to the nonor and the
! credit Of the country in Its foreign
/ relations. He has no other object in
i view. / think he has the feeling that
!. in one way or another and am at
{ taching no blame to any one-the
! united states has incurred the dislike
! OF other nations and the distrust q
{ some Of them, where trust had pre-
) vailed before. He realizes that tht
> rghtful position Of the United States
IS not be obtained BY disregarding @
= international obligations, Or REVERSING
q policies long held, simply to gratif'
5 some passing whim.s
E Senator Chamberlain democrat Dc
elaraa lie disagreed with Presiden