The Washington herald., 1914-03-26

CARNEGIE BITTERLY ASSAILED
BY CHAMBERLAIN IN COURSE
OF TOLLS DEBATE IN SENATE
The Senate plunged into a discussion
of the Panama Canal tolls question
was acrimonious debate. In the course
of the debate, Senator Chamberlain, of
Oregon. expressed the opinion that IL
Andrew Carnegie lived in some other
country he might be charged with
treason and his estates confiscated.
IF men in other countries were
guilty of the things that Andrew Car
negie has been guilty Of. they would
be charged with treason and their es-
tates would be confiscated by the gov
ernment under which they live" said
Senator Chamberlain. He is obsessed
with the idea that there shall be a
United States Of Great Britain"
Senator Smith. OF Michigan. Republi-.
can, Joined Senator Chamberlain and Sen
ator O'Gorman in attacking the adminis-
tration's policy for repeating the legisla-
tion for free tolls. Senator McCumber,
of North Dakota, Joined Senator Thomas.
of Colorado. the former a Republican. and
the latter a Democrat, in condemning
senator Jones, OIL "dSnlnStOn, a heDuD-
lican, for reading into the Congressional
Record letters. kilograms. and memorials,
some Of which viciousIy attacked the
President and questioned his motives in
advocating the repeal of the tolls ex-
emption.
The struggle opened when Senator
Brandegee. of Connecticut. submitted a
lot of memorials for and against the
repeal of the free tolls legislation. In
doing so the Senator from Connecticut
explained that he believed il was a mis-
take to cumber the Congressional Rec
ord with all of the arguments that
might float in for and against the tolls
legislation. He explained his own atti-
tude by saying that he had voted against
exempting coastwise vessels when the
question was originally before the Sem
ate and that he had not changed his
mind.
Irritation lis Increased.
Then Senator Jones. of Washington.
added further irritation to the situation
by reading lot of letters he had re-
ceived commencing his course in advo-
eating a resolution demanding from the
President information as to the delicate
foreign questions that had made il nee
essary. for the President to ask for the
immediate repeal of the free tolls legis-
lation.
The letter that aroused the most in
terest was one from Boston signed by
William 3. Larkin. of 30 Highland street.
This letter. written by man who pro-
fessed to be a Democrat was so bitter in
its criticisms of the President that Sena-
tor Jones was called sharply to account
by Senators Thomas. Thornton, and Nc
Cumber for having il read into the Con-
gressional Record The letter, in part
follows:
Dear Senator: A Massachusetts, DEM
ocrat wants to thank you for the able
and courageous fight you are making.
not only for the whole people of the
country. but for the future of the Ameri-
can name.
Il see by the current newspaper re-
ports that Mr.. Wilson. in criticism of
your attitude said that you were skat-
ing on thin ice. You stand. Mr.. Senator.
not with our Executive, who has be-
trayed his party platform and his per-
sonal word. as announced in his New
Jersey speeches, but with the great rank
and file of the American people whose
eyes are on you in the fight. Mr.. Taft
stood for toll exemption. Mr.. Roose-
welt and the Progressive party stood for
the same. The Democratic platform de-
clared for il at Baltimore, and the Amer
lean people formerly including Mr.. Will
SOM have Endorsed the same
"Skating ON Thin Ice.
1T may be skating on thin ice to
stand with the American people. Mr..
Senator, but that charge comes in poor
form from the man who repudiated his
party platform and violates his cam
paign pledges. Mr.. Wilson obtained my
vote and millions like me by false pre-
lenses. Mr.. Senator, were there refer
endum and recall for Federal officials.
would vote to have Mr.. Wilson'S future
activities confined to the classic shades
of Princeton and to a wholesale auto
cratic bribery and bull-dozing of the reg
uIarly elected members of. the United
States Congress"
Senator Hoke Smith renewed the
struggle by offering an amendment in
the nature of a satire on the Chamber
lain amendment, which called for ad-
ditional information. including the
amount of subsidies that would be
paid to the owners of coastwise YES
sells under free tolls, and who would
benefit by the subsidies.
Senator Chamberlain was willing
when his resolution came up in the
regular order to have it go over. But
in the temper of the Senate at the
moment. Senator Hoke Smith objected
and insisted on the resolution being
disposed Of.
Il have great respect and admiration
for the President said Senator Chamber
lain, because l believe him to be thor
oughly patriotic gentleman. and that he
believes in whatever he does that he is
doing the best for the people of this
country. In changing their minds. men,
bers of Congress must be influenced either
by the suggestion of the President that
the free-of-tolls clause was unwise, from
an economic standpoint, or they must
change their minds simply from the state
ment the President has made in his mes
sase-that il was necessary to repeal the
legislation because of diplomatic contin-
gencies."
Views of Roosevelt.
Senator Smith of Michigan obtained
permission from Senator Chamberlain to
read what President Roosevelt had said
of the provisions Of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty and its effect on the exemption of
tolls for American coastwise vessels. He
quoted in part from President Roose-