The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-25
ROOT TURNS SHARPLY
ON HIS TOLLS CRITICS
He Protests Against Abuse and
Defends Carnegie Peace
Foundation.
Is ACTING PERIODICALLY
Warm Debate in Senate as Re-
suit Of Reading Letter From
cambridge Colby.

wAsHINeruN. April IA vigorous pro-
test from Senator George sutherland OF
Washington halted the clerk Of the Senate
to-day in tho midst OF reading letter
written by cambridge Colby. the Bull
Moose of New York. attacking Senator
Root and other advocates Of the repeal
OF the Panama Canal tolls exemption
clause
The letter had been mailed to Senators
and Representatives and newspaper cor
respondents. As a result Of Senator
Suthcrland's protest there was spirited
debate In the Senate In the course OF
which Senator Root answered for the first
time the charges that have been made
against the Carnegie Peace Foundation.
Of which he is president, as being pro-
British organization.
The Colby letter was sent out on tho
stationery Of tho Committee for the
Preservation Of American Rights in the
Panama Canal
The Reference 20 MIR. Root.
The offensive reference in the letter to
Senator Root was:
I'VE tind Senator Root with vulptne
logic and tenuous reasoning trying 10
deprive his country of the benefit and TO
substitute for the sovereignty. so clearly
granted. a wabbly. lawyer made trustee
ship. Was ever such Il spectacle seen
before? What can II mean?
president Wilson and Secretary Bryan.
smarting under the charge that they have
dragooned their party into betrayal OF
it's platform, retort that the plank In favor
Of an exemption from tolls payment OF
our coastwisc shipment was furtiveiy
slipped into the platform and Is nothing
but successful imposture.
''Cnder the captivating pretence OF
furnishing our honor by a splendid re-
nunciation, the forces OF monopoly under
Roots experienced guidance. hope to turn
rout into victory by snatching from the
people control OF this great waterway. the
only effective means yet devised for beat.
ing down hitherto invincible railroad
monopoly. Senator Roots speech was
only motion for reargument on behalf
Of defeated litigant"
After Senator Sutherland had matted
the, clerk, Senator Root himself said he
had never at any time received any COM
munications. written or verbal, direct or
indirect, regarding the tolls from any.
body connected with the management OF
any railroad
81 believe" lie said. that the course
OF conduct upon which our country has
euba rked unless checked would d!shonor
the name of the United States.
Defends the Foundation.
There is a group OF Americans who
entertain the same feeling that l enter
tain. and that the President entertains
upon this subject Right or wrong. we
NAV all be wrong or we may be right.
We feel alike, We think alike upon this
question.
."Thc Senator from Washington tPoln-
dexter has referred to that group They
have been brought together fortuitously
TO act as the trustees OF tund 10 DE
devoted to promoting the cause to which
we all profess to be devoted-the cause
Of peace and good VII! throughout the
world. Who are they"
Senator Root then called the roll OF
the trustees of the Carnegie Feace Foun-
dalton, naming Charles Eliot. Joseph H.
Choatc. Andrew u. White. Ex-Governor
Andrew J. Montague of virginia. John
sharp Williams Representative James a.
Slayd.n. Andrew Brooklngs OF Missouri
Samuel Nather of Ohio and others.
"Haye We" he continued. come to such
a pass of official restriction upon Amer
lean freedom that these men are TO o'
criticised and condemned because. bold
ing opinions and convictions upon mat
ter affecting the vital interests ana Inc
good name of their country. they put "
writing and print a statement or thei'
opinion and spread II proau'as' 'h""s
their countrymen?
II protest against righteous action-
righteous whether they were right OF
wrong; righteous because they were per
forming the high duty of American cit
! ,zenship in free repubi'c--being made th'
subject OF criticism and condemnation IT
this body of representatives OF free