New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-01
The Treaty.Breakers and Subsldlst'
Routed.

rho treaty. smashers and cOastwise shipping sun
sdists suffered "A crushing defeat yesterday III ''''
House of Representatives On the rule Hnl'i""
debate on the Sims repeal bill they lost last u"'
nv IS votes on the passage of the Dill YESTERDAY
tho majority against them rose 10 ST. As we IN
nIoined last week many Republicans VINO I"'o'''
tho rcpcal of the coaStwse shipping tolls eNe'"p
tiop clause of the Panama Canal law were no'
osnecialIv concerned about limiting debate Foi
tactical reasons they wanted To he IN poSl''o" "
insist hereafter on full and free discussion Oh e"S
urcs TO which they might he opposed MI HV"
root the ranking Republican on the huIeS 'ol"
mittec spoke and voted against the closure 'u'e'
and all but eight Republicans followed MS Ie'"
ON the passage Of the bill twenty-five hepup"o"i'N
voted ave showing that on question OF lNlns NY
with scrupulo1S eXacttude to our treaty oDhSa'io"'
a fair proportion of the Republican membership
Of the House was willing 10 break away from
Leader Mann'S policy of thoroushgolng "Stahd-Pa'
opposition.
There is no reason why Republicans should 'ppose
the repeal bill simply because il has the SANCTION
Of the administration and has drawn the nre VI
the indictments on the Democratic SIDE VINO are
anxious to break down President WILSON, proSuIe'
II NAV seem good politics from narrow l'ePuo"'
can point of view 10 encourage dScold III the
Democratic ranks. But broader CONSIDERATIONS
The hands of the administration should he uphe"
and the good faith of the United States IN It's deal
ia.s with foreign countries should he Nhdlcl'eu'
he Republican party is lot embarrassed ny I"
hedge in its platform in favor of the remission III
tolls 10 ships in the coaStwi>e AIDE. as the Demo
cratic and Progressive parties are Its representa-
tives at Washington are free to use their own
Judgment. and it would have been gratifying TO ne
able TO record the fact that an actual majority III
stead of quarter Of the Republicans in the House
had planted themselves on the high ground taken
ny the President In the Senate. where there l.
fuller sense of personal responsibility for the con
duct of foreign relations larger proportion oi the
Republican vote will undoubtedly he thrown to the
support of the President.
The Clark Underwood -fammany coalition against
The President polcd - votes-one-tfth of the Dem
ocratic strength. 1t was humiliating exposure oi
the weakness of the Speaker and the majority
leader They added little to the resources of the
natural antWilson element Mr.. Carks speech
was one of the poorest in form and matter which he
has ever made in the House. BY admitting the Geo
homie merit of the Indirect subsidy granted t"
coastwise shipping he broke with all that was most
characteristic in his past record. What surrender
for a man who has wanted 10 rae all our custom
houses and withdraw all protection from domestic
production TO vhimper about cancelling gov
eminent subsidy TO coaStwSe trade already abso-
mtely protected against foreign competition. But
that must be the fate of the statesmen who are
willing To- sacrifice their lifetime theories to their
personal animOsitics. Making good in the eyes OF
the Hearst newspapers has cost the Speaker much
mos, than he now realizes. He could not have
chosen more unfortunate issue on which TO an
tagonize the President than the tolls discrimination
repeal bill on which Mr. Wilson is not only right
but has behind him four-ffths of the Democrats in
the House Of Representatives and the overwhelm
ing sentiment of the country at large