Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-03-11
WILSON ON TOLLS
DECLARES EXEMPTION OF U. S,
coATWIsE SHIPPING is MIS-
TAKEN ECONOMIC POLICY.
PRESIDENT READS MESSAGE
Chief Executive Asks Congress to Re-
peal Adamson Act Containing OBJ
lectionabIe CIause-PoWers Hold
1t Violation of Treaty.

Washington, March president
Wilson appeared personally before
congress again this afternoon, this
time to read special message urging
the repeal of the provision in the Pan
anna canal act exempting American
coastwise vessels from payment
of tolls. This message was written
and delivered in accordance with the
request of Representative Underwood.
The Democratic floor leader felt that
the president should assume the re-
sponsibility for action that will be d.
rectly contrary to one Of the resolu-
lions adopted by the last Democratic
convention, and that he should give
his reasons for favoring the repeal
so that members who voted for the
exemption clause would have an eX-
cuse for changing their attitude.
Presidents Message.
The address follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
Il have come to you upon an errand
which can be very briefly performed,
but I beg that you will not measure
it's Importance by the number of SEN
fences in which l state it. No COM
munication l have addressed to the
congress carried with 1t graver or
more far-reaching implications to the
interest of the country and l now
come to speak upon a matter with
regard to which l am charged in
peculiar degree by the constitution it.
self with personal responsibility.
Il have come to ask for the repeal
of that provision of the Panama canal
act of August "a, 1912, which exempts
vessels engaged in the coast trade
Of the United States from payment OF
tolls, and to urge upon you the JUS
tice, the wisdom, and the large policy
of such a repeal with the utmost
earnestness of which l am capable.
Exemption a Mistake.
I'm my own judgment, very fully
considered and maturely formed, that
exemption constitutes a mistaken
economic policy from every point OF
view, and is, moreover, in plain con-
travention of the treaty with Great
Britain concerning the canal cOnclud-
ed on November IS, 1901: But l have
not come to you to urge my personal
views l have come to state to you
fact and situation.
Whatever may be our own differ
ences of opinion concerning this much
debated measure, it's meaning is not
debated outside the United States.
Everywhere else the language Of the
treaty is given but one Interpretation,
and that Interpretation precludes the
exemption / am asking you to repeal.
Consented to Treaty.
eve consented to the treaty; its
language we accepted, if we did not
originate it; and we are too big, too
powerful, too self-respecting nation
to interpret with too strained or re-
fined reading the words of our own
promises just because we have power
enough to give us leave to read them
as we please. The large thing to do
is the only thing we can afford to do,
a voluntary withdrawal from a posi-
ton everywhere questioned and misun-
derstood. We ought to reverse our
action without raising the question
whether we were right or wrong, and
so once more deserve our reputation
for generosity and the redemption of
every obligation without bubble or
hesitation.
81 ask this of you in support of the
foreign policy of the administration
l shall not know how to deal with
other meetings of even greater deli
cacy and nearer consequence if you
do not grant it to me in ungrudging
measure -