Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-06
OGORMAN FIGHTS
WILSON ON TOLL
Z IMMUNITY POLICY
Insists English Admit That Toll
Exemption Is Not Violation
of Treaty.

WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator
James A. O'Gorman, of New York,
mas taken up the leadership in the
senate of the forces who are opposed
TO president Wilson's proposed repeal
OF the toll exemption. 1t was to the
junior New York senator that all eyes
were turned yesterday when the
executive made his plea in person to
Congress. Senator O'Gorman gave
out the following statement, which
Incorporates his views on the toll
question:
Il yield to no one in respect for the
Presidents motives or patriotism, and
Withhold my approval of his recon-
mendatlon with regret. Believing his
proposal unwise, unnecessary and
destructive of the best interests of
( me American people, my duty as a
senator of the United States offers
me no alternative but resistance to
the proposed repeal.
authorities Favor Exemption.
EX-President Taft, Philander C..
Knox, eX-secretary of state; Oscar w.
Underwood, Democratic leader in the
House of Representatives, and Rich
ard Olney, ex-secretary of state in
Mr.. Clevelands administration, have
asserted that in their opinion the ex-
emption of eoastwise vessels from
the payment of tolls in the Panama
canal does not violate the Hay
Pauncefote treaty.
THESE gentlemen are lawyers of
recognized ability, and the President
does not express an opinion to the
contrary. He asserts, however that
M, FefE1 e H. TT.,tA A1to
defends our course.
IF he will read the London Law
Review he will learn that even Eng
fish lawyers have conceded that the
tolls exemption is in harmony with
our treaty obligations. German and
other continental writer's have ex-
pressed the same view.
Moreover, this opinion is shared
by ex-President Roosevelt, during
whose administration the Hay
Pauncefote treaty was framed and
adopted. The President now states
that the tolls exemption constitutes a
mistaken economic policy, but prefer
to accept his judgment announced
when he was a candidate for the
Presidency, when he pointed out the
obvious economic advantages of this
legislation.
Party Platform Pledge.
THE platform of the Democratic
party, as well as the platform of the
Progressive party, declared that
American ships engaged in coastwise
trade should pay no tolls, to the end
that cheap transportation by water
will enforce cheaper transportation
by the competing transcontinental
railroads.
There has been a systematic eff
fort to confuse the real issue in this
controversy. The word vessels as
used in the treaty means vessels en-
gagged in overseas trade. 1t does not
embrace vessels engaged in local or
domestic trade. This was the inter
probation placed by Great Britain for
more than sixty years upon precisely
similar language employed in the
treaty of 1915.
THE Supreme Court of the United
States in Olsen VS.. Smith, 1876 u. S.,
recognized the propriety of this inter-
probation. We do not exempt Amer
lean ships engaged in foreign trade
Under the Panama canal act we treat
them as we treat foreign ships.
I'VE exempt only coastwise ship
ping and our right to do so is sub
stantially recognized by the British
government in Its note Vt November
il, 1912, which states:
IL the trade Snoulu De so reSu-
lated as to make it certain that only
bona-fide coastwise traffic, which is
reserved for United States vessels.
would be benefited by this eXemp-
ton, it may be that no objection
could be taken.
"As we limit the exemption to bona
fde coastwise traffic it is apparent
that we are disturbed over a claim
which Great Britain comedies TO be
groundless.
"If we must purchase foreign friend
ship the price exacted must not in
volve us in national dishonor and
Reputation of party pledges upon
which this administration secured