The Washington herald., 1914-03-29

chiefly these purposes: (aj To provide
effective competition with the transconti-
mental railroads; Cbl to Increase the eff
cheney Of our naval forces; Cc) to prevent
the control OF the Isthmian canal By d
European power"
Plunging almost Immediately into the
controversy surrounding the proper con-
structiOn OF the treaty, Mr.. Fitzgerald
| continued:
There is no unanimity of opinion
among Americans competent to pass on
this question, that our action eHemptinG
American coastWise ships from tolls Is
! beyond our rights. Sir EDWARD Grey, the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for
/ Great Britain, in his note OF November
! IL. 1912, while strenuOusly cOntendinG Tor
| the construction Of the Hay-PauncefOte
treaty urged by Great Britain. makes
! this memorable statement:
But they Chis majesty's government
recognize that many persons OF note in
the United States. whose opinions are
entitled to great weight. hold that the
provisions Of this act do not infringe
IN. convention obligations by which the
/ United States is bound, and under these
circumstances they desire to state their
perfect readiness to arbitrate II the gov
ernment OF the United States would pre-
! fer to take this course
Although his Majesty's government
recognizes the weight of the opinion Of
! the notable men OF this country who in
] sist that We have acted within our rights,
we are asked TO abandon our pretensions,
| to reverse our action. to surrender our
| rights in order to demonstrate our Capac-
! ity for generosity
Reviews Canal Negotiations.
| Mr.. Fitzgerald reviewed the Isthmian
Canal proposals and negotiations. from
the representations leading up to and
eliminating in the Clayton -BulwCr treaty
Of 1850 to the y-Pauncefote treaty. as
| finally ratified by the Senate. He con-
tended that the sole object Of Great
Britain was to insure the neutrality OF
the canal. and. after the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty. TO escape from any obliga-
| ton to protect the waterway.
| If the question were merely one OF
expediency." said Mr.. Fitzgerald. "Or il
were in doubt as to the course to b.
| followed and the reasons given for the
| action proposed were. so persuasive as
to command practically universal ap-
| proval. ] should gladly subordinate any
personal opinion and acquiesce in the
recommendation Of the President
| But such Is not the situation l be
| Iieve that the questions involved are
| fundamental and vitality affect our right
| TO control our own affairs, and that they
| concern the material welfare Of the coun-
try. | have no doubt as tu the course
| I should follow. I cannot surrender to
any one however much I admire ard
respect him. by deliberate and matured
| Judgment upon a question Of vital I'M
| portance to the welfare Of my country.
| Representatives Gray. Democrat. of In
diana, Madden, Republican, OF Illinois,
and Steenerson, Republican. Of Wtscon-
| sin. delivered brief speeches In sup
mort Of the Administrations position. Rep
resentatives Campbell. of Kansas. ant
! Stephens. of California, PrOSrSssives, at
| tackled the bill.
| Representative Stevens. OF New Hamp-
shire, a Democrat, and member OF the
committee which framed the bill, de
Tended the administration attitude IN
an argument in which he dwelt upon the
mistaken economy in the form of leGtsla-
ton which only Cloaked direct subsidy
TO American ships in contravention OF
every principle of Democratic policy.
| Representative Thompson. of Illinois,
Progressive the only bona fide Bull
| Mooser, who will vote with the admins
| tration for the repeal, concluded the day 5
debate. Mr.. Thompson excused his de
fiction from the party policy OF the Pro-
| gress:ves on the ground that the remis-
sion Of tolls would benefit not the whole
| American people nor American shipping
generally. but n small group Of over-rich
| ca pitalists who constituted the alleged
shipping truss.