Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-04-17
HOT TIMES COMING.
WILSON, ROOSEVELT AND TAFT
MAY ALL TAKE THE STUMP
IN THE Autumn.
TOLLS REPEAL THE ISSUE
President Probably VIII Defend His
Course, Which the Two Former
Chief Executives Are Expect
cd to Attack In Campaign.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-A few days ago
President Wilson was asked at one Of
his Monday conferences with the
Washington correspondents If 1t was
his intention to go into some of the
states this fall for the purpose Of
campaigning in behalf of his party.
which then will be engaged in a battle
for a continuance Of it's supremacy in
the house of representatives. The
presidents answer was that he had
not yet been invited. The inference
from what followed was directly to
the point that Mr.. Wilson probably
would consider seriously a campaign
ing trip after his summers rest
If the president makes up his mind
to go before the country he will have
two great matters to defend. or. If
not to defend. to explain. One is his
Mexican policy and the other is the
request that congress should repeal
the tolls exemption clause Of the Pan
anna canal act The opposition par
ties. the Republicans and the Progress
ives, and here and there some Demo-
ocrats. have charged that the presi-
dents Mexican endeavors have failed.
that Watchful Waiting has been i'm
potent to accomplish anything. and
that his course on the repeal act has
been un-American.
Roosevelt May Oppose.
Democrats and Republicans here be-
lieve, and It seems likely that the Pro
gressives know, that when Theodore
Roosevelt comes back to this country
he will assail the administrators pol
icies In Mexican and in toll exemption
repeal matters. Colonel Roosevelt
has been a long way of for a long
time. but 1t is known he has been in
touch with the leaders of the Progress
i've movement In this country. 1t is
surmised from what the Progressfves
say that the colonel has not been al
lowed to remain in ignorance of the
developments of affairs here. political,
economic and Legislative.
II Colonel Roosevelt should carry
out the suggestions already made to
him and should fulfill the prophecies
which Democrats and Republicans are
making day by day. by going before
the country on a speech-making tour
| in opposition to President Wilson. and
should speak simultaneously with Mr..
| Wilson speaking in defense. the coun-
try would witness a warm time of It
| in the field of discussion.
Every Progressive in the house of
representatives except three. voted
against the presidents demand that
the tolls exemption clause should be
repealed. The Progressives who part
ed on this matter from their brethren
said they were acting as they did
through conviction, for they thought
the exemption of coastwise sailing
ships from the payment of tolls was a
plain violation of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty.
Issue for Progressives.
Both Theodore Roosevelt and VIII
exempting American coasters from
the payment of canal tolls. Mr.. VIII
son takes exactly the opposite view.
The Progressives. like the Republic
ans, now have a distinct and up-to-
date issue with which to go before
the country in opposition to the de-
mand OF the Democrats that they be
continued in power. II this repeal
bill had not come up for discussion
the congressional campaign of next
fall probably would have been devoid
OF great interest. AS 1t is, with
Woodrow Wilson campaigning In be-
half of the Democrats. Theodore
Roosevelt campaigning in behalf of
the Progressives and William H Taft
and other Republican leaders cam
paigning in behalf of Reprblicanism
and making arguments fly like arrows.
the contest promises to be interesting
and perhaps warlike.
Wilson Felt InsuIted.
There have been evidences of strong
personal feeling in the White House
over the nature OF the debate In con-
gress on the repeal of the Panama
canal tolls act. President Wilson has
let 1t be known that he feels nothing
but the noun insults" fits in describ-
Ing the charges of certain congress-
men that the administration made
deals with representatives of Great
Britain which resulted In his recon-
mendation to repeal .of the tolls ex-
emption clause.
At the White House the word insult
came into use in connection with the
unveiled assertion of representative
in congress that even if Mr.. Wilson
denied he had made a deal with Sir
Lionel Garden, late British ambassa-
dor to Mexico, he had made one with
some other representative of the Brit
fish government.
1t has been made perfectly appar-
ent by Mr.. Wilson in direct CONVERSE
ton that he thinks it strange Demo
Gratis in congress who, with their
party members elsewhere, always