Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-06-05
KEGLEY APPROVES
WILSON'S POLICIES
MASTER STATE GRANGE DISCUS.
SES PENDING ISSUES in
ANNUAL ADDRESS.


Endorsing President Wilson's pol
icy of the repeal of-free tolls through
the Panama canal, heartily support
ing his handling of the Mexican situa-
ton, discussing briefly and with re-
concentrations the questions of the
day that particular interest the far
mers, advocating statewide prohibi-
ton and bitterly attacking the Stop
Look-Listen league, C. B. Kegley,
master of the Washington State
Grange, delivered an able address at
the opening of the twenty-sixth an
nual session at North Yakima last
Tuesday. At the same time he issued
an open challenge to any officer or
employe Of the Stop-Look-Listen lea
que for a public debate on the initia-
tive bills.
What Master Kegley said relative
to the Panama canal tolls is highly
interesting in view of the opposition
generally expressed in this territory
to the presidents policy. Discussing
the question from the farmers stand
point, he said, after referring to pos
sible international questions:
No Benefit From Free Tolls.
I'VE can safely leave their settle
ment to the president and congress,
provided their adjustment does not
put a burden upon US in any increase
In the cost of shipping. This, to the
farmers Of the Pacific Northwest is
the vital point in the Panama tolls
question, and as long as our coastwise
shipping is controlled by monopoly
have been unable to see how we
we're to get any benefit from free
tolls. Then, too. the great bulk Of
farm shipments from our state would
be for European ports and Central
America and the Northern countries
of South America and the West In
dian Islands, II the development OF
trade through the canal is what we
have q right to expect. Free tolls for
. the coast wise trade would increase
the tolls of the ships engaged in this
trade and handicap US to that extent.
l am satisfied that everything we
could hope to accomplish by free tolls
could be better secured by establish
ing free ports at Panama, or by max
ing the entire area Of the Canal Zone
a free port area. Then, In addition
to this, il we reformed our navigation
laws and threw our coastwise trade
open to the ships of all nations we
would smash our shipping monopoly
and at once bring ocean freights down
to where they belong"
Approves Mexican Policy.
Similarly, the concluding para
graph in his comment on the Mexican
situation is highly interesting:
II offer no solution Of the Mexican
situation. 1 feel, all things consid-
cred, that President Wilson and his
advisers have handled it in way to
give confidence in the integrity OF our
purpose and re-establish this nation
in the confidence of liberty-loving
people throughout the world, ana
feel we should on this occasion do all
we can to strengthen the purpose OF
our president in this grave crisis. II
we made any specific suggestions
would say that the quickest way 10
end the Mexican trouble would be to
recognize the Constitutionalists ana
If they thought necessary, aid them'
as allies, to restore order. am IN
clined to believe this should be done,
but do not feeel that know enough
Of the situation to make 1t as spe-
cifc recommendation"
Discusses Many Questions.
Many questions of the day were
discussed by Master Kegley. he
urged the further extension of the
parcel post to "postal express; re-
iterated the Oranges stand for gov
ernment ownership Of telegraphs ana
telephones; recommended the exten-
sion of the postal savings banks ana
the establishment of peoples pen
sion fund; declared that FARMERS are
absolutely opposed to any reduction
on the letter postage until the parcel
post is fully established; discussed
the possibilities of direct trading be-
Continued on page 3D.