The Washington herald., 1914-06-11

day.
When the Senate recessed a number OF
amendments were pending. Among these
is one by Senator Norris which dclares
that the last note submitted by Great
Britain IN the diplomatic correspondence
with Secretary Knox presents ques-
ton for arbitration. which the United
NIT to arbitration.
Once Ruled Out.
The Sutherland amendment. which had
been ruled out Of order earlier during
the debate. was voted upon following
the adoption Of. the Simmons-Norris
amendment The Sutherland amend
ment declared that-nothing In the re-
peal bill should be taken as waiver Of
the right of the United States to dis
criminate in favor Of the ships Of COM
merce OF its citizens In respect Of the
conditions or charges Of traffic which
may be imposed for the use Of the Pana-
ma Canal, but on the contrary. such
right Is hereby reasserted." On a mo-
tion by Senator Williams, this amend
ment was laid on the table, the vote
being ~ to 33.
Efforts by opponents of the repeal
to force an adjournment. and attempts
to resort TO dilatory tactics kept the
CDdHlpcE anu ucpdtc a. iCNSi
heat much OF the time.
Senator Bristow, before the vote on
the Sutherland amendment could be
taken, touched OF the powder mine
with a motion to adjourn. Senator
Stone. shaking his fist in the Kansan's
face declared the latter was seeking
only to retard progress. A point Of no
quorum added to the confusion. Final
ly a vote was forced on the Bristow
motion. and It was lost by vote OF
So to %.
sutherland Opened Debate.
Senator Sutherland opened the de-
bate by proposing his new amendment,
asserting what he claimed to be the
American rights in the canal The
amendment strengthened the declara-
tion-making II uDequivocal in fact
that the United States conceded no
right to Relieve it's merchant shipping
from tolls, II 1t deemed IL a wise do
mestic policy so to do.
Mr.. Sutherland's amendment was Of
fered as a substitute for the Simmons
Norris compromise. Immediately the
point was made that II was an amend
ment I'm the third degree" repugnant to
Senate rules and Senator Swanson, who
was presiding at the time, upheld the
point of order.
Senator Borah made an attack on the
Simmons Norris compromise. He called
attention to a statement made by SEN
ator Simmons in a speech on the tolls
issue recently. In which Mr.. Simmons in
sisted that the United States had no
right under the treaty to exempt our
vessels from tolls. Mr.. Borah asked why
Senator Simmons was willing to vote for
a declaration to reserve rights when he
would not concede that any rights
existed.
II do not put my opinion against the
Judgment Of others" said the Senator
from North Carolina. ''and because I
believe there are no rights existent fore
closes the question to others who may
States NAV have the right to exempt
her shipping"
Hints at Deception.
Senator Borah intimated that this was
an inconsistent and deceptive view.
We ought TO have a plain assertion"
said he. that We have the right to pass
our shipping through the canal free. and
the Senate should have an opportunity
to vote upon it,
Reading from the Presidents address
to Congress that the United States had
no right under the treaty to exempt her
shipping, and that it was he duty OF Con-
gress to withdraw from the untenable
position We now occupy" Mr.. Borah in
quired what was the purpose of the Pres
ident's friends in insisting on reserving
things that they concede do not exist.
The Senator from Idaho intimated that
1t was an attempt to catch votes
''Will any Senator on the other side of
the chamber rise and say that the Presi-
dent looks with favor upon the Simmons
~.
No response being made to the chal-
lenge of the Senator from Idaho, he
continued:
ITO adopt this amendment will place
the President in a position where either
his intellectual integrity or his moral
courage may be challenged"
Gives Colleagues q shock.
Senator Reed. of Missouri. gave his
denim the repeal bill. Senator Reed an
nounced that he would offer an amend
ment to open the ports Of the United
States to the ships Of the world.
He attacked the trans-continental
roads. Addressing his colleagues on the
Democratic side the Missouri Senator
said he had heard much about the coast
wise shipping OF the United States being
a trust and a monopoly. His amendment
admitting the vessels of the world to
the coastwise trade would end the mo-
nopoly and he wanted to give his Demo-
cratic colleagues a chance to put an end
to an admitted monopoly.
Senator La Toilette glided into the Sen
ate late in the day like a ray of strag-
Cling sunshine in an otherwise beclouded
situation by announcing that on reiec-
ton he had decided not to speak.
Text of Amendment.
The vote on the Simmons Norris
amendment came suddenly at shortly
after 6 o'clock. This was theamendment:
Provided, That the passage of this act
shall not be construed or held as arwaiver
or REIMBURSEMENT Of any right Of the
United States may have under the treaty
with Great Britain ratified the 21st of
February, 1902, or the treaty with the
Republic of Panama ratified February 26,
1904, or otherwise. to discriminate in favor
Of its vessels by exempting the vessels
of the United States or its citizens from
the payment of tolls for passage through
said canal. or as In any way waving,
impairing or affecting any right Of the
United States under said treaty. or other
wise, with respect to the sovereignty over
the ownership. control or management of
said canal the regulation of the condi-
ton of the conditions or charges of traf-
fic through the same"
Senator O'Gorman took the floor and
made ar appeal against the adoption of
the amendment He declared that il
mcairt nothing to say that the Tinted
States reserved its rights under the
treaty and otherwise while the President
was on record as saying IN his address