Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-04-17
Mr.. BRYAN TALKS Tolls.
CONTINUED from Page One).

mediately apparent. If the same care
had been used in the drawing Of this
plank that was used in the drawing of
the plank on the merchant marine, 1t
would have read as follows: We ia
vor the exemption from toll Of Amer
lean ships engaged in coastwise trade
passing through the canal but without
imposing additional burdens upon the
people and without bounties or subsi-
dies from the public treasury
Conditions Changed.
But even if the platform had not
contained within itself a complete re-
futation of the position taken by the
advocates of free tolls, the president
would have been justified in the po-
sition that he took by the changed
conditions which confronted him. A
platform is a pledge and is as binding
upon an official as the command of a
military officer is upon subordinate
the statement cannot be made
stronger. But the subordinate officer
is sometimes compelled to act upon
his judgment where a change OF
which the commanding officer is not
aware has taken place in conditions
1t is not only the right of the subordi-
nate to judge the situation for him.
self where conditions have changed
since the order was given, but it is his
duty to do so. In the case under con-
sideration the president takes respon-
sibility for an official act which he re-
CARDS as necessary for his countrys
welfare, and the people must decide
whether or not he is justified; and
those who refuse to act with him also
assume responsibility and they, too,
must abide the judgment Of the pub
lie Such a change has taken place
since the Baltimore platform was
adopted. Had the Democrats in con-
vention assembled been confronted by
the condition which now exists and
had they known what those now
know who voted for repeal, no such
plank would ever have been placed in
the platform. The conventions at
tention was not even brought to the
fact that a majority of the Demo-
Gratis in the house had voted against
the free tolls measure and that 1t had
in fact been passed by combination
of a minority of the Democrats and
majority of the Republicans"
Should Act Jointly.
Mr.. Bryan says that platform
planks dealing with international
questions, must be accepted with the
understanding that we act jointly
with other nations in international
affairs" that even if the plank had
not been contradicted by another
plank in the platform and even if 1t
had not concealed a subsidy policy
repugnant to Democratic principle
and history" that even If conditions
had not changed, platform plank
should be taken on international
questions las the expression Of wish
rather than as the expression of de-
termination, for no nation can afford
to purchase a small advantage in the
face of a universal protest"
IF a nation" continued the Sec
retary, desires to array itself against
the world, it should be sure that the
thing which it is to gain, is worth
what it costs. The president, knowing
that every commercial nation except
our own, construes the treaty as
pledge of equal treatment, would have
been recreant to his trust had he fail
ed to point out to the American peo-
pie that our diplomatic relation
would be seriously disturbed by the
carrying out Of the free tolls policy"
But Two Questions.
Considering the repeal measure
upon its merits, Mr.. Bryan said there
were just two questions to be decided:
First, Is it desirable for the Demo-
cratic party to abandon its historic
position and become the advocate of
subsidies and bounties? And second,
if it is desirable, what is the Demo-
cratic party willing to sacrifice in in
ternational prestige and world inf1u-
ence in order to secure the advantage
which these subsidies promise to
few people?"