Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1914-04-16
Mr.. FINLEY DEFENDS
VOTE ON TOLLS REPEAL
Editer Lancaster News.

some Crltlc1SrnS OF myself charg-
ing in effect that in voting
against the bill to repeal that
part of the Panama Canal tolls
act, granting free tolls to vessels
engaged in coast-wise trade, l
havev tied against the President.
| beg to call your attention to
the iact that in voting as I did
on this bill, | was simply obey
ing the law Of the Democratic
party as expressed in the Balti-
more platform by the National
Convention of the party in 1912.
When | became n candidate in
the last prin- ary. ! sigrod a
pledge tN"t va, 60 hi In
Nov. ti"r &. n, puve' iou, on
econoro'c prrnd', | voted
against free toll. and, after
the N7t;orHl Democratic Con-
ventio0 ot Pa'tioor 70 ced IN
the p'7 for-l of tSa ua1,v a
strong nl0~l, Gac' rirg 81 avor
of free @ol'@ Cor FL American
veseolz engaged ir coaet-v so
trade, paesi~e -hroroA The
Panaroa Canal, TIT Going
from one port to another il the
United States. |. o. course,
changed nv position 10 accord
with The actio0 Of the National
Democre tic Convention IN its
declaration for free tolls. This
plark vas inserted b. Mr..
Brya0, ae 7 am reliohII informed
and besides this, ne vaS chair
man of t5e Subcommittee,
which DRAFTED and reported the
platform. After this when the
President was a candidate for
election. he strongly endorsed
this plank ir the platform and
called attertion % eor1e of TIE
benefits that would accrue to
American citizens.
The National Democratic Con-
vention is the highest court of
resort in the party and its plat
form is a declaration of party
principles.
am now and have always
been Democrat. For twenty
five years, my home county has
honored me with every express
sion of confidence in the pri-
maries and the general election.
The same is true of the Fifth
Congressional District for the
past sixteen years. Before the
primary election of 1912, / stated
that | stood on the platform of
the Democratic party. | have,
in this instance as | have in all
others for twenty-five years,
kept the party faith as stated in
the platform of the party, and |
do not think the time will ever
come when | will not do this.
unless before the election, | an
nounce to the people, whose
representative | seek to be that |
will not do so.
While / did not support the
President for the nomination.
but as soon as he was nominated,
he was my candidate and | am
sure chat no man in South Caro-
lima worked harder for his elec-
ton than did.
For the past three Congress-
ional campaigns. have been
vice-chairman of the Democratic
Congressional Committee, and
during the month of October,
spent my time at the Congress
sional headquarters i'm Wash
ington. where | was in charge.
Of course, | was supposed tC
work primarily for the election
of members of the House. yet in
no instance did neglect the wei
fare of the party candidate fol
President and vice President in
the last election. | have trieC
to\make the present administra.
tion a success, but in the matter
of platform declarations, / an
bound by the platform, unless
some great and threatening
national issue should arise
which from standpoint of i'm
portance on account OF danger
threatening, would vastly out
weight the platform declaration
No such issue has arisen nor ha:
the President stated that one
has arisen. All the talk abou
myself and others fighting th'
al