American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-04-09

icy now, was 1t not "a mistaken
economic policy during the campaign
of 1912 when we all, under the lead
of the president himself, Endorsed it
as part Of the Democratic creed on
which we appealed for votes? If so,
why did the British indorse it then?
1t can not be hat a proposition which
was so good before the election can
be so awfully bad after the election.
But it is not "a mistaken economic
policy II so. is not our policy from
the beginning of shutting all foreign
ships out Of our coastwise trade a
mistaken economic policy? Do not
our rules Of charging foreign vessels
for wharfage, dockage, pilotage, and
SO forth, while charging our own
vessels no fees, or smaller fees, also
constitute "a mistaken economic pol
ICY if the president is correct?
I'm short, If he is correct. is not
anything we can do TO give our own
people an economic advantage whatso-
ever in the race for commercial su-
premacy "a mistaken economic pol
.icyT
Executive Position Untenable.
"As that is a disputed point, why
not amend this bill so as to continue
the present law with the exemption
section for two years or suspend it for
two years? BY amending the bill
either way we control the situation. II
the exemption from tolls should turn
out to be "a mistaken economic pol
icy we can repeal or modify it; but if
we pass this repeal bill, control over
our own canal, built on our own soil
with our own money, is gone from US
and our heirs forever.
"A second reason for the repeal as
signed by President Wilson is that the
exemption of our coastwise trade from
payment of tolls is in plain c%ontraven-
ton Of the treaty with Great Britain
concerning the canal, concluded on
November is, 1901
"Of course, the president believed
that or he would not have said it, but
he was mistaken. II l believed that 1
would vote for him, for l am as ten
der and Jealous of my country's honor
as he is, or as any other living man is.
Supreme Court Ruling.
1.-The supreme court of the United
States is supposed to know some law.
In the case of Olsen versus Smith, re-
ported in the 195th United States vol
ume -J-32, at page 344, a a inyolv-
ing the point involved in the exemp-
ton section of the Panama canal tolls
law, the supreme court had the temer-
ity to rule to the contrary. Chief JUS
tice White, then Mr. Justice White
delivered the opinion of the court.
1.-THE court held that there could be
no discrimination where there was ne
competition, and hat as by the Law
of the United States only American
vessles can engage in coastwise trade
: it was no violation of the treaty if tn
: regulations applied to all vessels il
the foreign trade. The reasoning o
that decision applies equally we'll L
the political situation.
Evidently the president has neve
l. read the Olsen against Smith decision
by u court of last resort, or he new
er would have concluded that the ex
emption of tolls on our coastwis
trade was in plain c-ontravention o
our treaty with Great Britain.
IF we have entered into an agree
= ment which forbids us to manage on
own affairs, then we must abide by il
however foolish or unnecessary tina
engagement may have been. But hav
. we? Here opinions-honest opinion
differ; and, mind you, not onl,
American, but British opinions. Hi
= majesty's government is quite certai
q now that exemption of tolls on on
coastwise traffic violates the Hay
~Pauncefote treaty. but it was far fror
{ certain when its accredited represen
S tative wrote to our secretary Of stat
4 as late as July, 1912, that If the trad
g should be so regulated as TO make
f certain that only bona tide coastwis
traffic, which is reserved for Unite
States vessels, would be benefited b
d this exemption, it may be that no OF
S lection could be taken
Il Views Of Other Authorities.
so far as our own best judges ar
concerned, it is, 1 believe, quite SAT
: to say that with the exception Of tn
learned senator from New York an
our former highly respected ambasss
dor, Mr.. Choate. the weight of recoe
nized legal opinion Of the highe'
merit, from Mr., Olney, Mr.. Taft. NJ
Knox, and to my mind, though
would make no invidious distinction
. most important by far Of all. from th
: present chief justice Of the Unite