The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-04-09
SENATOR LODGE FAVOF2S
VIII SONS PANAMA P0LlC
AS the Nations Standing and
Honor is the Real Question
before the Senate.
.TREATIEs He'd sAcRED
Decent Respect to the Opinions
of Mankind Demands
Prompt Repeal.

Il
cav AssoeiArxp pRtwsS
WASHINGTON d. c., April q
Senator Lodge, ranking Republican
member of the foreign relations com-
mittee, addressed the Sen ate today In
support OF President Wilson's Pana-
ma Canal tolls. policy. He maintained
vigorously the legal right OF the Unit
ed states to exempt its shipping, for
| eign as well as coastwise, from tolls,
but declared that "a decent respect
to the opinions of mankind and the
'distrust and in some cases dislike"
with which the United States is re-
! garded abroad, demanded prompt re-
peal of the exemption clause of the
canal act.
.sWhether we shall insist upon Civ
ing to our ships two or three millions
OF dollars in disputed way is, in my
Conception, very small question
compared TO the larger issues which
are here involved, said the Senator.
| when the year 1909 opened, the
United States occupied higher and
stronger position among the nations
of the earth than at any period in
our history. Never before had we
| Possessed such an influence in inter
national affairs, and that influence
had been used bene6ciently and for
the worlds peace in two conspicuous
instances-at Portsmouth and at AL
geciras. Never before had our rela-
tons with the various states of Cen
trial and South America been so good.
1t seems as If the shadow of sus-
lpicion which, owing to our dominant
and at times domineering power, had
darkened and chilled our relations
with the people of Latin America
had at last been lifted This great
position and this commanding inhu-
ence have been largely lost.
Regarded with DisGrIIst.
stI am not in the councils of the
President of the United States, but I
believe that during the past year the
present position of the United States
I'm its foreign relations has become
very apparent to him, asst has to 9TH
er responsible and rejecting men,
and with this appreciation of our
present position has cone the earn
! est wish to retrace some of our steps,
at least, and to regain, so far as pos
sihle, the high plane which we form
lerly occupied. 1t would be an OBJ
1yious IMPROPERLY to point out the
tiatfons with the various nations, both
i'm the old world and the new; 1t is
1 enough to note the fact that we are
regarded by other nations, with dis
trust and in some cases with dislike.
Rightly or wrongly. they have come
to believe that we are not to be trust
led: that we make our international
relations the sport of politics and
treat them as il they were In no wise
diferent from questions of domestic
Legislation.
.sThis has not been in accord v Ith
our history or our position. soniy
once have ne sbrogateda treaty and
then actual If not declared war exist
led. We have scrupulous1y observed
Il - n
where differences have arisen we
have settled them not with the high
hand of power but by negotiation
and arbitration.
ST suppose that at this moment in
the midst of the adroitly stimulated
passions raised against the presi-
dents recommendation that we
should repeal the toll exemption it
will be thought very poor spirited
and even truckling-I believe that is
THE accepted word-to suggest that
lin deciding this question we should
take into consideration the opinions
of other nations. Nevertheless, l
consider this a very Important ele-
inent in any decision which ! may
reach, and / am encouraged to De-
lieye that am right in so thinking,
Il because L have the warrant and au-
thor-ity of the author of the Declara-
Ition of independence. When Jefer-
4 son framed that great Instrument he
declared that the impelIing reason
for making the declaration was "a de-
cent respect to the opinions of man
kind
ssyrhe long delay in tho ratification
by the Senate of the treaties renewed
the arbitration treaties OF 1905 pro
}duced4 a widespread feeling among
other nations that our championship
LOT the principle of arbitration and
our loud boasts of our devotion to
the cause of peace were the merest
hypocrisy, because we seemed ready
to abandon the cause Of arbitration
when it looked as II our treaties
might bring us to the arbitration OF
Questions which we did not desire to
have decided by an impartial tri-
Ibunaf. The president renewed the
arbftration treaties. and finally, after
a. DELAY which. as have said, aroused
IunnIeasant suspicious. those which
nav. been sent to the Senate have
Iratiled. This was the presidents
ihrst step. as looked tit, In his eff
fort to restore the influence and rep
lutatfon of the United States, which
Inc had found to be impaired. The
OF the repeal of the tOl1-exempt1on
clause of the Canal Act
An Uneasy Suspicion.
seThe outcry about exhibiting sub
servy5encv to Great Britain or any 9TH
ar country because we see at to repeal
the tolls seems to me hardly worthy
OF serious consideration The United
States is altogether too great and
too powerful to be subservient to
gesinc Ii seems to me to indicate an
:, ~ .rTyy ,sy,sngcion on 7fle mart of those