The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-31
VOTE ON REPEAL
Of TOLLS CLAUSE
WELCOME TODAY
Few Doubt Result Will
Be Victory for
Wilson.
PREDICT MARGIN
OF 30 TO Is VOTES
All Ears Strained to Hear Attack
of Speaker Clark in Great Final
Effort to Defeat Repeal Plan.
Verbal Artillery Thunders
in Capitol in History
Making Battle.

Washington. March 3o-On tho cyo
of the vote In the House of Represen-
tntives on the repeal OF American toll
ee:Xsmptlon in the Panama Canal act,
sorbcd in the controversy. Verbal ar
tilicry, Numbered throughout the day
In both House and Senate.
IN oratorical flights at the Capitol.
rresidsnt Wilson took occasion 70 dis
cuTs the all-engrossing situation with
what had promised to he n dienified
contest over principles had dcgener-
atcd into q fight upon the administra-
Wilson characterized rs "a crowninr
insult insult OF a number of insults" in the
the administration had made n deal to
TsPInini rtI,i; the tolls exemption with Sir
eigu Affairs. 'o'
repeal bill in the House schedmied
for late tomorrow, interest in the
GO o2hSrosersy Sn revived, the closing speech
repeal serving as the CHIEF objective
point of anticipation. Little doubt as
is enfertan6o enf resTlt Of the vote on the bill
Jority Tor the repeal being variously
estimated ss' at from thirty to seventy,
Al ears will be strained for the
Speaker Tomorrow, and there is much
sspecuiation as to the course his at
90 not expect him to attack the pr,.si
usnt. 'sn1,t. Some Democrats believe that lie
WI WI not refrain, however. from al
iuS,ot nt 10 political entanglements
Discussion OF the issue in the SENATE
Today was enlivened by Senator Jan,cs
''ifal!on ed for M Lewis Of illinois. who plead
however, compromise, civinr III,
ftSSs,uenr SSnnin authority to suspend tolls.
tonishment and curiosity amon@ hS his
ceid,lg ceiIiedlgues by discussing the foreign
dent might have referred to in I'll.
,nessage ness on the tolls issue, asking Con.
VIVID picture of dire things thnt won,.i
mnppcm should the United states inter
to HeierripS ierri9,; to the Presidents failure
prompted neei' him what IA 1oreien relations
s,mption repeal. the Senator did eNt
hesitate to say what | feel NAV bave
been been his reasons" He then ne enterea ares
,ne ,Ii, part OF the United States. berin M.
"'TT5 ~ WIN the taking Of the Philippines.
Using up the Mexican situation anG
Statev SSttaiewtns i, the operations OF the United
in,'1ts ~ IN other lands and the interesta
and an dMe4tGo 0tGor Of England, France. Japan
dramatically dscias declared: senator Lewis
down rhG J., very " first moment we move
c1Mn cutinr int0 To- MeXco Nd with a view of exc
tihese foreign nations. who havs SIS
tioneu t, themselves there upon the tbeorv
cue the doctrine because OF orr nast
phiiii, phi onpah promptly would seize the
seize ipRis Rawai iiSiamIs anI tnsS She would then
aiohs-our armies In Mexico. the cana1
,F nS' M Mmnlshed. no way to have a ioin5er
our country be? "ouiu
Russia, with her grievances-sba
Wien whc SEM !, "a nid to the Union at a time
cause or English influence the adn1n-
isn, iLaotatioh IN power the last ten Years
itms i,mss;a IT'S mid TO japan against her.
ii,ussia' remembering this wrong. now
IN an offensive and defensive nii;ance
OF lite and death with japan. wol,id
not lose her opportunity. Russia. win
her grievance, promptly would aid IN
sclZihS Alaska ana the north near her
..rho Would lie Helpless.
united; united; would sail to the North Sea to to
protect Alaska. and to the Orient, to
di,,,, me phiiippines. The army would be
other part moving 10 our possessious
to protect them. England. feeling un
"sr ,, ihVse ccnditions no friendliness to
us ana South America already jmbued
with feeling that when under the
administration OF Colonel Roosevelt wo
performed Caesarian operation on
&pNcrnment CT Panama, only waits thar
IL may duplicate the performance uDon
one equally defenselcss. on the south
near TO the Canal Zone: furnishing
supplies to the enemy and supporting
the assault. In what splendid con-
dition we would stand. Sad indeed il
is to contemplate"
Senator Lewis appealed to Congress
to trust the President, hoping that
we may return to the doctrine OF a
true party"
Again to-day in the House a crowded
floor and galleries. thronged to a point
which broke all records OF attendance
listened TO the arguments on the issue.
ihe FreSiuent was attacked and de-
Tended by vigorous orators. The cam
paign policy OF the administration was
policy of granting American vessels
free tolls was alternately supported and
condemned.
Attacks on tho President brought
Representative Walsh, OF New Jersey.
to his feet with ringing defense Tho
Democrats cheered his tribute to Presi-
dent wilson vigorously.
Speaks From InvRlid's Chair.
The Importance of the occasion was
impressed on the spectators wnen
shortly after the House met, 'Represcn-
tative LEnGle. of Florida, a sufferer
from rheumatism, was wheeled into
the House In an invaiid's chair and
from the chair made speech opposing
the repeal.
During the day Miss Eleanor Wilson,
the Presidents daughter. and several
White House quests, took places II,
the executive gallery OF the House and
listened to the debate for a time. 4
in the Senate, Senator Owen read
into the record plank OF the Isaltl
This. he said, was Hat contradictioulf3