The Washington herald., 1914-05-18
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REPEAL Tolls,
SAY Delegates
Great Majority Of Members Of
Baltimore Convention
Uphold President.
GORE RECEIVES REPLIES
Senator Gets Views from 867. of
Whom 702 Repudiate Plank
in Platform.
GORE RECEIVES REPLIES

An overwhelming majority of the dele
gates to the Baltimore convention have
responded to Senator Cores letter of in
quiry, repudiating the plan in the plat
form that declares in favor of free tolls
as II affects the Panama Canal
To date the blind Senator has heard
from ss7 delegates, and ZOE Of this num-
Der have registered their opposition to
the free toll plank. The delegates VINO
stand for the free toll provision total only
1z7. Letters from 3s delegates are nom
committal.
The position taken by the overwhelm-
ing majority of the delegates is consid-
cred remarkable by advocates OF repeal.
who are both delighted and pleased with
the showing made
Herewith are given extracts from a
few of the letters received by Senator
Gore:
Wv. Smith, attorney-at-lawr Of OF
tawa, Ohio. and a delegate to the Baiti-
. more convention. writes:
II think that free tolls is simply sub
sidy in disguise to certain vessel own
-ers, and that the people Will get but lit
tie benefit from them"
Newton d. Baker. Mayor of Cleveland.
and a delegate to the Baltimore conven-
tion, writes:
81 have examined the question with
very great care and am satisfied that the
plain morals and the high public duty Of
this situation are with the position as
sumed by the President"
Word from J. H. Cooke.
J.H. Cooke, member of Congress from
the Fourth Ohio District and a delegate
to the Baltimore convention, writes:
II voted against free tolls in the Sixty
second Congress as a member of the
Committee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce of the House, and voted for
the repeal of the exemption clause in the
Panama Canal act several weeks ago.
The district that 1 represent is the
largest Democratic district in the State
under normal conditions, and i have
taken some pains in ascertaining the SEN
timent of the people on the question dur
ing the past week that have been home,
and 1 am satisfied that not only 80 per
cent of the Democrats. but a large per
cent of the Republicans are with the
President on this question:
William Hasson, president of the First
National Bank of Oil City, Pa, and
delegate to the Baltimore convention.
writes:
'It is regrettable that the undemocratic
declaration favoring the passage Of our
coastwise vessels through the Panama
Canal free of toll found a place in the
Baltimore platform. The declaration is
a bad one. and is capable of the con-
struction that indirect subsidy would not
be Objectionable, q policy the Democratic
party has always opposed"
]. A. Donovan, of the d. C. Donovan
Lumber Company, Longmont, Colo, and
a delegate to the Baltimore convention,
writes:
THE men who own the coastwise ves-
sells and control that trade did not build
the canal They probably contributed
their share toward its construction as did
every other citizen of this country.
'I don't see any good reason why any
craft that floats should pass through that
canal without paying its proper share of
tolls. I think President Wilson's position
is absolutely correct, and l hape the Sen
ate will back him up in the matter"
should Sustain President.
Stephen c. Perry, an attorney, of Port
land, Me, and delegate to the Balti-
more convention, writes:
President Wilson has requested and
advised the repeating of the free tolls
clause, and in this is supported by the
State Department, the head of which was
most prominent in the formation of the
platform at Baltimore, and it is my belief
that the administration should be sus-
tained on this question
John w. Coughlin. of Fail River. Mass,
member of the Democratic National Com
mittee and delegate to the Baltimore
writes:
"An honest man would not insist on
his own construction of the treaty, re-
gardless of the rights of others. A great
nation cannot afford to act otherwise; If