The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-06-18
MR. UNDERWOOD AND
THE TOLLS QUESTION


Nmle the passage by the senate OIL
the amended tolls bill may be super
ticially heralded as another triumph
for President Wilson" it is obviously
a victory of the Pyrrhian sort, AN
other such and we are undone," say
some of the administration support
ers.
While the president will probably
sign the amended measure, it is
known that the adopted Simmons
Norris amendments are not satisfac-
tory to him. The president has not
had his way in "ungrudging mea-
sure The amendments were grud-
gingly accepted by the administration
after it became apparent that if
the president should insist on trying
to force an un-amended house bill
through the senate there would be
grave probability of its defeat. As
finally passed the house bill carries
this important reservation:
provided. that the passage of
this act shall not be construed or
held as waiver or REIMBURSEMENT
of any right the United States may
have under the treaty with Great
Britain, ratified the 21st Of Febru
ary, 1902, or the treaty with the re-
public of Panama, ratified February
26, 1904, or otherwise discriminate
in favor of its vessels by eXempting
the vessels of the United States or
its citizens from the payment of tolls
for passing through said canal, or as
in any way waving, impairing or al
tecting any right of the United States
under said treaty or otherwise with
respect to the sovereignty over or the
ownership, control and the regula-
ton of the conditions or charges of
traffic through the same
The distinction between this
action and the ungrudging
repeal asked by the president is this
it leaves the whole issue open to
be threshed out in the coming poll
teal campaigns. The president had
that discrimination is in
.1cor yiolotion of tba lIav poupoofota
treaty. Congress would not travel
',ith him that far. 1t says, in effect,
hat the treaty may or may not bar
discrimination. Ii not, tile United
States expressly reserves all its rights
% deal as it pleases with its domes-
.ic commerce.
The net result of President Will
son opening of the tolls question is
% provide his political opponents
With a new issue in 1914 and 1916,
md bitter split in the ranks Of his
own party. Party leaders like
speaker Clark Chairman Under
wood. Congressional Chairman Fitz-
GERALD and Senator O'Gorman re-
used point blank to follow the pres
Dental lead. Senator Tillman, while
voting for the repeal,
'ould not withhold his indignant
criticism. Tpe rank and file of the
party in congress followed the presi
lent out in Difference to the leader
hip of the presidential Office. They
would have followed him Just the
,ame if positions had been reversed
md the president Trad been support
ng no tolls against tolls advocated
~ Clark, Underwood, Fitzgerald and
)'Gorman.
Mr.. Underwood boldly declares a
)elief that the canal tolls issue is
low squarely before the country.
Il am sure said he in an inter
Jew last Saturday, that further con
Of this issue, which now
axes its place as a vital national
question, will increase day by day
he keen interest of the people in its
light solution. Within a year after
he canal is opened the record of
satisfies will tell the startling story.
Then it will be seen among the mul-
itudes of vessels using the canal
hat the English or German or Jap
.nese and other foreign ships mon
,polize the waterway, and how pitt
ully few American vessels, either
oreign or domestic, are recorded as
,asing through.
"Then we shall see that with this
removed from tie rates
# the transcontinental railways the
,reat bulk of ranscontinental com
nerce will be carried from New York |
md the east to Seattle and San Fran
isco by the transcontinental rail
Ways, just as 1t is today, and that the
eduction of transcontinental rates
~ competition, which was one of the
,reat fundamental reasons why the
American people voted to build the
anal, has been defeated by this mar
ow and short-sighted policy which
efused to offer inducements to our
,wn ships to use the canal"
Mr.. Underwood stigmatizes Presi
lent Wilson's policy as "maudln"
md glories in his successful fight
lgainst it.
81 only wish it was to do over
lgain, so that | might do it more
'igorously if not more successfully"
le declares. Il have been in many
,reat fights in congress. | have been
and | have been defeated.