Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-05-07
SENATOR O'GORMAN
ON TOLLS REPEAL
New York Senator Made Strong Arqu
ment in Opposition to Repeal
Of Panama Tolls.

tBy Associated Press1
} Washington, May Senator OGor
man, chairman of the Interoceani
Canals Committee, and leader of tn,
forces opposed to the repeal of the toll
exemption clause of the Panama Cana
act, gave the Senate today the legal
economic and political reasons tor his
opposition.
In three-hour speech, the Senator
discussed exhaustively every phase
OF the subject. He discovered nc
ground in international law which
would forbid exemption of American
coastwise ships from toll payment
saw behind the repeal movement the
hand of the railroads and disclosed
that a failure to impose a tax could
not be called subsidy.
The Senator warned his Democratic
colleagues that to repeal the exemp.
tion was to violate the pledges of the
Baltimore platform and to reverse the
verdict of the people when they elect
ed President Wilson last November on
that platform.
Senator O'Gorman said that mas.
much as former Presidents Roosevelt
and Taft and preceding Congress
agreed that coastwise vessels should
be exempt, another Congress should
think twice before giving it's approval
to the repeal bill, for it in turn might
find itself reversed by Congress yet
to be elected
80 This question of tolls" said the
Senator, lis but an incident in a great
contest now in it's initial stage, which
may determine the control of the
Panama Calal for all time. The con.
struction of the canal will rank among
the worlds wonders, but the opinion
of mankind will pronounce the sur.
render of our sovereignty over it a
colossal blunder and a triumph of
British diplomacy.
Il know there is a vague suspicion
that diplomatic reasons require this |
National abasement, but my judgment
maturely formed and base upon such |
information as is available, is that |
the gravity of our International rela.
tons has been grossly. though uncon-
sciously, exaggerated The American
people want peace, but they fear no
power on earth. Shadows cannot dis
.urb a brave man. They should not
alarm a brave and intrepid people.
No Senator questions the patriot.
SIN and high purpose of the Presi.
lent, but if legislation is to be made
dependent upon his will alone. no one
AN predict the mischief to which such
precedent will expose this govern.
nent in future years. believe that
he passage of this bill compromises
he dignity and honor of the country.
nd before the deed is consummated
enter my solemn protest against
that | conceive to be a betrayal of
he American people"
Senator O'Gorman further sought to
hoWa that exemption of American
oastwise vessels is a wise economic
olicy; that If such vessels fall with.
the terms of the .Pauncefote
'eaty, exemption does not constitute
violation thereof and that the
anal has been constructed on terri.
Try over which the United States is
overeign, while' the canal contem-
lated in the treaty was to be built
alien soil, and therefore the treaty
inapplicable
Exempting coastwise craft from T
lie payment of tolls" he continued, 9
will reduce the cost of shipping
rough the canal to a minimum. and
ereby compel competing roads in
Re United States and Canada to re. /
ice' their rates to a competitive
isis. The more expensive you make =
alter transportation the greater lati. r
de you extend to the railroads in the
ling of their rates, Place a toll on 8
e domestic shipping and for every Il
liar you collect by way of toll 70. v
able the railroads to make a cor I
spending increase in their rates It
rs hoped by some that the exemption ?,
the coastwise trade might be fol- h
we'd in the near future by like a
emption to the few American ships =