The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-04-20
WILLIAMS Will
SUPPORT Wilson
FREE TOLLS fight
MISSISSIPPI SENATOR SAYS UNI
TED STATES SHOULD NOT
BE SELFISH.
SAYS EXEMPTION WOULD
NOT BREAK ANY TREATY
Declares Britain's Construction Of
Contract Should Have Much Weight
With This country-Other Friendly
Nations sympathize With Britain.
Special TO The NeaOS.

Special TO The Neaos.
Washington, D. c., April 20.-Sena-
tor John Sharp Williams, of Missis-
sippi, has come out squarely in favor
of President Wilson's demand that
the tolls exemption clause in the Pan
anna Canal act be repealed.
Senator Williams reasons are some
what unique. He does not regard the
free tolls provision as violation Of
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, yet he
bases his opposition to it on that
treaty. His idea is that although
from the standpoint of the United
States the treaty might not be violat-
ed by sending American coastwise
vessels through free, If England and
the other foreign countries put that
construction on it, the United States
ought to give way.
He has not explained why he does
not believe the provision is in viola
tion of the treaty, though he prom
ised to take that up at later date
He also has not made public his in
depreciation of the Baltimore plat
form. Indeed, his first expression, al
though it states positively that he
favors the repeal of the free tolls
clause, is very brief and does not go
into many of the important details
which the senator will discuss later.
Speaks In Senate.
In his speech on the floor Of the
Senate, Senator Williams partially
sets forth his attitude on the question
in his own unique language as fol-
lows:
"I do not believe exempting our
coastwise vessels from the payment
of tollsris a violation Of this treaty.
tt is not, necessary for me to. enter
into the reasons why do not believe
it. On some future occasion win
enter into them. b. am in favor Of
this repeal now, just as I would be
IN favor of extinguishing contract
with the SENATOR from Wyoming un-
| der certain circumstances.
''Tf / had q written contract with
the senator, from Wyoming, and !
went to him and said, In consequence
of that contract with you l am going
! to proceed, upon a certain day, to per-
| form a certain act,' and il the senator
from Wyoming we're to say to me-
| Well, John, do not construe that
contract as you do, and you must ad
NIT that / have an equal right to con
true it, then, as we would be indi
viduals and not nations, would have
one of several replies to make.
81 might bridleup like a bully and
might say to him, Well, l don't care
what you think about the contract;
I construe my own contract II did
that would bring on more than words
think, with him. Or l might turn
around then and say, We'll, old fel
low I am sorry you take a different
view of it; and without any harsh
feelings between US, we will leave II
to the courts of the country
Break In Analogy.
I There comes in the break in thu
analogy, because in quarrel between
nations there is no court except the
high court at The Hague and the pro
visions made in that treaty for ar
bitral tribunals.
taking it for granted that these
are international courts, and agreed
upon before hand--either the court a
The Hague, or, as is provided in these
treaties, another arbitral tribunal t
Continued on Page Four,) )