Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-28
REPEAL men
WIN FIRST
CLASH
Boosted Majority Of rs to 100
Only 81 on Roll Callahan
son Against Exemption.

WASHINGTON, March 27.-The
first test of strength to-day between
thea administration and the opponents
of the proposal to repeal the free tolls
clause of the Panama Canal act in
dicated that the supporters Of the
President will be able TO secure
enough votes to pass the repeal, al
though where the administration had
claimed majority OF 10 to 100 votes
on the issue, on ordering the pre-
vious question on the report of the
Committee on Rules, 1t was shown
only majority of 81 had voted with
the President. The previous question
was ordered by ayes 20I noes 176.
The usual Democratic majority in the
e:fIopse is 1l7.
The adoption Of the rule was then
carried by vote OF 200 to 172, ma
jority of only %.
All party lines were broken in the
voting, the Democratic party being
split as never before In the present
administration.
Greeting for Speaker.
When Speaker Clark entered the
House chamber at IL o'clock he was
accorded an enthusiastic greeting. He
cut short the ovation by asking the
chaplain to pray.
Interest in the party crisis was re-
Elected in the tense face sof all the
members on the floor and the specta-
tors in the galleries who whispered
to each other as they pointed to I'M
derwood, Speaker Clark. Adamson,
Henry, Republican Leader Mann,
Progressive Leader Murdoch and
other notable figures in the drama
Representative Adamson, 81 Geor-
Aopened debate with. ardirect at
Speaker Clark.
pknine years." he said, "a lobby
lsax zesounded throughout Congress
r and the country in favor of free tolls.
This is the first rule ever asked for
bv the Interstate Commerce Commit
tee since have been connected with
it. / first sought to have this bill
considered in the ordinary way, but
found IT impossible to reach an agree
ment. Originally. we figured on ten
hours debate, and understood that
this was satisfactory to the Speaker
Of this House. Then we decided on
fifteen hours debate and again I
heard that thsi was agreeable to the
Speaker
Opposed by Lobby 9 Years.
ave are willing, to have the truth
known, for there HAS been a lobby
against us for nine years, and If the
truth is known this repeal bill will
carry We do not want any amend
ment of the bill. because none is
needed"
Loud cries of "ohl" came from all
parts Of the chamber, following this
statement.
Adamson asserted that President
Wilson came before Congress with
his special message asking the repeal
Of the free tolls clause only because
he was begged to do so by the mem
bers of his party in the House and
Senate.
"Do members forget the dramatic
day when the martyr President Nc
Kinley had barely signified in gen
erai way that the foreign relations OF
the Government were in jeopardy,
he asked when this House by unan-
imous vote placed s5O.oOO.OoO in his
= hands to be used at his discretion
ThRt nobody in any party questioned
his honesty and integrity that no
body, at the behest of selfish special
Interests, offered unpardonable-yea'
reasonable - resolutions inquiring
Kto the facts and reasons which all
civilized men knew are sacredly -
cret in conducting the foreign AFFAIRS
OF any government? Nobody rose and
cursed England in that dreadful hour
but she was relied upon in the crisis.
Continued on Page 8, Column T.