The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-03-05
CANAL TOLL PROVISION
WILL CAUSE Big FIGHT
BELIEVED PRESIDENT WILSON WILL HAVE
GREAT DIFFICULTY IN GETTING ACTION.
DELIVERED ADDRESS INPERSON
Appealed to Congress to Act Justly in Repeating
Canal Toll Provision For American Ships to
Save COuntry's Honor.

WASHINGTON, Mar 5.-President
Wilson's demand for the repeal of the
clause in the Panama canal law
exempting American shipping from
tolls promises to result in the
ecutive with any considerable number
of democrats in the house and SEN
ate. Indications are that the contest
will be extremely bitter. The repeal
opponents are resolute and the presi-
dent and his supporters are equally
determined 1t seemed today prac-
tically certain they will be success
full in the house but it is hard to tell
what the vote will be in the senate.
There is a strong likelihood that the
fight will prolong the session. The
message of the president delivered in
person today was the shortest he has
yet delivered to congress and was A.
follows
Has Grave ImpllcatiOnS.
Il have come to you on an errand
which can be very briefly performed,
but l beg you will not measure its
Importance by the number OF SEN
tences in which | state it. No com
munication that | have addressed to
congress has carried with it more
grave or far-reaching implication to
the interests of the country, and
come now-to speak upon a matter with
regard to which am charged to a pc
culiar degree; by the constitution 1T |
self. with personal responsibility.
Asks for the Repeal.
II come to ask the repeal Of that
provision of the Panama canal act
of August "a, 1912, which exempts
vessels engaged in coastwise trade OF
America from the payment of tolls
and to urge upon you the justice and
wisdom and large policy OF such
repeal with the utmost earnestness OF
L
Judgment, maturely formed after
careful consideration, l believe that
exemption constitutes mistaken
economic policy from every point OF
view, and is, moreover, in plain con-
.ravention of the treaty with Great
Britain concerning the canal, con-
|
Not Urging Personal Views. {
But | have not come before you l
ourge my personal views. | come TO
tate to you fact and situation I
Whatever may be our own differences !
# opinion concerning this much-del c
lated measure, it's meaning is not de- i
,ated outside of the United States. u
yverywhere else the language Of the
reaty is given but'one Interpretation,
nd that interpretation precludes the
xemption | am asking you to re-
cal. We consented to the treaty; its :,
anguage we accepted, if we did not
riginate it, and we are too big, too
owerful and too self-respecting ma
on to interpret with too strained or
efined reading the words of our own
romises Just because we have power
nough to give us leave to read them
) we please. The large thing to do
the only thing we can afford to 40, NJ
i'd that is a. voluntary withdrawal
ON a position everywhere question:
and misunderstood. We ought TO
verse our action without raising the
lestion of whether we are right or 81
rong, and so once more deserve our Gt
putation for generosity and re- WI
mption of every obligation without Ei
Iibble or hesitation. Ge
Support Foreign Policy. ~ -.
II ask this of you in support OF ca
e foreign policy of my administra- 20
IN. | shall not know how to deal ral
tn other matters of even greater Fr
licacy and nearer consequences II 90,
IL do not grant it to me in an un- m :
Judging measure. An
Cit
EnpIish Shakespearean Actors.