New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-25
Induce Irish and German
Voters to Object to Re
peal Measure.
MANY LEGISLATORS
ON ANXIOUS SEAT
Fear That if They Stand by Presi-
dent They Will Be Beaten
for Reelection.
rrom The TrIbune Bureau

Washington. March 9-That the neces-
sitv Of voting for or against the fepeaI
NJ the free tolls provision Of the Panama
canal act is certain 10 cost Democratic
,renbers of Congress many votes. ana
,robablv will result in the defeat OF some
80 Them IS the conviction Of many mem
h.,s or both houses. The opposition is
;,,nrovine its opportunity to arouse the
Irish and even German prejudice ana
this Is being heard from az both ends oi
the Capitol
Senators who heretofore have peen
practically free 10 vote in accordance
with their convictions on matters aHect-
ing the foreign relations OF the nation are
no longer so. and some Of them are ours
ing the dav when they were compelled 10
vote for an amendment TO the Constitu-
ton providing for the election OF men"
bers OF the upper House by popular vote
Under this amendment they are destined
~ suffer as severely from the passions
aroused bv demagogic opposition 10 the
repeal Of the free tolls provisions as mem
bers OF the House, and they find the stu
alton both irksOme and fearsome.
The tolls exemption repeal is bringing
troubled sleep TO many House Democrats
particularly those who come from as
tricts where the Irish vote IS large Ihese
Democrats. feeling that they ought 10
stand by the President, are in desperate
straits. as continued protests arrive from
voters who ask II their representative IN
tends 10 "truckle to Great Britain.
Irish-American societies have not been
reticent in their protests against the re-
peal bill. and city members. counting up
the Irish voters in their respective DIS
tricts. are yacillating between loyalty 10
the White House and obedience 10 the
cry from home.
That the Presidents proposal - bound
10 cost more than one Democrat seat IN
the House is taken as matter of course.
Members from the rural districts ere not
so worried but the average city member
with an Irish-American society or so on
his mailing list. is between his satanic
majesty and the deep. blue pond.
Many Senators Perplexed.
The tolls question presents a perpleXing
problem 10 those OF the thirty-two Sen
ators whose terms expire next year and
VINO are CdndlualeS LOT lc-tlHN 'iOii' j n.y.
or their successors will be chosen for
the first time by popular vote. and they
will be as directly subject TO the infu-
ences OF popular opinion a. members of
the House.
Some Of the Senators are afraid that
the tolls exemption clause II the Bait
more platform will haunt them 10 their
political graves if they support the Presl-
dent. This is the case particularly IN
North Carolina. where pledges TO stan"
by the platform were made 10y the DEM
ocratic delegation in Congress.
Though II is admitted by the opponents
Of the repeal bill that the President viii
carry the day the prediction is mad
that he will do So at great cost. and that
he may be leading his protesting forces
10 political slaughter to achieve his pur-
lose.
With rumors about the House that the
protracted debate on the rivers and har-