New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-08
Adamson Asserts 1t was
Slipped In" the Balti-
more Declaration.
SAYS CONVENTION
DID NOT KNOW III
Certain Members of House and
Senate" Accused of Insert
ing Little Joker.
rrom The rthnne Bureau

WASHINGTON. Feb. The charge that
the plank In the Baltimore platform ap-
proving OF the no-tolls section Of the
,.anama canal act was slipped in o.
certain members OF the House and SEN
ate" VINO were on the platform committee
IS contained In q statement issued TO-DAY
by Chairman Adamson OF the house
Committee on Interstate and FoFeigh
Commerce.
Mr. Adamson. author OF the Panama
Canal bill. mentions 10 names. out IN
Democratic circles u : understood mat
he refers to Senator OGorman and KEEP
res.ntative Broussard. who had charge
Of that part Of the Baltimore platform
relating to the approval Of the recolu -
the Democratic legislators.
democrats Of the House privately ssE
,bs. even William j. Bryan. chief builder
OF the platform. overlooked the motions
commentator and that the adminstr'-
lion will assert II u becomes ne,essa' To
that the convention overlooked me 'o's
Joker and that little heed was given by
he platform committee 10 those plahhs
approving OF the Democratic record
Il am not at all troubled. Mr.. Adam
SIMS statement reads. about the CRY
that repeating the exemption clause Vio-
lated the Democratic platform. SUD
sd, IS not cardinal doctrine Of the
Democratic party. In fact. that eNemp-
zion IS a contradictorv interlecuon INTO
an anti-subsidy plank n the platform ana
IS utterly voiG.
The method OF it's insertion in the plat
form is generally understood among wen
informed people Under a general ioea OF
approving what Democratic congress
had done. certain members OF 'he house
md Senate who were on that committee
were permitted TO interject that hereucai
provision. with the idea that they were
a sserting approval OF what Democrats III
congress had done. when. in fac, ma
ioritv of more than twenty Democrats IN
the House voted against the exemption
III people insist on that exemption as
binding provision IN the platform II
would he A good case 10 Try the refereh-
dunn. Before honest. unfinching Demo
Gratis can be bound by subsidy pro-
vision IL ought TO De shown that the
members Of the convention knew IL was
in there and that the members at ieaS'
understood and approved il. j nave never
seen a member of that convention ont
side Of two or three interested gentlemen
who knew il was in there before II Vas
promulgated. and ] am Informed that
large majority of the platform committee
are opposed TO the exemption.
1T is void for the two further reasons
that il is in coDtravention Of = treaty
and divine law. as well as the doctrines
and traditions OF the democratic party.
against taking the property of one part Of
the public and giving it TO special IN
terests.'
In view Of the attitude Of the admins
tration favoring the repeal OF the pIo-
vision exempting tolls 10 American ships
=, the coastwise trade fl is said tnat
Democratic leaders have asked Secretary
BRYAN why the convention went on rec
ord as il did. II was pointed out that the
ro-tous amendment was not partisan
matter. and that Republican votes heiped
~ nut II through. Mr.. Bryan * said 10
have explained that the platform COM
mittee did not closely peruse pianhs Vi
the platform reviewing the ieeisia'i'e
achievements OF the party. and "hen 'he
tolls declaration was discovered me pat
form had been approved.