The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-10

| ready 10 abandon the cause OF arDluAtiof
when 1t looked NJ II our treaties might
bring US to the arbitration OF questions
which We did not desire to have decided
| By an impartial tribunal.
The President renewed the arbitration
treaties, and finally. after delay. which,
as have said. aroused unpleasant sus-
picions. those which have been sent to the
| Senate have been ratified
This was the Presidents hrst step, a.
! look at It. In his effort to restore the
influence and reputation Of the United
States, which he had found to be I'm
paired His second step Is his rccommen-
dalton OF the repeal Of the tolls exemption
clause OF the canal act
Il speak wholly without authority. but
believe that he must have thought that
our insistence upon contested interpre-
tation OF a treaty and upon a disputed
method OF relieving our vessels from the
payment OF tolls has injured us In the
opinion Of civilized mankind and that he
believes that the object sought In no way
justihes the results which will necessarily
follow In the attitude OF other nations
toward us
He must he. ! believe. satisfied, as I
am satisfied. that other nations will hest
tate long before they will enter upon
treaties with n country which insists on
deciding all disputed points in treaties In
its own favor by a majority vote Of Con-
gress.
at would not surprise me to learn that
the President is OF the opinion that such
disputed points ought to be settled as we
have settled them In the past. with which
as a historian he is familiar. either by
negotiation or by arbitration. and not by
our own votes without appeal and open
only to the arbitrament Of sword.
Obstacle 10 Trade.
He must feel. think. that by our
action. considered In other lands 10 be In
raising a serious obstacle to the develop
ment OF closer trade relations with the
countries Of South America, which are so
important to us on every ground.
These reasons. which think must also
be very weighty with the people, seem to
me not only sound but convincing.
"The outcry about exhibiting subser-
viency to Great Britain or any country
because we see fit to repeal the tolls
seems to be hardly worthy of serious con-
sideration.
THE United States is altogether too
great and too powerful to be sutserv!ent
to any one. and the mere fact OF suggest
ing IL seems to me to indicate an uneasy
suspicion on the part Of those from whom
II emanates not only OF the validity of
their position but OF the power and great
ness OF their own country. as TO which. !
for one am troubled by no doubts.
AS ! have listened to some recent STIR
ring declarations OF our utter fearlessness.
Of our readiness TO face world in arms
in defence OF toll exemption. about which
noble cause no country would think OF
fighting there have been moments v:hen I
have marvellsd rs / thought OF the cool
ness and indifference with which we have
contemplated the murder of more than
100 Americans not many miles from our
own border
The violated rights. the unavenged. the
almost unno;iccd deaths OF those innocent
people have seemed to make heroics about
canal tolls. where there is no peril to any
one. peculiarly out of place.
Waiver Of No RiEhts.
I'VE obtained by the passage of the toll
exemption clause TO legal rights which We
did not already possess. We waive none by
its repeal. All we have we retain. for the
law Is merely our own statute for the reg
ulaton of the terms upon which the canal
shall be used.
Il am not blind 10 the political tempta-
tons which the situation at this moment
presents. l am strong party man. I
believe in government by parties and In
party responsibility.
~ ha' e for many years fought the bat
OF sunshine and In days OF storm and
darkness. II life and strength continue I
shall to the best of my ability oppose
President Wilson IL he Is n candidate for
reelection and the party which he leads.
THE allurements Of political advantage
appeal as strongly 10 me az they can TO
any man. But when the relations Of my
country with other nations are involved
cannot yield to them, My politics have al
WlyS STONED the edge
I'm any question involving our interna-
t!onal relations ] have always felt com
PEELED 10 decide 1t upon its merits AS they
appeared to me without regard to politics.
This feeling has twice at least obliged
me to oppose Presidents OF my own polti-
cal faith upon treaties which they had
recommended. misfortune and unhappi-
ness which wish might have been spared
TO me. In great international question
l felt IT to be my duty on one occasion
to sustain President Cleveland. To-day
must still.
"'obey the voice at eve, obeyed at
prime
Voted Against Exemptlon.
81 voted and spoke against the toll
exemption embodied IN the canal act I |
cannot change now merely because a |
Democratic President recommends the re- |
peal of that clause which earnestly re-
sisted. Within our own borders Mr. VIII |
son is the leader and chief OF the Demo- |
cratic party. In the presence OF foreign |
nations he Is To me simply the President
or the United States II in his high re. |
sponsibllity as the representative of the
nation before the world he does or tries |
TO do what | believe in my conscience IN
be wrong shall resist him, no matter
what his political faith may be-
But II he Is doing or trying TO do what
| conscientiOusly believe to be right be
shall have my full support without regard /
10 party or to politics. To thwart the |
purposes or to di3credt the policies of the |
official head OF political party ia lepIti. !
mate political warfare. To dlscredit or
break dawn the President OF the United |
states upon question OF foreign policy |
~ quite another thing. never 10 be under /,
taken except for very grave reasons In |
the one case we overthrow a marty l.aden |
and political chief within the arena where
IN" American people alone sit In indy
reht' IN the other we break down ana
the representative of the whole
country IN the great forum OF the nations
or the earth and paralyzc his future
power and usefulness in that field where
ne ana he alone can declare and repr.s.nt |
tho policies The honor and the dignity Of
the United states Conditions may arise
where TINS last resort must be accented
hut IT can only be justified by grim neces-
shy WIN my vtev as TO :he tolls with |