The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-03-07
A MYSTERY OF STATE.

Al tho world is talking about Pres.
. idcnt Wilson = mysterious language in
: dealing with the Panama canal tolls
question. The president opened up q
fascinating feld for speculation, and we
r can fancy that nowhere in the world
i there more tensity Of interest than
az Toxic. so far only 'og or two for
cign papers have suggested that the
president was limiting at Japanese COM
plieatious Republican Leader Mann
lent emphasis TO these comments by
calling attention TO them in the house
of representatives yesterday. He read
from a London dispatch which was
Z headed, Thinks United States Fears
japan.
~ do not court, hut ] am not afraid
Of war with Japan or with anyone else,
and ! would no, WELD what believe
TO be the right through fear. whatever
else / might do, said Mr.. Mann
Seeing that he had stirred up
tempest, the president yes
terday sought 20 pour oil on the
troubled waters. He assured his
callers that his yelled language had
no significance beyond their bearing on
the need OF rigorous good faith in tho
Panama tolls question, and that moth
tions. II that is true, IL is unfortunate
that the chief executive was not more
candid in his address TO congress. Clear.
is his words were understood as a
threat, otherwise q foreign newspaper
would not be ablo to eoniuro up IN its
imagination the idea that President
Wilson WAS afraid of trouble with ia.
pan. The president said that no com.
munieation he had yet addressed to
rongfcss carried ''gTavcr or more far
reaching Implications to the interests OF
The couutry:' that everywhere outside
ot the United States the language OF
the Hay. .Pauucefote treaty was given
but ore Interpretation, and that he
would not lnow how TO deal with other
foreign questions, or, rs he put il. 9th.
cr matters of even greater dolieacy and
nearer consequence, unless congress
granted his demand with regard 10 the
tolls. Evidently tho president has here
hticd up quite II respectable scareerov.
and be onght not 20 blame the people
II they indulge in some delightful shud-
dcrs when thcy gaze upon his hhndi-
crafi.
The president now SAYS that ma
iious which believe the United
States did not keep prom.
ise on 30 important treaty as
the Hay Pauneefotc compact would not
hc likely 10 expect sincerity on other
delicate questions. The most delicate
question in thc foreign negotiations OF
the United States az this time Is the
japanese tangle. The japanese accuse
us Of breaking a treaty By permitting
California TO discriminate against Jap
aneSe subjects in its land laws. IL is
probable that n new treaty will DO nc
gotiatci- " President Wilson takes an
= AmerieRu stand ou tbis subject and IN.
s.si, upon the night of the United
States 80 exclude NIL undesirable immi.
grafton and on ,he rights OF the states
20 make their own land laws, then has
cascrncss 90 gain European good will
can bc understood and can DC granted a
degree of sympathy. In thai case ia
pau could 30, gain mueh ercdeuec 10,
ils claim that vc were treaty breakers
because the president could poin, to the
Hay Paupcefotc compact aud say that
~ had resolved 4 doubtful clause
against ourselves and in favor OF a for
cign power. Europe would stand behinC
the president IN this contention and in
ran would be isolated. II war cam.
WITH JRp&n the European powers woal,
have no excuse FOR siding against IN.
United states.
lust rhat tho attitude OF the adniin
istratiou Is with rrfcrcpeo 10 the Jap
arsse nrcstion Is quite As obscure a. ~,
lrFs.asot address so congress. RT Al
asTcemcnt between Japaz and ~,
Imtsd State the nerniiatiops are be
tnE kcp, scrrCt, II our attitude +.
thc usuai pcace-at sry price pol
try 81 thc administration. ~
pcerle 81 CsliforuiR will no, be sati.
eed. Tssrr hss heen too rsuch DELAY Il
,he Izraucso nrgo,isiions. AMI q is &
br horcl that the government NiH l.
sb-r 70 hriuE them 10 an issue orc "a
er another within = brief period Esa
s1pa5is haste vii be- 10 the aIyautag 2
of ,be Uuiicd states for u hosilitis
should fcsuIf this couutry j. 10 a bette