Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-05
WILSON SCORED
IN SENATE FOR
CANAL STAND
Congress Plans to Grill Secretary
Bryan on the Mexican
Situation
Continued From Page I.

Continued From Page I.
nounced in measured tones by the
Chief Executive.
At the close there was no indica-
ton as TO whether the sentiment Of
The address had been favored or not
The tribute of applause was such as
has always been rendered when the
President addressed Congress.
First Open Party Breach.
Republicans and Progressives
seemed amused at the situation. Dem
ccratic leaders we're nervous and APP
parcntly much worried at the possl-
Lilities Tor their party which the
days events might bring
Majority Leader Underwood and
Speaker Clark. of the House, VITA
| Hartman Doremus. Of the Democrat
il Congressional Campaign Commit
tee, listened unmoved TO a doctrine
which they nave publicly declined 10
accept.
There was much whispering among
Democrats before the President ar
rived as they looked about at the
crowds in the galleries and realized
that the first open breach in the ranks
Of the majority party during the W IL
son Administration was being dis
PLAYED to the public.
That the Pre- sident would have his
way vas taken for granted even by
the older leaders Of the opposition
They contented themselves by declar-
ing that they would stand by the
platform pledge of free tolls TO Amer
lean coastwise shipping, and let the
President take all the responsibility
Of action in violation Of that pledge
AnnulIins Bill Introduced.
Within an hour after President
Wilson had called upon Congress to
act. Senator Chiffon, OF West Vir-
GINA this afternoon introduced bill
to amend the Panama Canal act and
permit the repeal Of the clause eX-
empting American coastwise ship
ping from the payment Of tolls. The
text Of the provision reads
THE President notwithstanding
| any thing herein contained, is hereby
authorized and empowered by proc
lamation to make, suspend. alter
change or abolish any tolls Contem
plated or provided for by this act. and
may prescribe tolls to be charged in
any case in which tolls are prohibited
herein"
Responsibility Personal.
The address follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress;
81 have come to you upon an err
rand which can be very briefly per
| formed, but | beg that you will not
measure its importance by the num-
| Der of sentences in which | state It,
| No communication | have addressed
| to the Congress carried with it graver
/ or more reaching implications to
! the interest of the country, and now
! come to speak upon a matter with re-
gard to which ! am charged in pc
I culiar degree by the Constitution IT.
self with personal responsibility.
/ 81 have come to ask for the repeal
! of that provision of the Panama Ca
nal act Of August "a 1912, which ex-
| empts vessels engaged in the coast
wise trade Of the United States from
! payment of tolls, and to urge upon
! YOU the Justice. the wisdom and the
! large policy OF such a repeal with the
| utmost earn astness of which | am ca
pabie
In my own judgment. very fully
| considered and maturely formed, that
| exception constitutes a mistaken eco
| monte policy from every point of
view, and is, moreover in plain con
| prevention of the treaty with Great
Britain concerning the canal, con-
! Cluded Oh November 49, 1901, But
have not come to you to urge my per
sonal views. / have come to state to
you a TACT and a situation.
Whatever may be our own differ
ences of opinion concerning this much
debated measure, its meaning is not
debated outside the United States
Everywhere else the language of the
treaty is given but one INTERPRETATION
and that Interpretation precludes the
exemption | am asking you to repeal
We consented to the treaty; its Ian
guage we accepted if we did not orig
mate it. and we are too big, too pow
erful too self-res pecting a nation &c
interpret with too strained or refined
a reading the words of our own
promises just because we have power
enough to give us leave to read them
as We please
To Support Foreign Policy,
The large thing to do is the only
thing we can afford to do, volun-
tary withdrawal from position
everywhere questioned and misunder-
stood. We ought 20 reverse our ac-
tion without raising the question
whether we were right or wrong, anc
so once more deserve our reputation
for generosity and the redemption OF
every Obligation without bubble ol
hesitation
Il ask this of YOU in support of the
foreign policy of the Administration
shall not know how to deal witt
other meetings Of even greater deli
Cacy and nearer consequence II You
do not grant 1t to me in ungrudgins
measure"
When the senate reconvened Sena-