Las Vegas optic., 1914-03-26
CANAL TOLL VOTE
Will OCCUR
SATURDAY
DEBATE rs INCREASED FROM
FIFTEEN TO TWENTY
HOURS
DEMOCRATS GET The MOST
THEY WILL HAVE THREE-cUAR-
TIERS or THAT TIME FOR
SPEAKING
SPECTACULAR fight COMING
OPENING skiRMisHEs IN THE
HOUSE TODAY PREDICT A.
LIVELY ARGUMENT

| -iF - RGGNt-
Washington Marcn 26.- Democratic
house leaders abandoned the idea Of
cnly IS hours debate on the Panama
tolls exemption repeal today and
agreed to 20 This would bring a
vote probably Saturday.
Such a provision in special rule
brought on soon after the house as
sembled at IL a. m. today divided the
time SO as to give ten hours for those
supporting the repeal, to be controll-
ed by Chairman Adamson of the com
merce committee five hours for the
democrats opposed, to be controlled
by Representative Doremus Of Michi-
gan; four hours for the republicans,
to be controlled by Representative
Knowland OF California, and one hour
for the progressives, to be controlled
by Representative I4afferty Of Oregon.
There was a tacit understanding
that the debate on adopting the spec
ial rule would be more limited than
was first proposed and probably would
be held to two hours Or less.
These arrangements cleared the
way for the launching Of the actual
fight ID today's session Nearly 100
speee been prepared on both
sides 0E the taeslIUfl Nna as
promises to be the most spectacular
since the democratic administration
came into power.
While the opening skirmish was
on in the house the first guns were
being heard in the senate, where Sen
ator owen delivered a speech sup
porting the presidents contention for
a repeal it9e
An Unexpected Delay
Then, just ais both sides were pre-
pared for the beginning of the strug-
gle and the house galleries were
packed with an expectant crowd, an
other delay cropped up. Although
the rivers and har1ors bill was in
direct line to be speedily finished to
make place for the tolls repeal bill,
Representative s Fitzgerald. democrat,
fighting the repeal, brought up the
conference report on the urgent de-
ficiency bill. A conference report al
ways is in order under the house
rules, so that displaced the river and
|.harBor hil, (which still had the right
of way over the Panama bill
TO add to the delay, the conference
report contains a provision for paying
for the care Of the Mexican refugees
from Ojinaga at Fort Bliss That
question. much disputed, precipitated
near fllibuster and long debate, The
parliamentary situation was such that
the actual debate on the Panama bill
was several hours off
A rule % limit debate on the PAN
anna canal tolls exemption repeal bin
to 20 hours was presented to the
house at 4 o'clock this afternoon. 4
vote on the rule was expected before
adjournment
President States Position
The president told callers that the
South American press had joined the
opposition Of European countries and
regard the Panama canal act as a
violation Of treaty. Mr. Wilson
pointed out that, perhaps, there was
q mistaken Impression in congress as /
to his reason for desiring the repeal
He emphasized that it was not in his
own opinion alone that mistaken
economic policy and q breach Of
treaty was involved, but it was q I'M.
versal opinion thar an International
situation needed correction
Mr. Wilson told his callers that he
was asking no man ID reverse his
opinion. but merely to correct d stu
alton. he feels that those who base
their opposition entirely "a tha cues
tion Of whether there was a breach Of
treaty, do not realize That their own
opinions are not the main point 81
yolvea The chief issue be pointed