Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-04-04
REPEAL OF CANAL TOLLS.
HOUSE PASSED SIMS MEASURE
BY A VOTE OF PAT TO 1862, A
CLEAR MAJORITY OF IS.
CHAMP CLARK LOST HIS FIGHT
Massachusetts Congressman Turns
Tide at Critical Moment-Texans
Vote to Sustain Measure-Hard
Struggle Expected in Senate.

Washington.-Disre the lead
ership of Champ Clark. Floor Leader
Underwood Republican Leader Mann
and Progressive Leader Murdoch, the
house of representatives Tuesday up
held the hands of President Wilson
in the Panama canal toll controversy
by adopting the Sims bill to repeal
the exemption on coastwise shipping
by vote of PAT to 162, a majority
of 50.
In this final struggle POI out of 2S9
democrats, % out of 122 republicans
and out of 81 proGressives and in
dependents voted for the repeal, not
withstanding that Speaker Clark made
a long and fiery appeal in closing the
debate for those opposed to the Sims
bill Speaker Clark declared that he
harbored no i'll feeling toward Presi-
dent Wilson and then attacked and
voted against the administration pro
gram on the tolls subject. The mem
bership of the house, on the other
hand, gave Mr.. Clark an enthusiastic
/ ovation to show it bore no personal
animosity, then voted him down.
1t remained for Representative
/ Peters of Massachusetts to play the
/ high card for the repealers, when, at
/ the close of Speaker Clark's speech,
| he read to the house a letter from
/ Richard Olney, secretary of state I'M
/ der President Cleveland. In this let
/ ter Mr.. Olney whose arguments in
support of the toll exemption had
been widely quoted in the debate,
wrote that, in his opinion, the house
In this instance should stand by the
president The letter made a strong
impression and is credited with hav'
ing successfully counteracted the q.
feet of Speaker Clark's earnest appel
against the bill.
There were three roll calls on the
measure The first was on the motion
to engross and read the bill, the third
time. This was the first test and
showed majority of 81 for the admin
istration. The second roll call cams
on the motion to recOmmit the bill,
and the majority for the administra-
ton against recommitting was 81.
The final roll call came on the pass
age of the bill, and this gave the adj
ministration q majority of 80. The
largest gain to the administration
came from the republicans, only eight
of whom voted last Friday for the
rule to consider the bill; thirteen
more democrats voted for the bill
than for the rule, as did four pro
gressives and independents.
All of the Texas members voted fol
the repeal, while three Oklahomans
Murray, democrat, and Morgan anc
Mcclure, republicans, voted against 1t
The other five Oklahomans, Carter
: Davenport, Ferris, Thompson anC
: Weaver. voted for the bill. On thl:
subject Minority Leader Mann helC
the republicans closer together thai
, on any important matter before con
, gress since the democrats have come
, into power, and yet twenty-five re
publicans voted to uphold the admins
! tration.
The administration supporters Pre-
TESS to feel no worry over the fac
that the bill goes to an antagonist
Y committee in the senate. 1t is sal
: that at most the committee can onl
/ delay the vote on the measure an
f that il can be forced out of the CON
n mittee and through the senate by cat
Gus action if the republicans line u
$ as solidly against the bill as the si
uation now indicates.