The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-03-27
Leader Of House Majority
Urges Defeat of Sims Repeal
Bill in Lengthy Address this
Afternoon.
DECLARES NO TREATY
HAS BEEN VIOLATED
Says Repeal Movement is In
spired by an Un-American
Spirit of Surrender. Stands
on Platform Plank.
ny Leased Wire to Evening ucraId.l

ff icased wire 10 Efcntn. Herald.
Washington, March 21.-Reprc-
sentative Underwood Of Alabama.
Democratic noor leader In the house
of representatives to-day delivered his
sncech against repeating the Panama
tolls exemption. as urged by President
Wilson. The scene OF the leader of
the house majority. who had led tho
successful fights for practically all the
administration measures. combating
the position Of the president. attract
ed wide attention Mr.. Underwood
urged defeat ut the Sims bin, which
followed President Wilson's rcrom-
%mendation for the repeal OF the tolls
exemption lie declared tho repeal
WAS contrary 10 the platform nf the
Democratic party adopted az the Bai-
timore convention. and that an ex-
cmpttou %fdNOring American COastwige
ships did not violate the Hay-Patfnce-
fote treaty.
Not FOR one do / believe
we have violated a treaty" declared
Mr. Underwood. "pur whole difficulty
arises from the un-Amcrlcan spirit OF
surrender that some Of our own peo-
pie have exhibited toward his i'm
p~ortant question from the very begin
ming.
Ca any one tell us plainly who
We surrender and what Is 20 be nc-
romplished by IT, Are we Ia yield
merely because the sentiment 81
Europe - against use When hae the
sentiment Of Europe over necn with
us about matters ~ momente when
VIII the timc come when we can OK
poet 90 maintain ana preserve our
rights. political and commercial. with
acquiesccnt sympathy OF European
EovernHcnts?"
Mr. Underwood quoted the tolls oN-
cmptlon plank from the Baltimore
platform and continuing said.
There can ho mo- contention as 90
the meaning 81 this language. no
one sHn raise The issue that the hill
now pending before the house intro
onced hr the gentleman from Ten
rcsser tAlr Simsl b. not in direct cuu-
Wet with the declaration Of the Dem
ocraiio platform. Personally ] hc-
lleto that the party pledge should ls
lvcd up ga iu good faith hy those who
claim aiiegiancr Go party principles.
but lf there are many hero who dlf-
Scr with me in reference 20 the bind
ing cntct Of a party platform ] viii
not ut this time cndcaNur 10 discuss
the pending btu from that standpoint
Lot us resolve the isstie into the
qucsti0n whether the platform Of tho
Democratic party favoriug cxemption
"| NNNHE "a ANU |ANN nNNNLL NNNANA"N 100
cuastWiss trade passing through the
canal b. best for the nation and the
people of our country. or whether the
gentleman nom Tennessee in the hill
row pending before The house repu-
dating the declaration OF the DEM
ocratic party, is PROPOSING l~EisiHtion
that viii zoe most beneficial TO our ns-
ton ana our people.
R~erTeseututlte Underwood quoted
figures TO show that the cost Of main
tenHnrc at the canal and interest On
the governments inyestment could hc
met easily without charging American
vessels tolls and hy charging foreign
vessels e "fair end reasonable toll
he compared the tolls charged by the
British at the ~u,z canal with the
proposed Panama tolls.
The purpose of congress said ne.
in providing in The act Tor the opou-
tng. maintenance. protection ana up-
Grafton of the canal. that no tolls shall
Doc leyied.uppn yossclp engaged in the
coaetWi ge trade Of the United States,
ANA %proNidinE further that n should
De LEFT discretionary With the prosi-
dent of the United States ta exempt
from tolls our ships engaged in for
cign trade, was nu Effort 0n the part
eft congress- 90 discriminate in favor ~
American shippinv and 90 re-estanliah
our merchant marine. This has been
"a policy ~ the Democratic party since
fhe beginning of the government The
Democratic party has never stood fof
direct subsidies but has always fiYor-
ed s-uhVcutions and DETERMINATIONS in
favor OF our shipplng.
"it was through dlscriminatiug tgr-
on duties thai % merchant marine
la eloucd in the first three dec
ndes uf our governments existence.
The Democratic tariff law that is now
an the statute hooks carries iu a. a
discrimination amounting to ID reduc-
ton OF Eve per cent 90 the duties on
goods imported in American ships.
~ ue have built the canal FOR the
benefit Of an American merchant
marine. and not Tor the practical ex-
elusive use OF foreign shipping. $50
must adopt "a policy Of dlBcrimlnm-
ton in favor 81 American ships or
we must. Ia the end pas indirect
subsidies Co ennble our ships Co COM
pete with ships 81 foreign nations
Tho subsidies and determinations
that European governments have
shipping Interests have practically
driven American ships from the
"For The reasons given I believe
the Democratic party was both
Wise and patriotic when I'd aun0unc-
"a policy IN favor OF discrimination
u favor az c4astwlse ships going
through the Panama canal aud fhpi
hero b. no reason az this tlmc Why
should abandon this solemn prom
.se made to the American people in
lne of the mnsl prominent planhf ln
'ur party platform,
But We nre told that We ere Vin-
.atnH "a solemn treaty made with
,nother nation and in good fniih
hat ne should abandon tho canal
p FOREIGN rivals without toutosi ur
ln order That Nc may keep