The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-03-05
PANAMA CANAL Tolls
IS SUBJECT Of MESSAGE
the first to take seat in the front
row of the gallery.

t4- =
The senators we're late In arriving
It was 1880 before they were an
nounced. Meanwhile the president
waited In the speakers room until
they were seated. Ambassador Spring
Rice of Great Britain was not present.
The president entered at 1854 and
walked quickly and directly to the
clerks desk In front of the presiding
officers. Prolonged applause from all u
sections Of the chamber greeted his
appearance, He began reading his
address at 1855 proceeding clearly
and deliberately
The president finished at 12::39. 1t
took just four minutes to read the
message. A loud and long burst Of
applause marked the close or the mes
sage and the presidents departure.
Many members, however. did not Join
in the demonstration. Secretary Bry-
an smiled broadly and whispered to
Judge Band and Nonberstorff. Sena-
itors O'Gormon and Hitchcock turned
Ito each other and talked earnestly.
O'Gorman's face was wreathed with
broad smile. babel of discussion
! arose wien the president had left and
! the senators were filing out. Speaker
Clark referred the address to the In
testate commerce commissi on.
4 The address in full Was as fol OllOws !:
j Gentlemen of the congress: ] have
come to you on an errand, which c'iaE
be very briefly performed, but ! beG
that you will not measure its imports
) ance by the number OF sentences In
4 have addressed to the congress car
) ried with 1t graver or more far reach
4 ing implications to the interest Of the
country and j come now to speak up
on matter with regard to which D
q ain charged in peculiar degree, BY
the constitution itself, with personaf
responsibility i
q have come to ask for the repeal
OF that provision Of tlls Panama canal
i .aeat I'll August "A. 4 al22 liach exAunts
a vessels engaged in the coast wise
], trade of the United States from pay
ment of tolls and to urge upon you
d the justice, this wisdom and the large
/ policy of such repeal with the ut
Il most earnestness of which | am cap
/ able.
I ''In my own judgment, very fully
considered and maturely formed, that
( exemption constitutes mistaken eco
nomic policy from every point OF
view, and is, more over, in plain con-
> travention of the treaty with Great
: Britain conc cerning the canal, con-
2 cluded on November IS. 1901. But I
have not come to you to urge my per-
: sonal views. have come to state
to you fact and a situ1tion What
:. ever may be our own differences OF
opinion, concerning this much debated
. measure. its meaning is not debated
: outside the United States. Everywhere
. else the language OF the treaty is civ.
:, en- but ons interpretation and that
Interpretation precludes the exemp
ton am asking YOU to repeal. We
/. consented to the treaty: its language
:, was accepted If we did not originate
!, it. and we are too big. too powerful
too self respecting nation to inter
!. pret with too straineG or fine read
i ing the Moros Of our own promises
Just because we have power enough
% to give us leave TO read them as ws
i please, The large thing to do is the
a. only thing we can afford to do vol
untary Withdrawal from a position
N evMywhere questioned and misunder
l. stood We ought to reverse our ac
A. tion without raising the question
" whether We we're right or wrong ant
50 so once more deservs our reputation
ut for generosity and the redemption Q
le every obligation, without quibble o
lie hesitation.
i, Il ask this of you in support of tn
I'd foreign policy of tha 'ministration.
It, shall not know how to deal with otl
e. er matters of even greater delicac
a. and nearer consequence if you do nc
an ~ -
ne Continued on page 2.)