St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1914-03-13

subscription price b1.OO per year.
In answer to an honored Penn
sylvania relatives recent query
as to the Reviews opinion of
President Wilson'S policies. we
editorially praised them highly,
but made exception in the case
of Mr.. Wilson'S refusal to uphold
thePanama tolls exemption plank
in the Democratic platform.
Replying to our argument on this
question, the aforesaid Pennsyl-
vania man gets back at us in the
following personal letter, which
we take the liberty Of publishing
without permission, for the rea-
son that it sheds new light on
the subject, and is a strong,
masterful and thoroughly origi-
nal digest of the subject:
81 certainly agree with your
answer until you get TO the toll
question. There our opinions
divide. First you say Mr.. Will
son readily accepted the platform
with all its provisions. If you
will read his letter of acceptance
you may come TO a different con-
clusion. While accepting il on
general principles. he said plat.
form is different from a pro-
gram. Then he goes on and
outlines his program, pledg-
ing himself if elected as far as
he can to put in force and oper-
alton what might be called the
cardinal principles of the Demo.
cratic party for which the party
has been fighting for for years.
namely, revision of the tariff
downward. currency reform.
control of railroads and trusts of
all kinds, and above all. wrest
control of the government away
from Wall Street. trusts. corpor-
ations, political kings and bosses
and restore the government
again TO the people. but did not
commit himself on the toll ques-
tion.
"You say the innocent bystan-
der can readily discern many
reasons why the coastwise yes.
sells should not pay toll. If so.
can the same bystandcr see
any reason why our vessels in
the foreign trade should pay toll?
Suppose our coastwise trade YES
sells would pass through the ca
nal free of toll, can the innocent
bystander tell into whose pocket
the toll would go the people or
the ship owners? A good guide
TO go by is the reduction OF the
tariff. The new tariff law has
been in force about four months.
Nearly everything that makes up
the living expenses of n family
is on the free list and on the !
balance the duties are reduced. |
How much cheaper can YOU live !
now than you could six months
ago? You say if this extra ass
sessment is forced on the steam
ship companies they will simply |
play the John ID, act and increase !
the rates of transportation so
that passengers and shippers |
really bear the burden. That is |
correct, If these companies pay |
n toll they have a right TO add |
the amount 20 their rates. but il
as you say il is possible for for !
eign ships TO come into competi- !
tion in our coastwise trade. they |
would add no more. But suppose |
travel and transportation pay |
the toll and transportation. the |
consumer finally pays. Who do |
we pay To? Simply 10 ourselves.
You say we spent our money |
TO build the canal. That is cor
rect. IL will likely cost ms four
hundred millions, and | don't
think anybody expects to get
one dollar of the principal back. |
The coastwise toll is simpy a tax
which, if the people don't pay i'm
this way, the government must
collect by other ways or means
of taxation. IL so, where is the
difference which way the people 1
pay il? The tolls are supposed I
To pay, first. operating expenses; |
second, interest ON the debt: \
third, If surplus, TO pay ON the
principal. Suppose the tolls,
coastwise included. do not pay
expenses and interest, then we
must resort TO other ways and |
means of taxation To meet the
deficit. Suppose the tolls with
out the coastwise toll will meet
the running expenses and inter
est, then why charge the coast
wise toll? For two reasons first,
to apply the surplus 20 paying
the principal of the debt and re-
duce interest on same, second,
if all of the debt is paid, to ap-
ply the surplus TO the running
expenses and reduce taxation
elsewhere. But you may say,
why not take OFF the coastwise {
toll? Because we cannot take y
hat toll off without violating a q
contract we made with England. t
You say. not SO. But that con- c
.ract or treaty says this: that {
he vessels of all nations shall e
PASS through the canal on equal /
erms. Now then. il seems to a
ne the only question that can be "