The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1915-11-13

Vardaman.
fessions of faith. And when prom
ised the people of Mississippi, and
America, / would stand upon that
platform, and carry out that plat
form, I meant what l said, and l don't
think that any man in any office has
a right to violate that platfrom. The
Democratic administration has ac-
complished a great deal. 1t did much
with the tariff, which / most heartily
approved, even though it didn't go as
far as / wanted it to go. But there is
one thing the Democrats have not
done. We promised economy when
we went to Washington, but / am
sorry to confess to you that we were
the most extravagant Congress in his
tory. But we did a great deal of
good. | think this great currency law
is an act which contains monumental
virtues.
FAVORED FREE TOLLS FOR
COASTWISE VESSELS
Now there are some measures that
have caused sCme differences among
Democrats. Among some of them /
did not follow the lead of the Presi-
dent. The first was the Panama
Canal free-toll bill. Now, when that
bill came up for consideration, Con-
gress was addressed by the President
in message about that long. / would
not undertake to discuss his position
as taken during the campaign for
President, but while he was address
ing the farmers of New Jersey, the
only plank in his platform he found
sufficient merit in to persuade them
to vote the Democratic ticket WAS that
plank in which he promised free tvl!s
TO indepedent ships. He said it was
intended to give the farmers of the
country cheaper freight rates. The
senior senator of Mississippi declared
it to be correct, economically, polit cal
ly and ethically. Every Democratic
senator voted for free tolls, not In
the interest of the shipping trusts, as
some men try to impress upon your
minds, but it was for the purpose of
breaking up the shipping trusts. Do
you know that all the ships that go
through the Panama Canal are ships
engaged in the coast-wise trade, all
of which belong to the railroads with
the exception Of about eight per cent
and the only ships that would have
gone through the canal without pay
ing tolls were less than eight per cent,
and that eight per cent would have
controlled the freight rates on goods
going across the continent for the
benefit of the farmers and producers :
Yet President Wilson during his cam
paign in 1912 said to the farmers that
we were going to give them cheaper
freight rates, and take the rule out of
the hands of the railroad ships,
I did not think it was right to you to
turn the canal over to England after
the American people had been taxed
to the amount of 100000, 900 to build
lit. We do not tax ships for the use
of our harbors or rivers, and for that
reason I think as my colleague does,
that it really was right, economically
politically and ethically, but | do not
believe the American business man.
bhe American laborer, would have
profted by it. Whatever my indivld-
ual views may have been on that
question, I would not have voted fol-
the passage of that bill until the reo-
pie, the sovereigns of this republic,
the kings and queens of America
the source of our political power
commissioned me to do so.
DEFENDS POSITION ON SHIP
PURCHASE BILL
Well another little question came
up that we had a very interesting
L Il &hn+ ha In
| of the Ship Purchase Act, which
thave discussed and have been dis.
cussed upon / think there has beer
more hypocrisy in the discussion d
that question than any other that has
confronted the American people. Tht
war in Europe had cut the Soutf
American people from their usaa
channel of trade, and 1t was an at
tempt to turn the current trade fron
/ South America to the United States
I thought that it was the President
intention to purchase the internes
German ships, and put them in IN
lSouth American trade. But the fact
| soon developed that England an
| France would not tolerate anything. 9
i this kind. Well when the question
was presented, the President said
| would be a losing investment, an
THAT the government should buy tn
shins. and establish this boat line
THE Southern representatives, cor
vressmen and senators, declared tha
this was a violation Of the Democratl
platform, which said that merchar
!. marine ought to be built. but nevs
J INV taking one cent out of the publ
, treasury for that. The goods thes
: ships were to- carry were the produc'
If South America, and brought
! America and put en- the market
: competition with these Of our os
!, Farmers. Then some political Mephi
!, Itopheles whispered IN Cur ears thu
. lthese ships were going to carry co
J, ton. We were at that tiIae all graa
Z ly distressed about the cottcn masSs