The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-02-17
Camden Opposes
Shipping Bill
Continued from Page Q

Immigration bill, recently passed by
both Houses, and which passed the
Senate by vote of 80 to and the
House by vote of 2s4 to IA. said:
IF the people of this country have
made up their minds to limit the num-
Der of immigrants by arbitrary tests,
ard so reverse the policy of all the
generations of Americans that have
gone before them, it is their right to
do so. 1 am their servant, and have
no license to stand in their way. But
/ do not believe that they have. I
respectfully submit that no one can
quote their mandate to that effect
Has any political party ever avowed
a policy of restriction in this funda-
mental matter, gone to the country on
it, and been commissioned to control
it's legislation? Does this bill rest
upon the conscious and universal as
sent and desire of the American peo-
pie? doubt it. 1t is because doubt
il that l make bold to dissent from it.
l am willing to abide by the verdict,
but not until it has been rendered.
Let the platforms of parties speak out
upon this policy and the people pro-
nounce their wish The matter is too
fundamental to be settled otherwise"
This terse and facile language of the
President expresses my views of the
shipping bill so much clearer and
more emphatic than could that take
pleasure in adopting and applying it
to this bill If it be true that the liter
acy test of the immigration bill would
$50 reverse the policy Of all the gen.
erations of Americans that have gone
BEFORE" what reversal of policy do we
find in this shipping bill, which COM
mits the people unheard, consequently
without an opportunity to make up
their minds or render their verdict on
an undertaking so revolutionary that
| the business world must stand aghast
HAS any political party ever avowed
a policy on this fundamental matter,
/ gone to the country on it and been
commissioned to- control it's legisla-
ton? Does this bill rest upon the con-
scious and universal assent and desire
of the American people? 1 doubt it.
1t is because I doubt it that l make
bold to dissent from it. / am willing
to abide by the verdict, but not until
il has been rendered. Let the plat
policy and the people pronounce their
wish The matter is too fundamental
to be settled offhand or in any other
way" Mr.. President, 1 am willing to
be guided by the wish of the people
when expressed on this great funda-
mental question and even surrender
to the will of the majority my clear
conviction" but 1 am not willing to
surrender that conviction and my
sense of duty until the people have
spoken. For these reasons 1 partici
pated in none of the so-called confer
ences, afterwards denominated eau.
cuses, by which it was sought to bind
Democratic Senators to support this
BILL, which is In no sense party-plat
form measure.
can find nothing in the platform ut
terances of the Democratic Party tha
il any way commits Democratic Sena
tors to its support or even counte
J nances this proposed measure, but, OF
the contrary, as / read the merchant
marine plank of the Democratic plat
form of 1912, it clearly condemns sucf
a procedure as is here contemplated
That plank reads:
1--WE believe in fostering, by consti
tutional regulation of commerce, thu
growth of a merchant marine, which
shall develop and strengthen the com
mercial ties which bind US to our sis
ter Republics of the South, but with
out imposing additional burdens upol
the people and without bounties o
subsidies from the Public Treasury"
AS understand the purposes of thi
bill, it does not attempt to be in han
mony with this platform declaration t.
regulate or to foster by constitutions
regulation of commerce the-growth O
merchant Marine" but, on the cor
trary, it proposes for the Government
to jump full-fiedged into the bushes
itself and simultaneously create an
conduct merchant marine, and doe
it in open and fragrant violation of tn
platform declaration, because in DE-
ing so it is not regulation but opera
ton; and, besides, it is manifest
imposing additional burdens upo
the people" by using forty mi
lions of the peoples money in
hazardous venture, and that, toe
at a time of great public stress
when the Treasury needs ever
dollar to avoid further taxation of tn
= people. This is no time for doubtfI
I business ventures or experiments. Il
dividuals, guided by experience, ar
cautious; why should the Governmer
,. be otherwise? Are we true to our col
stituents' interests or to our oaths {
Office if we commit the Government
a business venture so fundamental
unsound and unwise, in which we g
individuals would not embark, col
. WINGED, in advance, as every bushes
man must be, that it will necessari
= be a losing investment? No coul
try has tried Government owne
ship for fundamental re
son. They realize that it place
the conduct of its foreign bus
ness,in the realms of international q
fairs and complications. There
nothing in the experience of tho.
countries which have tried, or are tr
ing, government ownership of railroad
y or other public utilities that would I
commend 1t to US as success. TT
- wasteful and unbusinesslike mann
in which the Government conducts
affairs, State and Nation, is of itse
~sufficient to discourage and to CO
denim such an experiment, especial
at time when our reconnaissance q
creased to such an extent, owing
the foreign war and the shrinkage
imports. If could, under ordinary
normal conditions of our countr.
existence. give my consent to try tn
most basic change of party princiI
and policy, would certainly feel it
reckless tempting Of fate If I agre