The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-11
MOSS SPRINGS
BIG SURPRISE
WITH NEW BILL

repeal bill of Mr.. Sims came up in the
House in the last Congress. Repre-
sentative Moss prepared an amend
ment attaching 10 that bill a provis-
ion that nothing herein contained
shall he construed as denying or waiv-
ing any right OF the United States TO
grant exemption Of tolls TO its vessels
of war and commerce" But the COM
mittee on rules brought in rule pro-
hibitinS any amendment whatever 10
the bill as recommended by the COM
mittce.
Mr.. Moss made bitter speech on
March q, 1914. denouncing this action
OF the committee and insisting on the
Importance of the amendment, but the
committees action prohibiting the
amendment was endorsed by the
Democratic majority.
After the repeal bill had passed the
House Mr.. Moss again made an effort
to mollify its effect by introducing a
resolution on April .. 1914. preserving
the rights of the United States in re-
gard 10 the canal. but the committee
refused to report it, The Senate
added an amendment to the House bill
along the line a. Mr.. Mosss resolution
but 1t was not strong enough 10 satisfy
that gentleman. so. on June IL, 1914,
while the bill was pending in tho
House on the question of rat;fying or
I rejecting the Senate amendment, Mr.,
Moss, with the assistance OF Mr.. Muir
dock. Mr.. Fitzgerald and other promi-
ncnt lcadersh succeeded in getting a
1 record vote on what he termed a pref
erential motion concerning which. the
! Record OF that date states: MIR. Moss
of West Virginia moved 10 strike OH,
the Senate amendment and substitute
therefore the following: But it is
hereby afllrmatively declared that the
United States has the right to excmpr
, from payment OF toll. for passage
through the canal its vessels of every
kind. and also those of its citizens and
the absolute sovereignty of the United
states over that canal is hereby spe.
officially and positively affirmed
Every effort was made by the oppon-
ents of this amendment to prevent a
record vote upon IL. but all 10 no avail.
and hence il is quite an easy matter
for those who are interested to ascer-
tam what representatives were for
and against the preservation OF Amer
lean rights in the canal
In explanation of his bill Congress
man Moss has issued the following
statement:
This is bill repeating the repeal
of the tolls exemption clause of the
Panama canal act so as to attach TO
said act the clause, No tolls shall be
levied upon the vessels engaged in
the coastwise trade of the United
States nor upon any war vessels of
the United States of any kind or de-
scription."
Questions Of vital Importance will
be presented TO this Congress, and
the calendar should not be clogged
with unimportant measures. OF the
first Importance is the policy OF ma
tional preparedness, involving the
very preservation of the nation. or
scarcely less Importance is the main
tenance of national sovereignty over
our own policy. When a nation per-
mits It's sovereignty to be attacked,
directly or Indirectly. without repri-
sal or defense. its claim to first rank
among nations is seriously threat
ened. ] say that the repeal by the
last Congress OF the clause in the
Panama tolls act exempting coast
wise ships from tolls. at the behest
OF foreign power. constitutes one
OF the most humiliating chapters in
American history. The question of
national sovereignty was directly in
volved. Sir Edward Grey, acting for
England, claimed that the treaty,
tHay- Pauncefote), imposes limita-
lions upon the freedom OF action Of
the United States" in respect to the
canal. Limitations to freedom Of ac-