Graham guardian., 1915-03-05

Montreal they received the rebate
or if Canadian vessels came to Amer
lean ports they lost it. But we con
sidered it violation of the spirit o.
treaty and said so. Canada prompt
ly rescinded the provision. Can We
not afford to be as fair, for ours il
a greater violation?
Our vessels could go to Canads
and get the rebate, but foreign
vessels are not allowed to engage ir
American coast-wise trade. Thus
it is impossible that they could claim
the exemption in any way. So we
find the Canal Tolls Exemption AcI
plain issue between justice and
practically, and the American peo
pie under Wilson's leadership allowed
justice to reign"
Closely relating to our treaty
with Great Britain is our treaty
with Columbia. Roosevelt and Others
have said our payment of money to
Columbia was "blackmail." Dubois,
minister to Columbia under Taft,
says the proposed treaty is in justice
only to Columbia; is no "blackmail'
or apology" Mr.. Dubois is surely
in position to u usderstand the affair
from the very beginning. He says
further, Owing to the tender re-
gard for President Roosevelt
contained in my instructions which
were proposed by the Taft admin
stration, | failed. But the Wilson
administration has taken a broader
and more correct view Of the entire
question, and has presented to the
American people a treaty that ought
to be heartily approved because it
is just to Columbia and will remove
forever an intolerable situation" |"
He says further, Article | contains
a simple expression of regret that
anything has disturbed the friend
ship existing between two nations.
but it is not an apology. The
Columbian authorities understand
that under no circumstances will the
United States apologize fora political
act" Mr.. Dubois states that Ar
ticle Ill, which is the one styled
'Blackmail, is also in simple justice
to Columbia. The circumstances,
very briefly related in order to give
an idea Of the affair, are these: I'm
der contract of 1867 between
Trans Isthmian Railroad and the
Panama Railroad. Columbia was TO
receive $250,000 annually-some
millions for a public debt incurred
in the interests of Panama before
the revolution--a claim recognized
by Roosevelt in his treaty of 1900
Therefore the United States in en-
tire possession of Panama Railroad
should compensate Columbia for the
annuities which she is entitled to
receive"
These and other claims of Column
bia justify the payment of the
twenty-five millions of dollars when,
to use Roosevelt's own words, i
took the Canal and let Congress de-
bate"
Thus again we find Mr.. Wilson
recognizes the right thing to do and
is not afraid to do it. He does not
consider the practical side, merely,
nor the side of material gain, but
always the right or just thing. We
find him dealing thus with all foreign
questions. He is not understood by
most people because it is too new a
thing to be governed by ideaiistic or
altruistic methods rather than by
those which are for material gain.
Thoughtless persons accuse him of
hesitancy, weakness, or lack of in
telligent understanding of his deal
ings with foreign powers. but in
every great question he has been
led by noble purposes and in each
case we have to admit, He has
kept his faith"
In no great foreign question has
his policy been failure. A prac.
tical president, only, would have
had US at war with Mexico when
this great European war began. A
merely practical president would
have caused US to be hated by all
Latin American peoples, but Wood
row Wilson's ldealism has us ready
to seize our great commercial ad
vantages caused by the great war
he made US friends with all Latin
America and at peace with the
world"
He is leading his people thru {
war against the mighty material in
terests that have made them slaves
and is bringing confidence anC
hope to the hearts of his people al
truly as was brought to those whc
first looked toAmerica for freedom.