The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-11

ton over ones own territory is GER
tainly an impairment OF sovereign
ty. Yet the Congress of 1912 assert
ed this sovereignty by enacting the
exemption clause. and an able sec
rotary OF state in his negotiations
with Sir Edward Grey insisted upon
the maintenance unimpaired of that
sovereignty. But at the last session
OF Congress at the behcst OF pres
ident who had changed his mind in a
couple of years upon vital problem
OF this kind. like whipped school
hoy Congress took back its asserva-
tion OF sovereignty and meekly ac-
guessed In repeal of the solemn
act asserting 1t. All other public
business was cast aside while this
measure was literally driven through
Congress. Future historians will
seek the cause of this unusual. I'M
csasing demand for the prompt ex-
ecution OF American sovereignty.
The longer l live the more conf
dence | have in not only the right
eousness but the wisdom OF the
American people. Many citizens toll
Grated this outrageous repeal because
they thought. as they were told by
men high in authority that the grant
ing OF exemption from payment of
tolls TO coastwlse ships was in viola
ton of solemn treaty, and they de-
sired. of course. that this nation
should strictly observe its contracts.
But ever since that repeal there has
been unrest and dissatisfaction con-
corning 1t in all sections of the coun
try. as | know from personal obser-
walton. and as the people better un-
derstood what that repeal meant in
the way of loss of national dignity,
and better understood the real
meaning OF this Hay-Pauncefote
treaty. the spirit of indignation
grows; and in my judgment the time
IL about ripe to repeal that repeal
by again putting upon the statute
books of this country an assertion
that this great waterway built by the
American people at the sacrifice of
hundreds of lives. at the cost OF four
hundred millions Of dollars. and
through the genius and persistence
OF American intellect, shall indeed
be the property of It's maker.
From commercial standpoint.
anyone can see the advantages 10 the
American public accruing from ex-
cmption of tolls to coastwise YES
sells. Mr.. Wilson when candidate
Tor president saw it and voiced his
approval of the exemption on the
ground that the cost of transporta-
OF farmers products from one coast
TO the other would be so much re-
tuced from that exacted by the
trans-continental railroads The fact
is that these railroads are the strong
est supporters that the repeal had,
and for good cause. Under our law
no foreign ship can engage in coast
wise trade anyhow, SO really injury
10 the interests of foreign ship own
ers did not exist.
But the vital question is not COM
mercial. Extortionate rates for trans
portation have been paid before, and
the country still exists. The trouble
Is that ships of commerce and ships
OF war are placed exactly on the same
plane In the Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
Now l assert. first, that anything like
repeal which can be construed as
an acknowledgment that the act re-
realed could not rightly and law
fully be enacted will rise to retard
ard cripple US in the future, be-
cause 1t is principle of interna-
tional law that II dispute arises
over the construction OF q treaty.
and meanwhile since its cosumma-
ton one OF the parties thereto has
performed some act 0ike the repeal
OF solemn law against its own in
tercsts tending to show 1t adopted
the meaning claimed by its adver-
sary. this can be used against 1t in
the settlement of that dispute. Sec
ond. 1t must be and is admitted by
everybody that the nation which
built and paid for the canal would
have absolute sovereignty thereof
unless restrained by some treaty stip-
ulation. and the only treaty stipula-
ton claimed by anyone as having
restraining tendency is that con-
tanned in Article III comprising a
declaration by the owner OF the canal