The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-11
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President who had changed his mind
In couple Of years upon vital prob,
lem Of this kind. like whipped school
boy Congress took back its observation
OF sovereignty and meekly acquiesced
In repeal of the solemn act assert.
ing 1t. Al lother public business was
cast aside while this measure was ! 1t.
orally driven through Congress. Future
historians will seek the cause of this
unusual, unceasing demand for the
prompt execution OF American sover.
eighty.
The longer ! live the more conf.
dence have in not only the righteous.
ness but the wisdom of the American
people. Many citizens tolerated this
outrageous repeal because they
thought, as they were told by men
high in authority, that the granting OF
exemption from payment OF tolls to
coastwise ships was in violation OF
solemn treaty. and they desired, OF
course, that this nation should strictly
observe its contracts. But ever since
that repeal there has been unrest and
dissatisfaction concerning 1t In all sec.
tons OF the country, as know from
my personal observation, and as the
people better understand what that re,
peal meant in the way OF loss OF ma.
tional dignity. and better understand
the real meaning of this Hay.Paunce.
fote treaty, the spirit OF Indignation
grows, and in my Judgment the time is
about ripe to repeal that repeal by
again putting on 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 mil.
lions Of dollars, and through the ge.
MUS and persistence of American in.
tellect, shall indeed be the property
Of its maker.
From a commercial standpoint any.
one can see the advantages to the
American public accruing from the ex.
emption Of tolls to coastwise vessels.
Mr.. Wilson when candidate for Pres.
ident say 1t and voiced his approval
OF the exemption on the ground that
the cost Of transportation Of farmers
product sfrom one coast to another
would be SO much reduced from that
exacted by the transcontinental rail.
roads. The fact is that these rail.
roads are the strongest supporters that
the repeal had. and for good cause.
Under our law no foreign ship can
engage in coastwise trade anyhow, SO
real injury to the interests Of for.
eign ship owners 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
plan in the Hay.Pauncefote treaty.
Now l assert, first, that anything like
repeal which can be construed as an
acknowledgment that the act repealed
could not rightfully and lawfully be en-.
acted will rise to retard and cripple In
the future, because 1t Is a principle of
internationa law that II dispute
arises over the construction OF a treaty
and meanwhile since its contamination
one Of the parties thereto has perform.
ed some act like the repeal Of sol
emn law) against its own interests,
tending to show its adopted the mean.
Ing claimed by It's adversary, this can
be used against 1t in the settlement OF
that dispute. Second, 1t must be and
is admitted by everybody that the ma.
ton which built and paid for the canal
would have absolute sovereignty there.
OF unless restrained by some treaty
stipulation claimed by anyone as hav.
ing q restraining tendency is that con.
tanned in Article III comprising dec.
laration by the owner OF the Canal Sof
the terms upon which It is to be used.
The first clause grants a privilege to
other nations, and yet the language OF
this granting clause Is what is relied
on altogether as limiting American
rights In the Canal. Read II carefully,
1.-THE canal shall be free and open to
vessels OF commerce and OF W ar of all
nations observing these rules The
other rules not only all relate to war,
but a casual reading thereof shows
that they are intended to protect the
United States from any Inconvenience
as a result of war between two other
nations. These FIVE other rules pro-
hibit helligerents from blockading or
exercising any act Of hostility, or re.
yictualizing or taking stores Except
as may be strictly necessary, OF. en-.
barking or disembarking troops or mu.
nitions OF war, or permitting their yes.