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
incnt attaching TO that bill provis-
ION that nothing herein contained
shall be 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
mittcc on rules brought In rule pro-
hibitins any amendment whatever to
the bill as recommended by the COM
mittec.
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
10 mollify its effect by Introducing n
resolution on April .. 1911. preserving
the rights of the United States in re-
gard 10 the canal. but the committee
refused 10 report il. The Senate
added an amendment 10 the House bill
along the line y. Mr. Moss's resolution
but 1t was not strong enough 10 satisfy
tAat gentleman. so. on June IL, 1914,
while the bill was pending in the
House on the question Of ratifying or
rejecting the Senate amendment. Mr..
Moss, with the assistance OF MIR. Muir
dock. Mr.. Fitzgerald and other promi-
ncnt lcadcrSi1 succeeded in getting n
record vote on what he termed a pref
erential motion concerning which. the
! record of that date states: MIR. Moss
oil West Virginia moved TO strike out
the Senate amendment and substitute
! therefore the following: But it is
hereby afilrmatively declared that the
4 United States has the right to cxcmp,
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 spc-
/ ciiically and positively affirmed"
/ Every effort was made by the oppon-
+ ents of this amendment to prevent a
record vote upon it. but all TO no avail
and hence it is quite an easy matte,
/ Tor those who are interested 10 ascer-
tain what representatives were fol-
and against the preservation of Amer.
lean rights in the canal.
I In explanation of his bill Congress.
man Moss has issued the following
I 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
7 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. or the
flrst 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 nation per-
mits its 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
Nolved. Sir Edward Grey. acting for
England, claimed that "the treaty,
(Hay-Pauncefotc), imposes limita-
tons upon the freedom of action OF
the United States" in respect TO the
canal. Limitations to freedom of ac-