The Washington times., 1920-06-14
The American Panama Canal
Should Be Free to
American Ships
II lis Our Property by Every and Our Right to Use It.

Senator william Z Borah has the habit of doing the
right thing.
That is because Borah is honest in deed as well
in word
It's pity that Mr. Wilson did not have Borah's hon
esty in action as well as in phrase.
In that case the resolution restore free tolls to
American coastwse shipping using the Panama Canal would
not have had to be introduced by Senator Borah o.
Republican.
The Democratic platform in 1912 specifically pledged its
candidate Woodrow Wilson, to maintain free tolls for
American coastwise ships
Candidate Wilson specifically pledged himself to carry
out the platform promise.
= "our platform promises" he proclaimed, "are not
molasses to catch flies
Candidate Wilson became President Wilson by grace of
Theodore Roosevelt and six million votes in total Of f
teen million votes cast.
And Candidate Wilson had hardly well warmed the
Presidential chair before he broke his word and broke
pledge of the platform upon which he stood for election
Surrounded by carefully created and altogether false
atmosphere of academic wisdom and integrity, Mr. Wilson
gave the solemn to the Democratic major
i in the Congress that weghy secret reasons made
imperative abolish the free canal tolls which he and his
party had solemnly pledged themselves to he
was believed.
1t was not true then, and it is false still
But in those days the country had confidence in Mr.
Wilson's Judgment and it was almost lese majese
pect that he might saying the thing that not true
So free canal tolls abolished and the right to use
this AMERICAN canal built by AMERICAN men, and paid
for with AMERICAN money, and running through AMER1
CAN territory denied to American ships bound from
one American port to another American port.
And the day that done the coaswse trade beween
American ports on the Atlantic the Gulf and the Pacific
practically handed foreign shipping concerns
paying wages and providing living conditions to which
American law would permit American sailors to bel
subjected.
The Hearst papers fought this dishonest betrayal of
party pledges and this dsloyal surrender of the rights of
American ships and sailors from the inception of the bad
design But fought losing fight against the repute which
Mr. Wilson then enjoyed the influence he then exercised
subservent party majority, and the weight which
the people generally then his wholly dscredited
assurances-
The people believed what Mr.. Wilson declared to bel
true in 1912
That is another of the many differences between 1912
and 1920
Now Senator Borah has introduced resolution restor
ing the free canal tolls for American ships which Mr. Will
dishonesty abolished And this time confdent
that mysterious threats by Mr. Wilson will
have any weight all with majority Of the American Con
gress of the American people.
The truth is that the surrender of free canal tolls
was obedience British influence and
British pressure which has since for Wilson from the
British press the of the greatest living Engishman
We built the canal.
We paid for the canal.
It is our property by every law and right
fit cannot be questioned legally and certainly no
nation should be allowed question it in any other
Great Britain loses and America gains by permitting
American ships pass through American canal free