Salt Lake Tribune | 1914-03-06 | Page 6 | Wilson on Canal

.,' , .f; WILSON ON CANAL. President Wilson did not argue, but f merely pleaded rritb congress to repeal ' the act exempting American coastwise j, ships from payment of canal tolls. This probably was on the theory which ho t ' rondo public in a letter some time ago, ; when ho said that iC the question "wore debatable ho for otic did not wish to i ' ', debate it. In 1ns address to congress 'yesterday, therefore, he avoided tho , , controversial aspects of tho question, : and mcroly declared that the oxenip- . ' tiun was in plain conflict with tho j. treaty and was a "mistaken economic polic-," and, he added, "I shall not , , know how to deal with other matters , . of even greater delicacy and nearer ,l conS-equcneo if you do not grant it to j mo in ungrudging measure." ' . TUc indications now are that the , president will have his wish. For soruo time it has Deen apparent, that Demo-' Demo-' .era tic opposition to the prosident on ' this subject has been dwindling, It ' ,". would serve no good purpose to go be-hind be-hind the returns and seek tho motives f 1 of the senators and representatives ' who have shifted to the president's .. side, and it is perhaps too late to argue f ' against the repeal of tho act; but there - is one aspect of the case that deserves . ' attention. Whether the treaty grants or do-' do-' ' g nics the right to absolute control of tho canal and canal charges by the , ' Unitcll States is a debatable question, ' but there ought to bo no question ' that the United States should have ab- . solute powor with reference to tho ca- nal. If the treaty stands in the way of euch power it ought to bo do-'' do-'' , nounced. "We. should not insist upon "! . '. the abrocation of tho treaty merely j because it imposes a hnrdship, but as a I matter of priuciple. It is prcpos'terous for the United " r States to submit to any dictation by I a foreign power as to Panama canal L. I charges or regulations. Uuglaud sub- f ,'( mita to no dictation in its nianagc- i4 n mcnt uf the Suez canal, although it & ; did not build that caual. How much l nioi c reason, therefore, has tho United j! 1 States lu resent and to end any dicta- , tion as to its methods of managing a 'j ' caunl Which is the gicatcst feat of cn- 'l ginecrfiig in the history of tho world ,. and which has cost this government . '. mote thau $t00,U0O,00U.