NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2010, 18 March 1914, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The behaviour of the member for Nelson at the PiutoK_ Minister's meeting mi Monday evening .has pro-1 voked the censure even of the Oppo-1 sition juuriiiil of that city. It j hastens to disclaim "on bcfialf of i the people uf Nelson any sympathy j with what may be considered a gros.s dise'ourtcsy to a distinguished visitor to the city. 1 ' It was a meeting-,' Uie 'paper attris-, to hear an address by the I'rinvc Minister ami, npurt. from whulevcr mrty he fine to the oiiki? Mr. Slnssuy holds, Mr, Alinoi-e wns not present as an oritinary elector. He .whs present in his capacity ns member for the district, and ke occupied ii seat oh the platforfh by the Su» vitntion, out of cvwirtftsy. to Ms oivii oilici.ii position, of tlieso responsible for holding the meeting. It emiw to us, therefore, thilt in cndeArotrring to tnkc cjiargi? of the meeting «nd deliver si poliiicnl suMrws on l»s own account. Mr. Atmorp forgot what was due from him on such an occasion, mid lniueatnbly overstepped the ba-wnds pi : good taste. The people of N«lson natin-aily Kate to take their member seriously, and the rebuke administered by the Uolonut is, therefore, a very proper one, But those who'have followed Mn. AtMobe's political activities during the sittings of Parliament will experience bo surprise over his behaviour on the occasion referred to. Professor Emery Johnson, in thy course of a recent banquet; at Pennsylvania University, contributed his mite to swell the iaoroasifeg volume of opinion ih the United States antagonistic to preferential treatment being accorded to Americas vessels using the .Panama''Canal "itfo doubt," he said, "the intention of those who negotiated the MayPauncefotb Treaty was that the United States should be granted no rights that other nations did hotreceive"." The plaift eotnnion-sensG reading of the clause of the Treaty bearing on this point, of course, amply justifies this view. The Treaty says /he Canal shall be open to vessels of all nations "on terms of entire equality, Sβ that there shall be no discrimuiatkm against any such > nation, or its citizens of subjects, in respect of ths conditions or charges." Those who favour the exemption of American vessels contend that tlic words "all nations" mean all nations other than the United States, but President Wilson and the'majority of responsible authorities in Britain and the United States agree with the view expressed by PndFESSoft Johnson. A writer in the Kow York Post referring to the probable attitude, of Congress on tile question, states: It Is dearly fvide-nt to tbe iiiissi intojligeitt meii of Hie %wst> nnd Pennte tlrat we must put crarsetr&s right before the -sound public opinion of the tvgtM hy aramllin!,' the prevision of lnw tthicli gites fiTO toll* to American coastwise ships goiiif throng!) tiip Paiiasua Cawtl, quite aside from tile ftsnld rtfttsons of internntionnl jteiittes, which make Sl' 'iltsirable to i!o it ■β-ithftirt dciny. If any sti'oßß ftijd orpanisetl effort is- made in eitliwthe- Ifousß or the Senate to oppose Hid Ailjinnish'nHon's tlesiro to reimif t?>e breach in our National in.tcsfitr, it will AlToril mi OhuHiimtiu , ,' diwlosute nml measure of Hi* ftieiiin! foisriiwii awl 'political nmlersUmliiip: of certain figures In Congress whofp weiplit and vnhie ore net yet trlcarly fixed awl.defined, Recimfc esMcgraifts show that Hie proposal to repeal the davtse.of the Panawa Canal Act, which exerfipts United States vessels; from fte .payment of tol-b,- ia iSffetingwith a considerable amount of opposition, but it- is geiißrai-iy bcljevfd that Conpress will, ngree to thft wjjnornl of tho objectiorisibSe provisi-oii.