New-York tribune., 1910-12-30
TWO PANAMA CANAL BILLS.
To Provide for Tolls and Regula-
tion of Traffic.
SOME POINTS UNSETTLED
Treatment of Coastwise Ship.
ping Undecided-The Appro-
priation for Fortifcations.

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Flint. of
California, chairman Of the Committee on
Interoceanic Canals. and Representative
Mann, Of Illinois, chairman of the Com
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce, expect to introduce general Panama
Canal bills soon after Congress reassem-
bles. These measures will incorporate their
differing ideas as to the needs of legisia-
tion for the waterway in the light of the
White House conference of last night
There was substantial harmony OF opin-
ton al the conference In favor of fortifica-
ton of the canal Presidential discretion as
to the exact amount of tolls under pre-
scribed maximum and minimum limitations.
government operation of the drydock and
repair shop facilities and government sale
of all the coal. oil and other ship supplies
at both ends of the canal TO the trade OF
the world passing through the waterway
and the safeguarding Of competition. The
differences of views as TO whether foreign
and coast wise shipping should receive equal
treatment in charges could not be recon-
ciled, and the problem is still unsoived.
Features of the Flint Bill.
Senator Flint Immediately after the holi-
day recess will introduce a bill embodying
the needed legislation. from his point of
view. His bill win provide either for free
passage of American ships or the collection
of tolls and subsequent refunding of the
amount collected, which, in the opinion of
some of those in the conference. would
merely be matter of bookkeeping. His
hill will fix certain maximum and mini
mum for tolls on vessels of other countries
| probably from 80 or Is cents minimum 10
81 % or 81 so maximum on a net ton, leaving
the exact charge TO the discretion of the
President so that it can be adjusted 10
changing commercial conditions 1t Will
also provide that the rebate to coastwise
vessels shall not be allowed 10 any ships
owned or controlled by any railroad with
which they compete, directly or indirectly
In addition, it will provide that the gov
ernment may take over for its own uses,
when public emergencies make it neces-
sary any vessels availing themselves Of the
rebate, which would make all coastWise
| craft engaged in canal traffic subject to
naval uses on demand.
| Appropriation for Fortifications.
The general measure Mr.. Mann proposes
| probably will be presented to his colleagues
on the Interstate and Foreign Commerce
| Committee at an early meeting after the
| recess. Whether the bill carrying the
amount wanted for the initial expense for
| fortifica ton will come from the Appropri-
| ations Committee the Military Affairs
| Committee of the House is uncertain.
| Chairman Tawney of the former committee
| is opposed to heavy increases in govern
| ment expenditures, and it is possible that
the Military Affairs Committee, of which
| Representative Hull, Of Iowa, is chairman,
| and which is framing the army appropri-
| alton bill, will report such measure.
| The question of the treatment Of coast.
~; .:oping caused the principal discus
IN az last nights conference. Much of
the time devoted to the interpreta-
ton of the treaties with England as to
/ whether the general reference to all powers
being treated alike was 20 be interpreted
to include the United States TO mean all
powers foreign to the United States, and
thus permit lower tolls for vessels of this
country The treaty with Panama as to
preferential treatment of It's craft also was
considered Senator Flint was especially
| insistent on the coastwise exemption
| There was no difference of view as to the
| government furnishing, ship supplies. The
| President feels that these are more essen
tial at the isthmus than at Suez Canal ports
because of the distance from coal or other
| supply depots and because private conces-
sions would open the way for discrimina-
ten between canal patrons