Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-07-17
The Panama Canal Is Ours,
Not England's

They point to a musy document and say the American
people See YOU have forfeited your ownership of the ggan
labor your hands You have paid the tolls of
and blood the canal belongs anybody and
body much does you And whatever other tolls re
paid the upkeep Of the great waterway must
pay cent for cent farbng farhingvith English
all the world have stood by at and
watched your hercuean labor and gigantic at the 18th
Certainly. if there anything earth colossal than
the Panama canal this mpudence The London Daily Mail
says:
FRI is impossible grounds ethics United
Estates defend the proposal to grant free tolls american np
service but general
subsidy
which the ships of all nations have equal rights nor is
practicable traffic which
the navigation laws the United states IS aresoy reserved eNeS "
This statement typical English press unanimously
supporting the protests made by the English government and
always happens when questions of American rights in
Tory New newspapers aid Great Britain
adopt her They not only deny right to let Amer
ships toll Free through the canal but
right pay the tolls Of public pmseand also
right refrain from laying embargo upon domestic
commerce.
The simple truth is of course that the Panama canal is
property We have bought at great price and
paid for it. In the of under moral well
treaty obligations all foreign nations alike and to fix
equitable tolls.
The senate has announced that will consider
isation will of the protest
British government the matter of Panama tolls with
poiteness due formal communication from
friendly government any subject
But the American people will have patience with the
precuded by the Hay Pauncefote treaty from
letting ships tolfree through the canaf want to
that TO the people this whole agitation hard
" anything else but stupendous British bluff 1t
recalls mind the spectacular effort that the English made
when Hay Paunceote treaty pending get into that
document formal remuneration of right to fo6fy the
canal
II will be remembered that that earlier gust of British
buster and silenced by of American indgna
ton raised by agencies publicity the papers
represent the Hearst newspapers alone that aroused the
peopeand through the people compelled the senate to see the
pusanimous character of the proposal that the Panama canal
should be built expense of $3o00000o0 and then left with
out defense me Georgian reels tseh mieed to voice me
rights Of the American people against amazing assumption of
the British government We have doubt that the patriotism
Of the will make the response in this that did
when compelled Secretary ay to change the treaty to which
that government took steps forify
the canal settled that could not entertain question
levy such tolls please
In effect the position taken by government fol
lows:
First that the Hay Pauncefoe treaywhen says that the
canal shall be free and vessels of and of
tally what nkeepe would if he agreed that his house
should be open to all equal terms He would NOT
the token be observed that interstate railroad
which legally bound under the law to carry passengers
and freight without preference discrimination precudd
from CARRYING its own employees and supplies free OF charge
and is forbidden carry other traffic free of charge.
Second if treaty had any meaning than this when
there question of canal through the foreign state of Mica
that other meaning certainly apply the pres
canal-nce through domestic
and therefore all practical ntnts inland waterway
truly the Hudson the Mississippi.
TO Theodore Roosevelt to any other man. is
the gratitude of the the of the canal
all foreign entangemens 1t his action
tangle of diplomatic red tape that brought about
QUESTION of the canal and made the American title the
ncontesbe President Roosevelt deserves the
undyng gratitude of his ounrymen for this prodgiou achieve
BY his alone and solely his responsibility
he ACQUIRED the Panama zone for the United States and made
the canal possible just President Jefferson made possible the
Louisiana purchase
The prension Of the British government are Invested
specous sembance Of cogenybecause the canal
through land
Britain insists that the Hay Pauncefote ties hands,
n then Will put end to that treaty.
There Of the law comfy Of nations that
prevent abrogang that has ceased TO