Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-07-11
WANTS TIME TO PROTEST
1T is BELIEVED ENGLAND DOES
NOT LIKE THE "RAlL-
WAY" CLAUSE.
A VIOLATION OF The TREATY
ALLOWING AMERICAN SHIPS
FREE PASSAGE is SAID
TO BE OBJECTIONABLE.

Washington, July l1.-Great Brit
aims request for postponement o
Panama canal legislation now before
congress until a formal statement car
be filed against the proposed shiI
toll provisions likely is to have lit
tie effect in delaying the passage OF
the canal bill, Members of the sen,
ate inter-oceanic canals committee
today declared there would be no
backing down" by the senate from
its position in favor of free passage
Of American ships.
Senator Lodge. ranking member of
the senate committee on foreign af-
fairs, declared any further delay was
impossible. He declined, however, to
express any final opinion on the right
Of the United States to grant free
passage to it's own ships under the ex-
isting treaty with Breat Britain.
Senator Brandage. chairman Of the
cST ais committee. wall make an ef
fol- to have the bill brought before
senate as unfinished business As
sOop as, the Lorimer case has been
disposed of. 1t is doubtful, however,
whether the senate can reach tho bill
before the British statement arrives.
Many senators said Great Britains
representatives would be given full
consideration.
That not only Great Britain but all
maritime powers might be expected
to protest against any discrimination
in favor of American vessels has
been fully expected. Notwithstanding
this, President Taft and Secretary
Stimson have committed themselves
to the assertion of lne right of the
United States to regulate traffic in
the manner provided in the pending
bill
The strongest statement of the ad-
ministration's position was that made
by Secretary Stimson in his Kansas
City speech November Ia last, deal
ing with the Panama canal as work
about to be completed. He declared
that he had not the least doubt OF the
right of the United States to pay
tolls on American vessels using the
canal, which would Oe equivalent to
granting them free passage. h
He pointed out that substantially 8
every European government using
the Suez canal paid such subsidies, t
and the Hay-Pauncefote treaty pro- a
vided that the rules of the Suez canal i
were to govern the operation of the c
Panama canal. o
President Taft has let it be known p
that he proposed to be guided in the a
matter entirely by the viii of con Z
yress. SO. If the Legislation is per- s.
'ected on the present lines. the leg
slative branch of the government j
will be bound to lend unqualified sup n
,ort to the state department in what G
S almost certain to be a period of ex- G
remedy active and pregnant ex- t
hange Of notes with the great mari M
ime powers. d.
While it is true that Great Britain M
couples a position of exceptionl = III
crest and power regarding any 18TH ca
lian canal by reason of her ancient Fl
of joint control with the
+nited States it seems certain any
the British govern
tent may make will be supported by bo
ermany and France and perhaps 9TH tu
: European powers. The matter Of nj,
oment is how far those powers may Of
} to sustain protest against the dr.
.oposed control Of the Panama can Kr
by the United States. MI
Great Britain's request that the en- wa
'tment of the Panama canal admin 1t
tration bill be held in allegiance All