The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-05-02
TOLLS
ARE opp SED
As They Must Ultimately Be
Paid by the Con-
sumner.

somewhat assauged by the days since
Ms occurrence. the American people
are oucc more turning to the things
In which they are vitality concerned
as a nation, the Panama canal ques-
ton with its regulations as to tolls,
the manner in which tonnage Is to
be computed and the settlement of
controversies growing out of rail and
water competition looms large on the
legislative horizon.
More and more is the impression
growing that the question is one of
tue largest Congress has been called
upon to consider since the enactment
Of the Sherman antitrust act or the
Hepburn rate bill.
W. X Kananaugh, of St. Louis,
president Of the Lakes-to.the Gulf
Deep Waterway Association and one
Of the leading business men of the
Mississippi valley, is an outspoken
opponent to tolls on the Panama canal
as they may apply to domestic COM
merce. While in Washington last
week Mr. Kavanaugh appeared before
the Senate committee on interoceanic
canals, which is having hearings on
the subject OF Panama regulations,
and presented arguments in favor OF
free tolls which were listened to with
close attention by those entrusted
with formulating regulations govern
ing the users of the canal, domestic
as we'll as foreign.
Mr.. Kananaugh in an interview on
the subject said: This is one OF
the burning questions OF the day.
How any man in the interior Of the
country could urge preferential tolls
on domestic commerce is beyond my
comprehension. Let me cite con-
crete case of a shipment of barley
and canned goods from San Fran
cisco to st. Louis via water routes
aud the difference between the rail
charge and the water charge. II a
toll is to be added to the water rate
then the Panama canal will fail OF
its mission.
This cargo of 1900 tons Of barley
and 300 tons of canned goods des-
tined to st. Louis left San Francisco
by boat. 1t was hauled to Colon and
there trans-shipped over the Panama
railroad and reshipped into vessel
on the gulf side of the Panama rail-
road to New Orleans. There the car
so was put on the dock and the Miss
issippi Valley Transportation Com.
pany loaded the cargo into big
steel barge and delivered the barley
and canned goods to the consignee at
st, Louis at sixty cent rate--a dis
lance OF $500 miles by water and
rail haul from San Francisco to ST
Louis.
This is striking illustration Of
the benefits of water transportation
and what must come ultimately t
the Interior of the Mississippi valley
through the agency of the free tolls
On the big ditch and the people o.
the Mississippi valley would resent
any burden in the shape OF tolls Of
tax on any commodity destined to OF
from points in this watershed.
The arguments advanced by somr
That the toll would be absorbed by
me vessel is misleading. Any toll OF
lax assessed through the Panama
canal must appear in the bill of lad,
ing ultimately and must be paid for
hy the consumer. That is automatic
II would be just as logical to assess
'oliS Of the 500 canal on the sixty
million tons of freight that pass
through that canal or to place bur-
zen on the commerce that passes over
Re Mississippi river and its tribu-
aries as it would be to assess tolls
through tAsgsanal on domestic com
mcrce.
50 far as l know all nations uni
'ormly follow the policy of favorlng
ana protecting their own commerce;
certainly we can do no less.
IN this connection l desire to ex-
press not only my own appreciation
nal The appreciation OF our people
living on the Mississippi of the edu-
caiIonal work being done by the Ma
uonal Rivers and Harbors Congress-,
whose mselfish efforts to arouse pub
NC sentiment not only on the Pan
ANA canal question but on all ether
Qaes'ions relating to the development
u The rivers and harbors of the coun-
'E, deserve to be crowned with sue
cess"