The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-28
PANAMA CANAL TOLLS.

Congress appears reluctant 10 under
take the regulation Of Panama canal
| tolls; and yet that regulation should
By no means be postponed beyond the
present session of Congress because the
world s commerce is waiting upou the
action which Congress may take in this
matter, TO adjust its commercial rcla
tions with the canal upon the basis Of
| the tolls which, may be fixed.
There seems to be curious lack of
comprehension In some quarters of the
real situation. First Of all. Mr.. John
Barrett, Director Of the Pan American
Union, argues that under our treaties
with Great Britain and under our
declarations 10 other powers, We are
obi, ged to give the commerce OF other
nations precisely the same advantages
and treatment in the canal afic that
We give 10 our OWN President Taft
seems IN a way 10 acknowledge this:
but he proposes TO cyadc the reliability
by relating to our own vessels the tolls
which they may pay.
In this connection, it may be VOL
TO state that there arc two separate
branches OF our commerce altogether,
to be taken into consideration in this
matter. The coastwise commerce.
that is 10 say, the direct transporta-
tiou between our Atlantic and our
Pacific coast, where the cargoes are
made up by American consieners on one
coast for American cons,g gnees on the
other. forms one branch of our com
merce, the coastwise commerce. which
foreign vessels are not permitted to en-
gage in. and which, as it does not in
any way come in competition with the
commerce or transportation of other
nations, would inevitably pass through
the canal free of tolls.
Another branch OF commerce is that
which would pass through the canal
from either coast TO foreign countries,
and would he IN competition with the
ocean transportation of the world. 1,
is this class OF canal traffic that would
be violative Of our treaties with Great
Britain and our understanding with
other nations. il any would; and il is
this class to which President Taft re,
fers when he speaks OF rebates TO the
extent of tolls paid.
4 recent expression OF Mr.. Emory L.
johnson, Professor of Transportation
aud Commerce in the University Of
Pennsylvania, takes mp the question,
the pith OF his argument being in he
following quotation:
As matter OF fact. Panama Canal
tolls viii be hardly burdcnsome TO ship
ping. They VIII add possibly per cent
% the average freight rates between the
Two scaboaTus OF the United states
Likewise the hope Of tIansconiinentai.
railroads that the canal tolls will assist
them in competing against the soastwlsc
steamship lines can hardly bc realized
IN 8ddiuon OF per cent 10 the rates
charged by coast~lse carriers can be OF
but sbght help 10 the railroads. The di-
Vision ot the traffic between rail and
water lines VIII not be largely affected
by such tolls. as the United states Cow
OF the Panama Canal.
As matter of fact. the Panama
canal tolls will not be burden TO ship
ping at all, II we consider the ship
ping for either coast of North aud
South America from either shore of the
Atlantic. we will ful that even af-
ter paving reasonable tolls. the open.
ing OF the Panama canal viii be re-
lief, and not a burden. \ ship going
from Liverpool or Boston 10 the west
coast of South America or 10 our own
west coast would be relicved very
I H.
AMI supplies would be saved, and the