Bismarck daily tribune., 1912-03-23
PANAMA VI MEASURE
NOT SATISFACTORY
TO SENATOR BRlSTOW

atOr Joseph L. BriStOW OF "Bleedlng
Kansas" isn't bit satisfied with the
measure relating toPanama tolls re-
Gently reported by the house commit
tee on interstate and foreign COM
merce. It wi, be remembered by the
readers of these dispatches that Mr..
Bristow made a somewhat thorough
study of Isthmian trade as the special
Panama railroad G. nmissioner in
1905, and banking on the practical ex-
perience thereby gained he intimates
in his usual frank manner that he is
especially dissatisfied with that par
agraph of the bill which purports to
discriminate against steamship lines,
the stock of which. in whole or in part
is owned by railroad companies.
Senator Bristow sees every bit as
far as any Of his colleagues IN an
analysis of any and all measures
brought before the senate, and thinks
there's a Joker" in that paragraph.
At the same time, he differs with the
house committee as to the proper
rates to be charged as tolls.
my own views" he says ARE ex'
pressed in my own bill. In 1t the rate
is fixed at 81 per ton of not registered
tonnage. American measurement 1cr
all vec c,els other than those OF the
United States and of the republic oil
Panama, with further proviso tnat
for vessels Of American registry the
charge shall be so cents per not reg
istered ton, American measurement,
and 'or vessels in the coastWlse traoe
% cents a ton.
"That measure of mine also pro-
vides that the Is cents charge snail
be conditioned upon agreement 10Y
the owners that such vessels may be
takenr and used by the United States
in time of war upon payment to the
owners of q fair, actual value at 1ne
time Of taking.
81 would favor fee tolls for Amer
ican vessels. III domestic commerce
II I thought that the tolls on foreign
commerce alone would pay the oper.
ating expenses of the canal. But 1t
seems certain that the tolls paid by
foreign ships would not pay operat-
ing expenses, and therefore, I have
fixed in my bill the nominal charge
for vessels in the coastwise trade OF
25 cents per net registered ton, which
is equivalent to approximately II IL
to Is cents per ton of cargo. This
will not be a burden, and it will at the
same time produce a good deal OF
revenue.
There is no more reason for charg-
;no American ahins tolls for the use
of the Panama canal than there Us Tor
charging vessels. in any Of our inter:
coastal canals owned by the govern
ment, except maintenance charges.
The Panama canal will have heavy
operating expenses, AND those OK
penses ought to be borne by the COM
merce benefited by the use of, the
canal.
II do not care TO have American
commerce pay any interest on the
money which our government has In.
vested in this great enterprise, any
! more than that would ask tae COM
merce on the Mississippi river, or the
Great Lakes, or in New York harbor.
to pay interest on the investment
which the government has made IN
river and harbor improvements.
81 think that these views are enter
tained by a majority of the senators
who feel that it would not be just to
tax the American treasury to operate
the canal after the American people
have already put more taanv $400, ,O0O,'
900 into the construction OF the canal.
/ do not believe that an absolutely
free toll proposition would meet with
the approval of congress. A great
many not favoring free tolls do heart.
lily favor a nominal charge such as
have suggested in my bill.
"And now, just word with refer
ence to Pacific Mail lines: These
lines have been commercial pirates,
run wholly in the inte: est of the trans.
continual railroads for the purpose
Of using the Panama canal in private
commerce. and to destroy any steam.
ship lines that wished to establish
legitimate competition with the trans.
continental railroads by the Isthmian
route.
Absolute forbidding Of the use Of
the canal to steamship lines, the stock
of which, or any part Of 1t, is owned
or controlled. directly or indirectly,
by railroads or railroad interests be-
ing a tranacontintal business ia nee.