New-York tribune., 1912-03-10
PRESIDENT TO FIX TOLLS.
uow Bill Gives Him Control of
Panama Canal Zone.
RATE NOT OVER S1.25 A TON
40 Preference Given to American
ships-vessel Trusts May
Be Barred.
I'm IN. Tribune bureau. J

.h,nrton March s.-After weeks OF
,,..,.s,on. the House Committee on inter
80 and Foreign Commerce to-day agreed
b,l TO provide form Of govern
o., the Panama Canal Zone. The
~ .,,re practically leaves to the President
.,.,ra control and management OF the
..,sI and authorizes him to nix the Tolls
The president is authorized TO assess toll
or6 70 change them at his discretion,
~. nrIy restriction being that such tolls
Ill NOT exceed 81 % net registered ton
~. committee has disregarded. however.
~. Presidents suggestion that, at least
,s.sus the operation of the canal IS In the
.,,narnental stage. preferential toll rates
.sa,,Id he given 20 American owned ships
ts~.,sb remission of all or a portion of the
IN. Maid. II is provided in the bill drawn
.1ay that all vessels shall be placed on
~. ..me basis as regards tolls, and that
=. rreference is to be given TO American
cosstwise shipping
'After defining the Canal Zone. on which
- ,respassing is to be permitted after the
onening OF the canal. the bill provides that
.so government shall be administered by
oe,c,aIs appointed by the President. The
coyernor is 10 receive $1,000 a year, and
the President has the right to name and
az the salaries of such other officials as
NAV he needed for the administration of
the canal
A connpromise was reached on that sec
,ion of the bill regulating the use of the
canal by steamships owned or controlled
directly or indirectly by railroad interests.
The Knowland plan 10 prohibit the use OF
the canal to such ships was rejected, and a
substltute section was accepted. which
specifies that railroad controlled vessels
may pass through the canal unless they
attempt to stife competition. Vessels which
enter into agreements with the intent or
with the effect Of restraining trade may be
deprived OF the use Of The canal
The provision relating 70 T4'es is as fol-
lows:
The President Is hs-tsy authorized TO
prescribe and from tine 10 time change
Toll charges for the -Ss Of the Panama
Canal BY all vessels. except those belong
ing to the government % the United states
Qncluding those OF the Panama hallroau
Company and the government of the re-
public of Panama. WHICH excepted vessels
shall be charged no tolls.
Charges may be based upon gross or net
registered tonnage. displacement tonnage,
or otherwise, and may be based on one
form of tonnage for warships and another
for ships OF commerce. but the tolls shall
not exceed 81 25 ton, based upon net
nor be less than the estimated proportion
ate cost OF the actual operation of the
canal
In other words, the committee proposes
10 make the canal self-sustaining.
TT oriz zad nj
low:
II shall be unlawful for ships TO pass
through the canal which are owned.
leased, operated or controlled by any rail-
road company engaged in interstate com
merce or by any other corporation in which
such railroad company has any interest
whatsoever, or by any other person asso-
strain or prevent or with the effect OF re-
straining or preventing competition
through the Panama Canal, either between
ships ship lines and ship companies, or be-
tween ships, ship lines or ship companies
and railroads.
Ii shall be unlawful for any ship to pass
through the canal II the owner shall be
engaged in any agreement. combination,
strain or prevent, or with the effect OF re-
straining or preventing competition through
the Panama Canal among ships, ship lines
or ship companies, or between railroads and
such ships, ship lines o. ship companies
The bill would establish one United
States District judge. with magistrates and
bailiffs in the various towns throughout
the zone, and would provide jury trial on
demand in all criminal eases and cases at
Law. The district court would have appel
late Jurisdiction with the Circuit Court Of
Appeals at New Orleans. EXtraditiOn OF
criminals also would be provided.
A minority report on the bill will be filed
by Representatives Knowland. Broussard,
Calder and Doremus. who favor preferen-
fial toll I'm. A rica nu,npd NaaSalS