Evening journal., 1912-07-27
CANAL TOLLS
ON U. S. SHIPS
If Levied, Weakness in Clay
tOn-BuIwer Treaty Will be
Disclosed; O'GOrman'S View
BELIEVES RAILROADS
ARE BACK OF QUESTION

WASHINGTON. ID. c., July 27.--
"The right Of the United States to
levy tolls or to exempt American
ships from the payment OF tolls
while going through the Panama
Canal Is inherent in our government;
any other view is wholly unwarrant-
ed by the facts in the case said
Senator Clarence d. Clark. Of Wyom-
ing. chairman of the Judiciary Com
mittec Of the Senate, in the course Of
q discussion OF the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty relating 20 the operation and
use OF the Panama Canal His view
is most generally accepted by Sena-
tors but there is IN the Senate a con-
siderable number of it's members who
take the position that the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, which took the
place OF the Clayton-Bulwer treaty
of the early fiffties, makes IL Obliga
tory on the part of the United States
10 charge tolls on American ships
engaged in the coastwise and for
cign trade the same as on ships OF
other nations.
"If this view should prevail" said
Senator James A. OGorman OF New
York In an interview on the Panama
Canal bill. the American people will
be greatly surprised that so little re-
gard for American rights was mani
tested at tho time of the adoption OF
the -Pauncefote treaty, because,
II the view alluded TO be the correct
one, Il must follow that while the
United States has expended S4OO,OOO,-
600 OF American money in the con-
struction of the canal It's citizens
must be denied the rights that are
enjoyed by the subjects Of Great Bri-
tain and OF every other foreign power
/ cannot imagine that condition nor
will ! believe that the late John Hay,
who executed the treaty on the part
OF the United States ever thought for
q moment that we were estoppcd
from exempting American ships
from the payment of tolls because of
certain clauses of the treaty which
are now interpreted TO mean that
very thing.
1t does not seem possible that the
right possessed by every other ma
tion on earth with respect to tho
Panama Canal, our canal, is denied TO
our own citizens by a composition.
or convention, called a treaty which
IS not remarkable for it's precision
of expression or it's respect for the
Monroe Doctrine"
Senator O'Gorman then voiced
what seems to be a growing senti-
ment, that behind the protest of Great
Britain turks the influence of the
railroads of Canada and the United
States which have been enabled to
secure the cooperation of the British
foreign office thereby embarrassing
the government of the United States
in the attempt now being made for
wholesome legislation to keep rail-
road controlled ships of the canal,
so that competition may live and
thrive
THE railroad companies have been
incorporated for railroad purposes
continued Senator O'Gorman, "and
they have destroyed competition
wherever they have been permitted
TO secure control of competing water
transportation facilities.
III drastic legislation rs needed to
make competition wholesome on the
Canal then / stand ready to vote for
that legislation, because / have a
lively appreciation OF the possibility
of the injury which may be done the
American people If the railroads are
not kept out of the canal.
I'VE should exempt from the pay
ment of tolls all American shipping
going through the canal and We
should sec to it that railroad-owneC
steamships should not use the canal
Such action on tho part of the Amer
lean Congress in my Judgment woul'
not violate the language and canno
violate the spirit of the treaty tha
has been invoked against us"