Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-08-09
WANTS CANAL FREE
FOR L. :. SHIPPING.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-Stand-
ing firm for American control of the
Panama canal. which he declared
was built by American dollars and
should be absolutely free, so far as
Americans are concerned, Senator
Jones Of Washington today delivered
his views on the matter in the SEN
ate. He said in part;
The United States owns a strip
of territory across the Isthmus of
Panama, 10 miles wide. Ii is ours
by reason OF grant from the Republic
OF Panama; no one disputes our title
and no one can dispute It, over II
flies the flag of the republic, repre-
senting the sovereignty and proprl-
etorship of the nation.
Through and across the strip of
territory and wholly within It's linz
its, We are building with our peoples
money and will soon have completed,
great canal through which will pass
much of the worlds commerce. This
canal will be built by us and by our
money. 1t will be operated by us.
We will protect il. 1t is ours, our
nation owns il. Can We say how we
shall use II? That is the question
which meets us at the threshold in
this bill, | have no doubt as to what
the American people think about It.
1t has never entered their mind
that this government could not use
its own property and deal with its
own people as 1t saw fit without ask
ing the consent of another govern
ment of people
THE United States says not to
herself but to the nations OF the
world, You may use this canal If you
observes the rules.
The United States stands on one
side as the maker of these rules. The
other nations of the earth are those
who stand on the other side ana who
are to observe the rules and for
whose observance the rules ate
made.
The treaty provides that vessels
of war of a belligerent shall not re-
victual except so far as may be
strictly necessary, in the canal Does
any one suppose for moment that q
war vessel of the United States going
through the canal could not reyictual
to any extent desired, even though
the United States might be at war
with some osher nation? Is it pos
sible that there is territory under
the stars and stripes in which our
war vessels can not stop to revlctual?
l cannot think so. Our people will
never admit it.
Again, 1t is provided vessels of
war of a bellgerent shall not rcmain
in such water (referring to waters
adjacent to the canal within three
miles of either end LONGER
than "A hours at any one time except
in case of distress
We're these rules made to applv
to vessels OF the United States? Il
is unthinkable that We would agree
to treaty that requires our war.
ships to leave our own territory
within "a hours and yet that is what
we have done If any other construc-
tion is given to the treaty Foreign
countries never hesitate to protect
their own. Foreign statesmen deem
it their duty to promote the inter
ests of their own citizens rather than
those of other people. They assert
their own claims rather than the
rights of others. We will do like
wise We will observe our treaties
with scrupulous honor, but we will in
sist upon our rights with unyieldlns
frmness. The title to our territory,
the integrity of our sovereignty will
be maintained at any cost The
American people will be fair, just
and impartial toward the nations OF
the earth, but interference in the CON
troll Of their domestic affairs and
their treatment Of their own people
will not be tolerated When we sur
render to a foreign power the right
to determine the treatment we shall
accord to our own citizens, then we
have surrendered the nations
strength, and we will become hiss
ing and a by-word' among the ma