Evening star., 1912-07-17
Railway Fight, He Declares.

InIS ls railroad ngnt pure and
simple. Free tolls to coastwise vessels
mean benefits to the shipper and con-
sumer and the lowering Of rates by
the railroads. The imposition of
charges to coastwise vessels means
just the reverse.
q came to congratulate the Presi-
dent on the position he has taken and
to assure him that the commercial or
ganizations and people of the country
generally are with him and Secretary
Knox in their attitude that the canal
and brains and that we do not recog-
nize the right of any country to tell us
what we should do in regard to the
tolls to be imposed upon vessels so
long as we do not discriminate against
the vessels of one country In favor Of
those of another. To submit the question
to The Hague tribunal would mean that
every foreign interest would be
do not believe the administration
would consent to submitting the Ques-
ton Of tolls upon coastwise vessels to
this tribunal or any other"
Representative Calder of Brooklyn was
most emphatic today in urging President
Taft to stand pat in his position that 1t
Is within the power of the United States
to do as it desires in the matter of free
tolls for American vessels going through
the Panama canal. II would like to see
the President shoot out a few hot ones
on this subject" said Mr. Calder. "Great
Britain has no right to interfere in our
handling Of our own affairs
A number of members of Congress have
been talking to the President about the
British protest and they tell the Presi-
dent that opinion. as they gather it. is
almost unanimous in favor of free tolls.
Both the President and the Secretary
OF State are standing for the right of the
United States to put certain American
hrn y, h TO- mol toll Fr4n
In many declarations in advocacy of
the defeated arbitration treaties with
Great Britain and France the President
said there was no question he was not
willing to submit TO arbitration. While
many of the Presidents advisers contend
the question of tolls is really one Of inter-
state commerce so far as American veS-
se.s are concerned, and therefore not
subject to protest by a foreign nation,
they are hoping the dispute may be set
tied without bringing up the question of
its being submitted to The Hague tri-
bunal
Does Question Affect treaty.
The somewhat unusual course OF the
British government in intervening diplo-
matically while the subject is under con-
sideration before the legislative branch
Of the government, as is the case with
the pending Panama canal bill, Is capable
Of an explanation, which must have COM
pletely satisfied the executive branch,
else the notice of the British protest
would not have been sent to the Senate
committee on interOceanic canals. That
explanation is found in the belief that
the enactment of the Panama canal bill
in its present shape would have the ef-
feet to destroy the vitality Of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty.
A fundamental decision by the Supreme
Court In the case Of the Chinese exclu-
- AIo.,% ,avaf
legislation bearing upon subject covered
by treaty replaced the treaty SO far as
there might be any conflict between the
provisions of the law and the convention
Unwilling to contemplate such fate
for the HayPauncefote convention, the
British government is believed to have
regarded 1t as important and necessary
to at least direct the attention of the
Senate to what. perhaps. may have been
an overlooked but very important con-
sideration, which might have q far
reaching effect upon the diplomatic rela-
tions of the two countries.
1t Is surmised by officials here that in
the course of the British argument. which
| is expected to be received here tomorrow,
| it will be developed that the British gov
ernment would not object to allowance
to American bottoms of any form of
subsidy based upon the principles govern
| ing the subsidies paid to British ships by
| their government; this by the way OF
answer to the charge that British vessels
using the Suez canal enjoy an advantage
| over American shipping similar to that
| proposed to be allowed to American ves-
\ sells using the Panama Canal.
| Representative Moore's Plan.
/ Representative j. Hampton Moore of
| Pennsylvania has a way to meet British
| objections to discrimination in favor of
| American ships that ply the Panama ca
| nal. Mr.. Moore has introduced bill to
neutralize the canal and give all the ma
| tions opportunity to pay portion of its
| cost Mr.. Moore stated that the cost
has been approximately $325 O0O, 600. and
1 the annual maintenance will be about
So. .0o0 600.
| Mr.. Moore also proposes to establish
| the Panama canal trade commission.
consisting of the Secretaries of Com
merce and Labor and Agriculture and
| FIVE members to be appointed by the
President to study trade possibilities of
the canal particularly with reference to
SOUTH and Central American countries.