Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-07-15
GREAT BRITAIN OBJECTS
Free Passage of American Ships
Through Panama Canal Cause
of demonstration.

Nashington.-Great Britain's re-
quest that the enactment of the Pan
anna canal administration bill be
held IN abeyance until Mr.. Innes. the
British charge d'affairs, can present
a note in behalf of his government.
| confronts congress and the state de-
partment with an extraordinary sit
uation. The request for delay has
been communicated to the senate in
teroceanic canals committee. 1t
came from the summer embassy at
kineo, Maine, and was sent by
Mitchell Innes, acting for Ambassa-
dor Bryce, who is in New Zealand
While the reasons for the request
are not stated, there is no doubt but
that the British government is con-
cerned in the clause to grant free
passage through the canal to Amer
ican vessels engaged in the coastwise
/ trade
One of the provisions of the bill
as it now stands would make it i'm
possible for Canadian railway ships
to pass through the canal if they
engaged in the coastwise trade. The
question of free tolls to certain
| classes of American ships involved
the old question of the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty. 1t is believed that the
British government will hold that
ships of all nations must be on an
equal basis. The opinion among
many of the American statesmen is
that to grant free tolls to American
ships is not violation of the terms
of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
Canadian railways are deeply con-
! cerned in the coastwise trade clause
and that clause relating to the pass
age of railroad-owned ships, and it is
thought that some representations
will be made in their behalf. The
canal bill is now in the senate COM
mittee, with prospect of being soon
reported, and it will then go to a
conference with the house. Members
of congress feel that if any Panama
legislation is to be had it must be
at this session of congress. Exigen-
cies that have arisen as the canal
approaches completion make legisla-
tion necessary if a permanent organ
ization is to be set up on the canal
zone to the best advantage. 1t was
said that members of both houses
were not agreeable to much delay
now
The members of the senate inter-
! oceanic canals committee declared
there would be no backing down by
the senate from it's position in favor
of the free passage for American
ships. Senator Lodge, the ranking
member of the senate committee on
foreign Affairs, declared that any fur
ther delay would be impossible. He
| declined, however, to express any
final opinion on the right of the
United States to grant free passage
to its own ships under the existing
treaty with Great Britain.
The strongest statement of the ad-
ministration's position on this sub
iect was that made by Secretary
Stimson in Kansas City, in speech
on November IA last, dealing with
the Panama canal. He declared he
had not the least doubt of the right
of the United States to pay tolls on
American vessels using the canal,
which would be equivalent to grant
ing free passage. He pointed out
that substantially every European
government using the Suez canal
paid such subsidies, and the Hay
Pauncefote treaty provided that the
rules of the Suez canal were to gov
ern operation of the Panama canal
President Taft has let it be known
that he proposes to be guided in the
matter entirely by the will of con-
! gresS.