Norwich bulletin., 1912-08-20
To be Fair to
 Other Nations
TAFT URGES IT IN A SPECIAL
 MESSAGE
ON PANAMA CANAL BILL
Recommends Legislation to Allow For
 eiqn Nations to Test Legality of Free Tolls" Provision in Our Courts

Washington, Aug. 19.-President | Taft closed a day of conferences on the Panama canal bill with special message to congress suggesting the | passage of legislation which would permit American ships to travel the canal toll free and which would also enable foreign nations to test the le- galitv of this provision by suits in United States courts.
 Message Read in Congress.
 The president discussed the mes | sage with senators and members of the house. and its wording was finally decided upon at a meeting of the cab l inet which began at luncheon time and | lasted until late in the afternoon. The message was read in congress soon afterward and will be taken up to- morrow by committees of both houses.
 It was the belief here tonight that a determined effort will be made to meet the presidents wishes, although some leaders, particularly in the house, were inclined to believe that the mes sage meant no furthr action in regard to the canal at the present session. | o OnOW OQF SplFlI or dlTnCSSH
 Mir. Taft explained that he was anx- ious to sign the present bill, but wish | ed to assure other governments of the spirit of fairness on the part of the l United States. The president was told that an act of congress would have the effect of abrogating any treaty previously agreed to, and the decision | of the supreme court over the Chinese exclusion act was given as the au- thority for the statement. His sug- gestion to congress for additional leg islation designed to prevent any such construction as that of the supreme court in the Chinese case would allow foreigners to try their cause in the | United States courts. It reads as fol lows
 The Presidents Suggestion.
 That nothing contained in the act entitled An act to provide for the opening, maintenance, protection anC operation of the Panama canal and the sanitation and government of the ca nal zone shall be remedied to repea any provision of the Hay -Pauncefott I treaty, or to affect the judicial con- struction thereof, or in any wise tC impair any rights or privileges whicf
 have been or may be acquired by am foreign nation under the treaties O.
 the United States relative to tolls or
 other charges for the passage of yes
 sels through the Panama canal, anC
 that when any alien. whether natura
 person. partnership, company, or cor,
 poration, considers that the eharginG
 of tolls or the enforcement of anl
 other regulation under and pursuant tt
 the provisions of this act violates il
 any way such treaty rights or privi
 leges, such alien shall have the righ
 to bring an action against the United
 states for a redress of the iniury
 which he considers himself to hay, I suffered, and the district courts of th, United States are hereby given juris
 dictiOn to hear and determine sucI
 eases and to decree the appropriat relief, and from the decision of sucl
 district courts there shall be an an peal by either party to the action t, the supreme court of the Unite, States"
 , An Earnest of Our Good Faith. This language continued the mes sage, negatives absolutely any desir on the part of congress to repeal tn
 Hay-Pauncefote treaty. or to violat
 its provisions by this legislation. an,
 leaves open to any person who deem
 himself aggrieved by the provisions O the act an opportunity to appeal t our courts.
 T think the importance of ou [ standing before the world as anxiou
 to give to the world an Opportunit, to test this question in the courts. i } an earnest of our good faith in at tempting to keep within our treat
 obligations
 No, Intention to Violate Treaty. After full examination of the treat and of the treaty which preceded if $ feel confident that the exemption q t the coastwise vessels of the Unite r States from tolls and the impositio or tolls on vessels of all nations en gagged in the foreign trade Is not 5 violation of the Hay -Pauncefote treaty But distinguished lawyers in the hous
 and senate differ from this construc ton, and the secretary of state ha
 recelved an informal protest from tn
 British government that the contem plated legislation is a violation of he
 treaty rights
 T am sure that it is not the in
 tention of congress to violate the Hay
 Pauncefote treaty or to enact any l thing inconsistent with it's provisioni 3 ana 1t certainly is not it's purpose | . repeal, by subsequent enactment th 7 treaty, in so far as it represents tb , law of the land. It Is of the highes , | importance, therefore. that this atti . tude should be made clearly known f s i the nations of the world and that " should avoid any apparent iustiicatio 6 for criticism"
 : Suggestion Not Likely to Be Adon+s, The message after heinz road i, +t :, house, was referred to the interstat commerce committee on motion (
 Democratic Leader Underwood TIT
 committee has adjourned for the ses
 sion and Chairman Underwood move 5 to have the bill left on the speaker
 table, but the house Immediately vote . otherwise. It's gone to bed so far Z
 the house is concerned'' was Mir. Ar
 amson's remark. He added that r . had not been able to command A our V rum of his committee for the last tbrt d weeks.
 d There is no disposition on the pa d Of the house leaders so far as tbe V would indicate tonight to attemni - press resolution of the character - that recommended by the presider t There was an informal conference h, e tween Representative Sherley oa Ker n lucky who talkd with the presidel - on the subject and others who ha, It taken q prominent part in Panan 6 legislation in the house. and the seI
 tlment expressed was that there won
 De no further legislation and that
 the president vetoed the bill the who
 matter would gO over to the Decemb. II session of congress.