Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-26
President Sion. Bill.

signed tne faIliInsl CduaI az s.AW4
o'clock Saturday night. Following this
he sent to congress memorandum
suggesting the advisability OF the pass
age OF resolution which would de-
clare that this measure was not cons
sidered by this government viola-
ton OF the treaty provisions regard
ing the canal.
In discussing the British protest
against the exemption OF American
shipping from the payment OF tolls
for the use OF the canal. Mr.. Taft says
the irrisistable conclusion to be drawn
from II Is that "altho the United
States owns. controls and has paid for
the canal. II Is restricted by treaty
from aiding its own commerce in tho
way that all the other nations Of the
world may freely do
The Main Question.
IN view OF the fact" Mr.. Taft CON.
tinues. that the Panama canal 10 b0.
ing constructed by the United States
wholly at its own cost. upon territory
ceded to it by the republic OF PanainA
for that purpose and that unless Il
has restricted itself. the United States
enjoys absolute rights OF ownership
and control including the right to al
low its own commerce the use or tho
canal upon such terms as 1t sees fit.
the sole question fs
Has the United States (by tho
terms of the Hay Pauncefote treaty.
deprived itself Of the exercise OF the
right to pass It's own commerce free.
or to remit tolls collected for the use
OF the canal?
The president points out that the
rules specified in the article OF the
H., t1.n k>aG 10 <Nvs
British protest. were adopted by the
United States as the basis OF the neu-
traliaztion OF the canal. and for no
other purpose"
Canal Shall 30 Neutral.
This article he further says. is q
declaration OF policy by tho United
States that the canal shall be neutral.
that the attitude OF this government
towards the commerce OF the world 10
that all nations will be treated alike
and no discrimination made by tho
United States against any one OF them
observing the rules adopted by the
United States.
In other words. 1t was conditional
favored nation treatment. tho measure
of which, in the absence OF express
stipulation to that affect. ~ not whae
the country gives to Its own nation.
but the treatment 1t extends to Other
nations.
Thus 1t is seen that the rules arc
but the basis OF naturalization intends
ed 10 effect the neutrality which the
United States was willing should be
the character of the canal. and not
intended to limit or hamper the United
States in the exercise OF its sovereign
power to deal with its own commerce
using its own canal in whatsoever mans
ner 1t saw fit
British Protest Absurd.
The president argues that II there 10
nothing in the Hay -Pauncefote treaty
pre-, enting Great Britain and the other
nations from extending favors to their
shipping. using the canal and II there
Is nothing that gives the United states
any supervision over or right to COM
plain of such action. then the British
protest leads to the absurd conclusion
that the government In constructing
tho canal. maintaining the canal. and
defending the canal finds itself shorn
or It's right to deal with It's own com.
merce in it's own way, while all othef
nations using the canal In competition
with American commerce enjoy that
right and power unimpaired.
'The British protest. therefore is =
proposal to read into the treaty sur.
to regulate Its own commerce in its
own way and by Its own method. q
right which neither Great Britain her.
solf, nor any other nation that may
use the canal has surrendered or pro-
~