Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-07-24
0GRRlGHTS TO
OUR OWN CANAL
What Prominent Senators
Think About It.

Washington, July 24.-'The right
of the United States to levy tolls
or to exempt American ships from
the payment of tolls while going
through the Panama canal is inner
ent in IL government; any other
view is wholly unwarranted by the
facts in the case" said Senator
Clarence D. Clark, of Wyoming,
chairman of the Judiciary Commit
tee of the Senate, in the curse or
q discussion of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty relating to the operation Il
use of the Panama canal. His view
is most generally accepted by sena-
tors, but there is in the senate d
considerable number of its members
who take the position that the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, which took the
place of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty or
the early fifties, bakes it obligatory
on the part of the United States TO
charge tolls on American ships en-
gagged in the coastwise and foreign
trade the same as On ships of other
nations.
IF this view should prevail"
said Senator James A. O'Gorman, OF
New York, in an interview on the
Panama canal bill, the American
people will be greatly surprised that
SO little regard for American rights
was manifested at the time of the
adoption of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, because, if the view alluded
to be the correct one, 1t must follow
that while the United States has ex-
pended S400, 100000 of American
none in the construction Of the
canal it's citizens must be denied the
rights that are enjoyed by the sub
1ects Of Great Britain and of every
other foreign power. l cannot imag-
Inc that condition nor will / be-
lieve that the late John Hay, who ex-
ecuted the treaty on the part of the
United States, ever thought for a mo-
ment that we were stopped from ex-
empting American ships from the
payment of tolls because OF certain
clauses Of the treaty which are
now interpreted to mean that very
thing.
ut does not seem possible that
the right possessed by every other
nation on earth with respect to the
Panama canal, our canal, is denied
to our W citizens by a compost
ton, or convention. called a treaty,
which is not remarkable for its pre-
cision of expression or its respect
for the Monroe Doctrine"
Senator O'Gorman then voiced
what seems to be a growing sent1-
ment, that behind the protest of
Great Britain turks the influence of
railroads of Canada and the United
States which have been enabled to
secure the cooperation of the Brit
ish foreign office, thereby embar-
RAISING the government of the
United States in the attempt now be-
ing made for wholesome legislation
to keep railroad controlled ships off
the canal, so that competition live
and thrive.
'The railroad companies have
been incorporated for railroad pur-
poses,' continued Senator O'Gorman,
land they have destroyed compet1-
ton wherever they have been per-
mitted to secure control of compel
Ing water transportation facilities.
eff drastic legislation is needed
to make competition wholesome on
the canal then l stand ready to vote
for that legislation, because 1 have
a lively appreciation of the posi-
bility of the injury which may We
30 done the American people If the rail-
roads are not kept out of the canal.
eve should exempt from the pay
ment Of tolls all American shipping
going through the canal and should
see to it that railroad-owned steam
ships should not use the canal,
Such action on the part of the Amer
lean Congress in my judgment
would not violate the language and
cannot violate the spirit Of the
treaty hat has been invoked against
u.s."