The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-08-15

6hAoa ~ ~ w 0CSARA OA kssS N& ~
of The provisions of the meas
ure did no meet with his views N
entirely, but that he expected to
approve II.
Washington, Aug. 12.-Despite the
powerful Influences that were brought
to bear by the railroad interests Of the
United States and Canada, working
through Great Britain. the Senate has
! passed the Panama canal bill
and In 1t Is Incorporated q provision
for the free passage Of American owned
vessels engaged In coastwise trade. h
bill also provides for the free registry
OF foreign built American owned ships,
provided they are operated wholly In
| foreign trade, and is designed to pre-
vent the monopolization OF shipping
lines by the railroads. The bill was
adopted by a vote OF Al to 16.
The provision for free tolls, which
was fought out in the Senate Wednes-
day, was Endorsed again just before
the passage of the measure.
Attached to the bill as 1t passed tho
Senate We're two important amend
ments directed at trust or railroad con-
troll Of steamship lines. The first, by
Senate Read. would prohibit ships
owned by an Illegal industrial COM
binatfon from using the canal, and the
L " ~ 49,
railroads to give UP water lines that
otherwise might be their competitors II
it was proved that they were Sitting
competition.
John Bulls Friends Lose.
Opponents of the free toll provision
for American ships, against which
Great Britain made formal protest, car
ried their fight up to the last moment
OF the bills consideration. just before
Its passage senator Root moved to
strike out the section giving free tolls
to American coastwise vessels, and
Senator Hoke Smith. OF Georgia, moved
to strike out the provision for frea
tolls to American ships In the foreign
trade. Both of these motions were de-
feated by overwhelming votes.
AS the bill passed 1t would permit
American coastwise vessels to pass
through free If their owners agreed to
sell the vessels to the United States at
a fair price in tim OF war or emer-
gency.
The great fight of the day conferred
about the provision to prohibit railroad
owned ships from using the canal.
Change House Bill.
h broad terms of the original
House bill. which would have required
every railroad In the country to dis
pose at once OF any such lines with
Which it might otherwise compete, were
not accepted by the Senate. This was
modified SO that railroads would be
prohibited only from owning steam
ship lines hat may operate through the
Panama canal.
The Bourne amendment, however.
adopted later by a vote of Sc to 25, re-
stored much of the vigor of the anti
railroad provisions of the House bill.
1t provided hat IL the Interstate Com
merce commission should find hat any
railroad had an interest in a competi-
tive line of steamers and that such in
terest was injurious to the welfare OF
the public, the commission migh COM
pei the railroad to dispose of its
/ steamer connections.
Senator Brandegee. chairman of the
interoceanic canal committee of the
Senate. made an ineffective fight on
the rigid provisions against railroad
ships. After the amendments had been
adopted to the House bill he moved
that the whole paragraph relating to
railroad control be stricken out. This
motion was defeated. As to 1s.
! ~Brandearee Plan Voted Down.
! A subsequent proposal by Mr.. Bran
! degee to permit any ships to use the
: canal, giving to the Interstate Com
3 over them, also was defeated.
Q The Reed amendment against trust
I owned ships, was called up for a Sec
ond vote before the bill passed and was
adopted on final passage by a vote OF
J 36 TO %.
I The completed canal bill finally was
] passed with Senators Burton. Crane
Gallinger, Lodge, Root and other OPP
ponents of the free toll and anti-rail-
road features of it voting against 1t.
In the form in which it returns to
the House the bill adds to the genera
scheme of operating and governing the
Panama canal provisions for the ad
mission to American registry of any
q foreign built ships, owned by Ameri.
cans. provided they are operated Who'll.
~ in foreign trade.