The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-02-05
RATES OF
Toll FOR
| The CANAL
Ito Be SETTLED By CONGRESS
| DURING The PRESENT SESSION
CHARGES ESTABLISHED TO
SETTLE WHETHER AME RlcAN
| OR FOREIGN VESSELS ARE
/ TO Be FAVORED.
CHARGES ESTABLISHED

closely associated with that OF ex-
tending >the coastwise shipping of
the United States that it viii be
impossible not to consider the
two at one time.
All the projects now advanced for
the rehabilitation OF the merchant
marine contemplate the use of the
great canal. There are no plans
made for the operation OF steam
ship lines, under the American flag,
to Europe or Asia or Africa, but
there are plans on both the At
anfic and Pacific coasts for the
operation of lines from the Atlantic
to the Pacific ports.
And the success of these pro
jects is dependent absolutely upon
the cost Of rising the canal. The
government may, with the legisla-
ton from congress, make the rates
so high through the canal that
American shippers will be unable
to use it. or the rates can be made
so reasonable that the American
craft can compete with profit with
the ships flying foreign flags.
A proposition has been made to
the committees of congress having
consideration in this matter to
levy toll of $3.50 a ton ON all
ships using the Panama canal. Such
a rate, shipping people say. would
destroy absolutely, the hope of the
American merchant marine. It would
do nothing more or less than de
liver the shaping between the two
coasts into the hands of foreign
ship owners.
No doubt IS felt in the best IN.
formed circles here that the trans
continental railroads are response
bic for the proposed high tonnage
rates for the canaa This is one Oh
the ways left to them to defeat
the ambition of the two coasts foI
cheaper transportation rates. If, by
making the canal too expensive 8
proposition for the shipper, tbs
railroads can maintain their preseni
high rates, they will have destroyed
what appears to be a competitive
factor of the most important posi-
bldies.
The suggestion for the $3.50 a toG
rate is based upon the plea that the
canal should be made to return In
tereSt for it's maintenance and op
eration. This is the ostensible pur
pose behind the high rate, but tbs
read purpose, shipping men point out
lies in the fact that the heavy
toll Will make canal shipping by
American vessels practically impossi
BILE and thereby prevent the cana
Interfering with the present system
of transcons mental railroad rates.
Not only have the shipp ing peopk
demanded of congress that the toll:
be light, if the canal is not mad,
free altogether to American ships
but they have asked that the YES
sells of the American companie.
using the canal be given differen
tial rate They want to use tn
canal at a less cost than do fol-
eign vessels. and their argument
being studied now by members o
the house and senate.
They say, for instance. that unles
| the American ships receive an ad
vantage in rates, they cannot CON
pete successfully with the foreign
ers. This IS due to the higher cos
of operating vessels under the Amer
can navigation laws. 1t costs tn
American ship owner from 20 t
As per cent. more to run his shf
than it costs a foreigner to run tn
same vessel AL of which IS du
to the higher cost Of American labo
and the more expensive food whic
must, under the law, be served
the crews.
For that reason the America
ship owner viii either need
straight out subsidy to compe'e wit
the English or the German owner, c
he will have to depend upon r.
bate of his canal tolls.
1t has been generally agreed tbs
the Unbed States government
bound, under the terms of the Ha.
Pauncefort treaty not to dscrtn
mate against the commerce of Gres
Britain. In other words, the sam
rates must apply to English ships q
to American vessels and, of cours'
to all other vessels as we'll.
1t is practicable, however, tn
shipping people assert, for Ii
United States government, to pr
vide a system of rebates to Amer
can ships, the amount of the reba'
to be the same as that paid for tod
Without some such advantage
offered by the rebate system a pc
sibility of American ships competH
with foreigners in using the cana
seems remote, and when the fin
consideration of the matter CONS
in Congress, the shipping Poop
who want the canal to be of ben
fit to Americans as we'll as foresg
ers, Will make their appeal al