The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-24
RIGHTS Of
AMERICANS
IN CANAL
AMERICAN VESSELS ENTITLED
TO PASSAGE WITHOUT PAY.
MENT OF TOLLS.

Washington, July 24.--SpeciaD-
THE right of the United States to
levy tolls or to exempt American
hips from the payment of tolls while
going through the Panama canal Is
inherent in our government; any
other view is wholly unwarranted by
the facts in the case" said Senator
Clarence ID. Clark, of Wyoming,
chairman of the judiciary commit
tee Of the Senate, in the course of
discussion of the Hay-PauncefOte
treaty relating to the operation and
use Of the Panama canal His view
is most generally accepted by Sen
atOrs but there is in the Senate
considerable number of its members
who take the position that the Hay
PauncefOte treaty, which. took the
place of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty
OF the early iiftics, makes it obliga-
tory on the part OF the United States
to charge tolls on American ships
engaged in the COastwise and for
eign 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 re-
gard for American rights was mani
tested at the time of the adoption OF
the Hay-PauncefOte treaty, because.
If the view alluded to be the correct
one. it must follow that while the
United States has expended $780,
900 900 of American money in the
construction OF the canal its citizens
must be denied the rights that are
CuJOyCu W lut ouUJCClo VI NICdS
Britain and Of every other foreign
oOwer cannot imagine that con-
dition nor will believe that the late
John Hay, who executed the treaty
on the part of the United States, eve:
thought for a moment that We were
estoppcd from oxcmptng American
ships fro IN the payment of tolls be-
cause of certain clauses of the treaty
which are now interpreted to mean
that Very thing.
1T does not seem possible that the
right possessed by every other ma
ton On earth with respect to the
fa.lha canal. our canal, is denied
to our own citizens by Il compost
tiOn. or convention, called Il treaty,
which is not remarkable for its pre-
cision of expression or its respect of"
the Monroe doctrine.
senator OGorman then voiced
what seems to be- Il growing senti-
ment, that behind the protest OF
Great Britain turks the influence of
the railroads of Canada and tie
United States which have been en-
abled TO secure the cooperation of
the British foreign Office, thereby
rnharra1 sing the government of the
Fnite1 itGt"s in the attempt now
Icing iddc tof wholesome lagisla-
'ipn 10 keep railroad-eontrolled ships
eft the canal. SO that competition
may live and thrive
Tn" railroad companies have
been Incorporated for railroad pur.
poses, continued Senator O'Gor-
nah, and they have destroyed COM
petition wherever they have been
permitted to secure control OF COM
petins water transportation facili-
ties.
II drastic legislation is needed
to make competition wholesome on
the canal then l stand ready to vote
Tor that legislation. because / have
lively appreciation of the possibil-
ty of the injury which may be done
the American people if the railroads
are not kept out of the canal.
I'VE should exempt from the nav
ment of tolls all American shipping
going through the canal and We
should sec 10 ii that railroad-owned
steamships should not use the canal.
Such action on the part of the Amer
can Congress in my judgment would
lat violate the language and cal. ot
rotate the spirit of the treaty that