Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-11
ABOUT CANAL LEGISLATION
Government Requests Measure Be
Held Up Pending Communication.
ACTION IS IMPERATIVE NOW
Members of Congress Not Disposed
to Postpone Matter-Pro-
test Is Received.

ther action by Congress on the Panama
canal bill be postponed until that govern
ment can present supplementary state
ment of its views Of that legislation be-
fore the State Department has been de-
MED by Senator Frank B. Brandegee,
chairman of the Senate committee on
interoceanic canals, as expressing the
sentiment of Congress.
Members of Congress take the view that
legislation in this matter is imperative
at this session of Congress, and therefore
there can be no further delay After
making inquiries that developed this sem
timent Senator Brandegee SO notified the
that the Secretary of State has sent
word on to the British government.
The prospects of protest from Great
Britain against certain features of the
bill as 1t passed the House and was ap-
proved by the Senate committee on inter-
oceanic canals became evident when Sen
ator Brandegee received note from
Assistant Secretary Of State Huntington
Wilson which said:
Wants Bill Held Up.
information the text Of telegram this
of Great Britain, as follows:
7 shall shortly be in a position to
make a communication to you regarding
the bill now in the Senate on the SUBJ
ject of Panama canal dues. l trust that
it may be possible in the meantime to
postpone further consideration Of that
bill by Congress-
1t was in reply to that note that Sena-
tor Brandegee notified the State De-
partment that members Of Congress con-
sidered that the legislation should be
taken up promptly and put through.
And Mr.. Brandegee is making plans to
that end.
AS soon as the Lorimer case has been
disposed of it is his plan to ask the Sem
ate to take up the bill and to give it
consideration until final action is taken.
There probably will be several days OF
discussion. as there are sharp difference
of opinion regarding some Of its features
Protest Received Today.
The protest referred to by Mr.. In
ness. charge d'anaires. in his original
communication reached the State De-
partment today from the summer en-
bassy at Seal Harbor and was immedi-
ately communicated to Senator Bran
degee.
said at the State Department that it
stated that the British government
thinks that to allow American vessels
to pass through the Panama canal
without the payment Of tolls, or to re-
fund the tolls II collected, would be
to violate the Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
AS to the coastwise traffic, the British
government thinks 1t would be difficult to
frame a provision which would not do
injustice to its interests.
refrain from further considering the
pending bill fixing tolls for the canal
traffic until the embassy has had an
opportunity to receive and transmit to
the State Department supplementary
statement from the British government
presumably yesterday.
There has been much discussion of
that question while the legislation has
been before Congress and its committees.
that the legislation is in violation of the
pact Others, however. and Senator
Root Is understood to be among them,
hold that the bills provisions do not
violate the treaty.
Contains Anti-Railroad Clause.
The bill, now in the Senate, as passed
by the House provides for free passage
through the canal for American vessels.
and also contains a drastic anti-railroad
clause to the effect that no railroads in
the United States sholl own any ships
which shall have the benefits of free tolls.
An amendment proposed to the interstate
commerce act would provide against
ownership OF ships by American railroads.
This section of the bill was rewritten
by the Senate committee at the request
OF some railroads which now operate
ship lines along the Atlantic coast and
the shores Of the great lakes.
The railroad prohibition, II is believed
here, would restrict the Canadian rail-
road owned ships from using the canal
unless they piled only between Canadian
ports ON the Atlantic and Pacific, or else
between Canadian ports and single
1t Is understood, is contemplated with
the greatest concern by the Canadian
railroad.
Government Within It's Right.
That the United States government is
entirely within its rights in the matter
OF regulating tolls for American ships
through the Panama canal is the opinion
of Representative William Sulzer. chair
man OF the House committee on foreign
affairs. Speaking OF this, he said:
'tOf course. l am surprised that the
British government now objects to the
United States government regulating the
tolls of its own ships through its own
Panama canal. However. nothing serious
will come of the objection. We will treat
the matter with the dignity ii deserves
The treaty is plain and clear to all. The
British government should not and can
not complain IL no toll discrimination is
made against British ships In favor OF
the ships Of other nations.
THAT Is the real meaning of the treaty,
and We shall carry out its provisions In
good faith. We have the right under the
treaty to charge or not to charge tolls
for our own ships. There is no doubt
about that. Every lawyer OF standing
who has investigated the subject says SO.
and il never was questioned before legal
ly or automatically. 1t cacnnot be sue
cessfully questioned now, and doubtless
Congress Will proceed with the Panama
canal legislation regardless Of the criti-
cism OF our friends across the water.
Besides, second thought will put them
right and show conclusively their posi-
ton is untenable.'
Body That of Walter Gest.
ATLANTIC CITY, n. j.. July ia
body found Yesterday in Grassv bay near