The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-17
THE PANAMA CANAL
Hze All Traffic Through Big
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DluCns
 Washington, July 17-shall shipping controlled more or less by the rail- roads be excluded from the use of the Panama Canal and ships engaged in the c,oastwise trade be permitted to Cse the Canal free of toll, are prob lens shortly to be solved by the Sem ate when a bill providing for the opening, maintenance, protection and operation of the Panama Cana1'' is taken up for consideration by the up per branch of congress.
 The House bill relating to the regu- lation of the Panama Canal was amended in a number of important particulars by the Senate Committee on Interoceanic Canals, of which Sen ator. Brandegee is chairman. but the bill, which is on the calendar and is to be- made the unfinished business after the Sundry Civil bill is out o1 the way, was submitted without re- port from the committed While amendments were adopted by major ity votes in a number of instances, 8 majority could not be found to stand for the bill as amended and so. it's making is entrusted to the Senate which will probably debate the ques- tions suggested at considerable length
 The bill as it passed the House gives vessels engaged in the coast wise trade free passage through the Canal and prohibits steamships whicf are owned by railroads from using the Canal The bill. as it came from the Senate Committee son Tnteroceanie Canals extends the provision of free passage to American ships in the for eign trade, provided the owners oi such vessels agree that they may be taken and used by the government ir time of war or other public eIaetEen, o.- oil 1 Al engaged in foreign trade to also carry coastwise commerce through the ca nal provided. that at least half of tl1eil cargo, in tonnage. is destined to ol shipped from Oriental or European ports.
 Upon these provisions, as lively ane interesting debate as the Senate has listened to in many years may be ex- peeted.
 sIn my opinion the Panama bn should be amended in the Senate tt conform to the House bill" said Sena- tor. George B. Chamberlain or Oregon today.
 Coastwise vessels should be permit ted to use the Canal without payment of tolls. but this privilege should no be granted to steamships owned bs railroads or by companies the stocl of which is owned in whole or in par by railroads.
 II ln6 -IdlEOdQ dI = ePCA mitted to operate steamers througF the Canal and engage in a coastWist traffic in competition with fndepend ently owned steamship companies, tht result will inevitably be that by re. ducing rates below a remunerativs basis steamships owned by the rail- doad companies will drive the inde- pendent companies out of business entirely and leave the railroad. com panies to fix the transconti inenta rates, at figures that will not only compensateafor carriage but for losses sustained by their steamers.
 This has been the history of. trans portation on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, and railroad companie: have for years operated steamers at 2 loss. driving independent lines ou of the business and fixing arbitrary rates for interstate and all continen' tai traffic.
 Tt is a part of the history of tht Pacific Coast that the Southern Pa cific company and other transconti mental roads have operated steam ships on the Pacific. between Panama and points north, at t55 heavy expenst and yet. have been unable to .reeoul these losses by excessive rates ap! rail. Se'ss
 Not only has this been the shistor, Of the Pacific Coast, but it is the his tory of transportation wherever navigable waterway is. paralleled b. lines of rail- Whenever an ifldepend ent company undertakes to- operat steamers on such waterways in com petition with railways these latte companies install their own vessels reducing rates by water so .as> u drive out all competition, thereb! leaving the railroads s>naasterss of thu field and able to fix such rates al they may, see fit The Panama Canal was built for al the people. If the government shoult now undertake to levy, a tax or rtpl on coastwise freight. through the Ca nal, it will be reversing the policy O a hundred. years. There is no mort reason for the charging of tolls. or domestic commerce through the Cana than there lis to charge tolls to shipi through the Great Lakes or to, boats on the Ohio or Mississippi The pol icy has always been to permit tn free use of 9he waterways of tn. country in order that they might op crate as regulators of railways ant any other policy would be an unjusti fable tax on the whole people. :.
 "The Democrats in the Baltimor, convention practically endorsed tn House bill as it passed that body ii so far as. free tolls and railroad own, ed ships. are sconcerned;} and Tt doni see now tf-- zz--e-sSe7stsg of the Seret: can do otherwise than support tn, IL l.