Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-07-25
Roots Brief for the British
on Canal Question
He Thinks That Congress Is Presumptous in Attempting
to Legsate the Subject Of Canal Tolls.
1SH

in of canal tolls at Panama.
It is not to be supposed Root sentimental
do whatever they do in London The
eloquent Torm Of his speech last week the senate
be attributed 0 other impulses.
1t should be borne in mind that British in this
Shipping Trust and the transconnenta
railroads And to every fiber Of Mr. Root mentality
nstinctivey responds Said Mr.. Root
q am reluctant to make OF
it that the provision now before as
the question viii Hay Pauncoe
ate may be decided against us by The Hague tribunal
collected tolls and
to a ruinou. demand upon the treasury
In short Mr. Root moved by power which
greater United States deny the sovereignty of the
United He thinks that congress pre-
sumpuou attempting egae the subject Of canal tolls
and that such presumption be severely pnishedwith
''ruinous consequences the United States treasury
Mr. Root has reputation being great corporation
yer however very reputation to lose
tuonal lawyer-ese likely that the of
sympathy for the transportation trusts could have drawn him
preposteros position he has taken in the matter
1t should be perfectly clear, matter of constuonaity
and law that the Panama canal American
waterway that the of the United States has alb
soute sovereignty congress lega the
as pleass-can destroy canal if likes open the
worlds and that if the Hay Paunce
fote treaty stands way be put of the way
manner conformable and comfy of nations
The complete Root brief for the British
is first Hay Pauncefo treaty contains nothing in deo
CATION sovereignty the canal and second that
Immediately denounce and abrogate the treaty if it did
fresh and convincing confirmation of
the first point in his speech the other day He
called the fact that himself the member of the foreign
relations reported the in 1900 the
proved draft treaty with Great Britain Mr.
Lodge declared retained by the treaty
rights its policy toward American vessels He de
Tended principle free tolls for American ships He said
was the opinion
not suppose that any
included the nations be treated with equality
under the treaty terms
right Engands right denounce and abrogae this
treayor any reatywhen mutually useful to the
contracting parties equally clear
There is nothing about treaty that makes sacred
than the constitution gives government
the United States sovereignty all waters of
the United States 1t the of nations that treaty may
changed annued when just equitable to one
of the parties
Commercial treaties bargains-in which privilege is
matched against privilege Such Hay-paunce-
fo treaty upon the idea reciprocal advantages party
obtaining equivalent for what yielded The life goes
them when of the parties fails obtain equivalent
We made, for example treaty with England in 1854 with
Canadian reciprocity annuled this treaty in
1S65whou stranng in the least friendly with
England In the last ninety years reciprocity
treaties with fory-wo countries and have amended them
continued them terminated thnwhout question right
do
The simple fact is that the Root theory present situation
is basee fabrication invented and propagaed by private in
teress
Representative Knowand of California explained to the pres
ident last week how the Canadian railroads prompted by inter
railroad this side line have nstigaed
the protest the British against Panama tolls
for the ships of the United States
Mr. Root may not have had any personal initiative this in
rgue But its purpose has aroused the latent ympahes of his
heart and spurred him Guardianship that eongena 10 his