Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-16
CANAL BILL PASSES
Senate Adopts Conference Re-
port This Afternoon.
PROVIDES FOR OPERATION
Free Tolls for American Vessels Is
Also a Feature.
EFFORT TO DELAY ACTION
Senator Brandegee Opposes Bills
Provisions and Charges
Treaty Violation.

The Panama canal administration bill,
as agreed to by the conference committee
of the House and Senate, was approved
by the Senate today. The conference re-
port was adopted, ~ to IS and at the
end of fight against it led by Chairman
Brandegee of the Senate conferees, who
had refused to indorse it,
A fruitless attempt to prevent Panama
canal legislation at this session of Con-
gress was made by Senator Brandegee
when he presented the conference report
on the canal bill agreed to by the House
and Senate committees.
Although chairman of the Senate con-
ferees. Senator Brandegee did not sign
the report upon which his colleagues
agreed and when he presented the re-
port he began a speech opposing the
measure finally framed.
He argued that the bill had not been
given sufficient study and urged that the
conference report be rejected, the meas
ure allowed to go over for the session
and committee of the House and Sem
ate appointed to thrash out the problems
in the administration of the canal
THE officials in charge of the CANAL
he said, asked US for a bill that would
simply provide the machinery to open
the canal. and would supplant the present
construction force with an operating
force. But the opportunity has been
taken to amend the interstate commerce
laws and to inject a wealth OF additional
detail into the bill.
Treaty Violation.
Il believe the bill as it stands is a
;afo Nf
Great Britain, and 1 cannot vote for il.
believe the free-tolls provision is a.
distinct violation of the treaties. ask
the Senate to reject this report and let
the bill go over until next session, when
We can give it careful, mature, delibera-
ton
Senator Brandegee criticised the pro-
vision in the bill excluding railroad
owned ships from the canal lie said
that as framed the measure would pre-
vent ships owned by carriers now under
merce commission from using the canal
and would allow ships owned by foreign
railroads to pass through
we have gone over this matter sew
erf' times" he said. and have not Yet
found satisfactory provision [ think
if We could have three months-if we
could turn the whole matter over to an
expert committee-we would secure better
results than this bill shows. The House
has already provided for such "A commit
tee, and l think that in that way we
could avoid the difficulties sure to arise
if this bill becomes a law"
Senators Brandagee and Root criticised
the amendment placed in the bill by Sem
ator Reed of Missouri, which would for
bid the use of the canal by vessels
owned. operated or controlled by persons
companies doing business in violation
of the Sherman act" They asserted that
Il. ft.r
minister this clause of the law
The keeper of the canal would BE
forced TO hold up every vessel going
through the canal to determine that fact,
said Senator Root.
''Oh. don't think that amendment is so
very awful" remarked Senator Bristow.
NO; it is not awful" retorted Senator
Root: its just ridiculous: it's absurd.
Senator Reed defended the provision. de-
claring that it provided that any compe-
tent federal court should decide whether
or not the vessel was owned by violator
of the antitrust law