The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-24
PERCY SPEAKS ON
PANAMA CANAL BILL
Opposes Discrimination in
Favor of American Ships
HONOR is AT STAKE
Having Reaped the Benefits of the
Hay-Paunceforte Treaty Its
Obligations Should Be
Met, He Declares

| Washington July 2a-The Panama canal
administration bill held attention of the
Senate today Just long enough for Sena-
tor Percy of Mississippi to make a speech
against the remission of canal tolls to
| American shipping The measure then
gave way again to the sundry civil ap-
preparation bill which has pushed II aside
for several days.
Senator Brandegee expressed little conf
dence late today in early action on the
canal bill The subject of free tolls and
of the rights of the United States under
the treaty with England have provoked
keen feeling in the Senate and an agree
ment on various provisions will not be
| reached, it is believed now, without long
| debate. The balance of this week. be-
| ginning Thursday, is given over to tariff
bills and several other appropriation
measures stll have to be considered in the
Senate with the prospect that they will
| further delay action on the bill to gov
ern operation of the canal.
Opposes Discrimination
| Senator Percy declared against any dis
elimination to American ships. He ex-
pressed the belief that the United States
| had, by treaty. guaranteed equal treat
| ment to all nations, including itself and
| that no international court would sustain
the United States If 1t claimed the right
| TO give free passage to its own ships
II do not believe we should give free
tolls through the Panama canal to our
shipping either coastal or international"
he declared. He said he did not believe
the Hay -Pauncefote treaty with Great
discriminate against foreign shipping in
the interest of American commerce. Sem
ator Percy said the neutrality of the canal
had been guaranteed by the United States
in return for Great Britains surrender
of her protest rights against its fortiflca-
tion.
Mr.. Percy declared the United States
could not claim under the British treaty
the right to give faVors to its own ship
pers. If such provision had been made
part of the treaty, he said it would
| have been instantly rejected by Great
Britain"
1T has been said we can't get a
| fair trial at The Hague court" said
Senator Percy. III we were TO present
ito any court inc claim thai we were
entitled to these privileges under the
treaty, we could not escape the charge
on the part Of all nations that we were
making a disreputable attempt to
evade our just obligations"
| Senator Percy thought the United
States enjoyed practically no privi-
1leges under the -Pauncefote treaty
which it did not have to share with
the world, and the sense of response
bility should prevent this country from
breaking its contract.
Should Meet Obligations
Having reaped the fruits of the
treaty we cannot now escape its obli-
cations with honor, and we will not
as nation do it with iishonor," Mr..
Percy said.
| What are those fruitions we have
reaped?" asked Mr.. Bristow.
| Mr.. Percy replied Great Britain had
given up certain rights under the Clay
ton -Bulwer treaty and that without
such action the United States would
have been unable to build the canal.
Senator Bristow retorted that the Clay
ton Bulwer treaty always had been
violated by Great Britain and had prac-
| tically ceased to be operative before
the Hay Pauncefote treaty was made.
| Mr.. Percy contended there could be
no abrobation of the treaty even il
| The Hague court should pass upon it
"a
| favor of the United States. Senator
Cummins asked Senator Percy If he
| thought the United States should give
| free tolls to all nations or should pay
| the expenses of operating the canal.
| u am in favor of tolls" Senator
Percy replied. "but | can see much more
against us If we lend the canal to the
| world at large Notwithstanding the
merit 1T carries in the world reaping
benefits in commerce and lower freight
rates"
| Senator Cummins declared he be-
lieved the canal case could neither
properly be submitted to The Hague or
| any other tribunal. 1T would not be
possible. to get a fair and unbiased
court" said he, lin such grave mat
ter of finance. / would sooner submit
the case to Great Britain by itself"
| Senator Percy declared he believed
a fair trial could be had at The Hague,
however. esre added
"A smalh community of interests
should not co. trol.''
He said ii was now impossible to
secure unbiased international courts,
1--WE may well pause in the development
of our international relations"