New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-06
HALTS ACTION ON CANAL
Chamber of Commerce Takes
Advice from Jacob H. Schiff.
TOLL QUESTION LEFT OPEN
No Resolution on Discrimina
tion in Favor of American
Coastwise Vessels.

Because Of an address made by Jacob
II. Schiff before the Chamber of Com
merce at its monthly meeting yesterday.
that body refrained from taking action
on the Panama Canal legislation and
tabled the report OF the committee which
was adverse to toll rates and the dis
elimination in favor of American coast
wise vessels.
Mr.. Sehiff said that whatever action the
Chamber might take on the subject II
was bound to embarrass the government;
that whether the canal legislation was
unfortunate or otherwise, II was the first
duty Of the Chamber Loyalty 10 support
the government He believed that the
Chamber could not afford to place itself
in the position of saying that the legisla-
ton was wrong.
IF the report Of the committee be sus-
tanned" he said. 'the result will be hat
with condition, because the most impor-
tant commercial body in the United States
has gone on record as saying indirectly
tat the legislation is wrong.
81 believe that opinion on this subject
is very much divided, and great many
Of the members of the Chamber and 9TH
ers outside believe that it has been hasty
and unfortunate legislation, while others,
whose opinions are entitled 20 considera-
ton. believe that the legislation has been
Justified.
81 am frank to state that side with
those who believe that it is unfortunate
legislation, not only in respect TO the non
charging tolls for American domestic
ships doing coastwise business, but also
in the fact that the legislation has some
prohibitive features that are objection
able
Mr.. schifrs motion was carried by a
vote of 1e4 to %.
Because Of his interest in the Panama
Canal Andrew Carnegie attended the
meeting. He was esct rted 10 a seat along
side the presiding officer.
The laying upon the table Of the Pan
anna Canal matter was a disappointment
TO Lewis Nixon. whose resolution. pre-
sented at the first meeting OF the Cham
Der after the summer vacation, brought
the subject before the body.
The Nixon resolution provided that the
Chamber of Commerce Endorses the state
ment OF President Taft that there was no
provision in the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
forbdding the United States to regulate
its commerce by renting tolls on Amer
lean ships using the canal.
This resolution was turned down by the
Committee on Foreign Commerce, which
unanimously reported that it be not
| adopted.
Resolutions on the death Of Gustav II.
Schwab were adopted.
A resolution was presented by A. Bar
ton Hepburn, calling attention TO the re-
cent settlement OF the demands Of the en-
gineers on the roads Of the Eastern ter
ritory. The preamble and resolution In
dorse the suggestion advocating the for
nation Of a permanent commission which
would have power to adjudicate all big
labor disputes. The resolution was re-
ferred to the executive committee.
The report of the Committee on For
eign Trade and the Revenue Laws, pre-
scented on a communication from the Sur
geon General of the United States Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service re-
questing the cooperation of the Chamber
in effecting sanitary reforms to facilitate
the administration Of the quarantine laws,
was adopted. 1t provided for the Kidding
of docks of rats