The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-08-29
HAGUE TO DECIDE
PANAMA DISPUTE

WASHINGTON. ID. G.. Special
Great Britain will file a detailed
protest against the granting Of
ircc tolls 10 American COaStWiSc
slips, Al the Panama Canal bill
now pending before the President
II signed by him. President Taft
learned yesterday that this pro-
test Will be lodged by England
soon alter the proposed lcgisIa-
ton is put on the statute books.
This Information was conveyed To
the President by \. Mitchell In
mes. charge a. affairs OF the Brit
tSh Embassy. IL means that Great
Britain will undoubtedly insist
upon carrying the case to The
Hague. ana II il understood that
the President and members of his
cabinet are now rcconcilcd To this
effect.
Up To this time Great Britain's
protest has been merely an in
formal communication BY the
British charge a. affairs to the
State Department. In the formal
protest Great Britain will set
forth her reasons for COntCndinS
that the free tolls legislation con-
StitutcS violation OF the Hay
PaunCcfote treaty. Before the
case can be carried TO The Hague.
however, il will DC necessary for
an alleged discrimination against
Great Britain 10 have actually
taken place i'm the form of the
granting of free passage 60 an
American coaStWiSc ship.
All hope for the passage of a
Joint resolution such "a WAS SuS-
SeStcd by the President i'm his
special message of Monday dis
appeared yesterday. Late ycstcr-
day afternoon the senate Com
mittcc on the Panama Canal
voted s TO : against reporting a
resolution of the character re-
commended 10y the President.
This means that there is no
chance of putting through the
Senate resolution which will make
IL apparent before the world that
the United States has no intention
of violating the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty.
The House leaders also have
passed the word out that there is
10 be no action i'm that body on
the Presidents resolution.
This all means that Mr.. Taft
il now confronted with the neces-
sity OF either Vctoing or accepting
the bill i'm its present form il is
practically certain that Mr.. Taft
Will sign the bill. Many of his
friends have been urging him to
return the bill with his disap-
prevail. but they acknowledged
yesterday that Mr.. Taft probably
Will accent IL. lie has already
announced publicly that i'm his
opinion the bill does not violate
the Hay-PauncCfOtc treaty. and
he would therefore be Obliged TO
base the veto almost solely uDOn
the grounds of cXpcdicncy i'm our
international relations. The Prcsi-
dent has given no indication of
serious disapprOval to the anti.
railroad feature of the bill.
The opposition of the Demo-
Gratis 10 the resolution proposed
by President Taft is explained by
the plank in their platform which
declares for free tolls for Ameri-
can ships. Many Democrats be-
lieVc that the passage of a reso-
luton such as the President sug-
gestcd would be n reflection upon
the Judgment of the statesmen
who drew the Democratic ma
tional platform. Senator O'GOr-
man, of New York. had a good
deal 10 do with the drafting of
that platform, and he was par
ticularly active in the Senate YES
tcrday i'm opposition 10 the Taft
resolution. He il a member of
the Committee on the Panama
Canal. and his influence was n big
factor i'm blocking the resolution
i'm the Senate.