The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-12
GREAT BRITAIN
INSISTS UPON
TREATY RIGHTS
Lines Drawn for a Diplomatic
Struggle Over Question of
Discrimination in
Canal Tolls.
MATTER MAY GO TO
HAGUE TRIBUNAL
President Inclined to Allow
Congress to Dictate Course
of United States in
the Premises.

| III
| NM lines were drawn tonight for
| Wv a great diplomatic struggle
between the United States
and Great Britain over tho question
whether this country may discriminate
In favor Of American vessels in the ad~
ministration of the Panama canal, The
question may go to The Hague tri
| bunal.
A series of diplomatic and legislative
conferences today developed that the
forces in the American government
which favor allowing American ships
free passage through the canal are in
control. These forces take the position
that there is nothing in the Hay. Paunce-
| fote treaty 10 prevent this concession,
The diplomatic struggle, precipitated
| by the note read today from Mitchell
| Innes, in charge of the British embassy,
| it is expected, will be fought along the
following lines:
Great Britain will take the position
that the Hay-Pauncefote provision
| which forbids discrimination in favor
| of any nation, in the conduct Of the
canal, would operate against the pro-
visions Of the Panama bill now pend
| ing in the senate This position will be
supported by lengthy argument now
on its way from London.
Uncle Sans Position.
The United States will hold that so
long as the ships Of all foreign nations
are accorded the same treatment In the
use of the canal, the United States may
pass American ships free, or rebate the
tolls charged them. This position was
taken by the house when it reversed the
report Of the house Interstate and for
eign commerce committee, which would
have prevented free passage to Amer
lean ships. The ultimate passage Of
the measure seems assured. After con"
ference with President Taft, Represen'
tative Sulzer of New York, chairman OF
| the bonse committee on foreign affairs,
| made a statement supporting the DILL
He said: ~.
"Of course I am surprised that the
British government now opJects 10 INC Eno
| limited States government regulating
| the tolls Of it's own ships through the
Panama canal. However, nothing SER"
Gus will come Of the objection. we
will treat it with the dignity 1t de-
serves,
Says Treaty Is Plain
.sThe treaty is plain and clear to all;
The British government should not ana
cannot complain if no toll discrimina-
tion IS made against British ships In
favor of the ships Of other nations.
uThat is the real meaning OF the
treaty, and we shall carry out its pro
visions IN good faith. We have the
riebt under the treaty to charge or not
to charge tolls for our own ships.
1t is generally understood this posi-,
tion is supported by President Taft and
Secretary Of War Stimson.
Representative Adamson of Georgia,
chairman of the house interstate and
| foreign commerce committee, and ReP"
resentative Stevens Of Minnesota, rank
ing Republican member of the com
mfttee, supported the British position
They pointed out three provisions in
the pending bill, which they asserted
violated the treaty provisions. They
were:
First-The provision that no tolls
shall be levied upon vessels engaged
in the coastwise trade Of the United
States. This may be held to be dis
crimination in favor of American com"
merce and against the competing com
merce of neighboring nations. The
treaty prohibits any advantage or dis
advantage to any nation to it's com
merce or its citizens.
Alleged Discrimination.
Second-The senate amendment pro-
hibiting tolls to be levied on American
vessels engaged in the foreign trade
which may be subject to being taken
by the United States government In an
emergency. A discrimination In favor
of American vessels against foreign
vessels using the canal between the
same ports and doing the same trade.
| Third-The provision in senate
amendment that railroad owned ships
may engage in coastwise trade In the
United States during voyage to or
from transoceanic ports but not to the
ports of Canada. Mexico, Central or
South America. This provision seems
to discriminate in the use of the canal
in favor of the commerce to the trans
| oceanic ports and correspondingly to
operate 10 the disadvantage Of the
commerce of Canada, Mexico and Cen
trail and South America
The state department probably will
not undertake TO reply to the British
argument on it's own behalf but viii
regard itself as subject TO the action
OF congress, and will allow congress to
dictate and reply to the British pro
| test.
| Should the bill become a law over
the protest Of Great Britain it is
scarcely expected that the matter will
end there. as British and Canadian in
terests undoubtedly will force other
] diplomatic action bv London. and when
these means are exhausted The Hague
tribunal would be the court of last
/. resort.