The Detroit times., 1912-05-17
PANAMA CANAL MUST
BE FREE COMPETITOR


II we could have referendum on the
question OF a free waterway TO inter
state commerce, absolutely divorced
from railroad influence. nine-tenths OF
the American people would vote yes
and the railroads would vote no"
The canal should not only be a
free waterway for our domestic com
Iaeyce, but no railroad-owned, or rail-
road controlled boat should be permit.
ted to poke It's nose into the locks.
II repudiate the plea that this
great question should walt future
solution-the time TO play fair with
the American people is now. Let us
not do the wrong thing today and
trust TO future congress 10 right the
wrong
1T is said that by the Hay-Paunce-
fote Treaty, we have bartered away
TO foreign government our constitu-
tional power over interstate com.
merce through the canal. On that
proposition | refuse To run up the
white flag OF surrender. | deny that
TIE control OF our domestic com
nerce has been transferred from
IF we are going 20 allow the
English press to construe the Hay
Pauncefote Treaty Tor us and allow
the railroads 10 dominate the canal,
we might better have sunk our four
hundred millions OF dollars in the
bottom OF the sea.
II am opposed 10 allowing n coterie
OF Wall-st interests dictate the canal
POLICY OF congress. The Pacific Mail
Steamship company Is owned and con-
trolled bv the Southern Pacific rail-
way. Mr.. r. r. Schwerein, vlce-presi-
dent and general manager OF the
Pacific Mail Steamship company, went
down to Wall-st., recently for the pur-
pose of securing loan for the con-
struction Of four boats 10 he operated
through the canal He was informed
that he could not have the loan II
congress was going to enact Panama
canal legislation hostile 10 the in
terests OF the trans-continental rail-
roads. | think 1t is high time that
congress served notice upon the rail-
roads that they must keep their
hands of the Panama canal.
For the first time in American
history il is proposed TO erect toii
gate in the path OF interstate trade.
I believe that ii this house does us
duty il will apply the torch TO section
: of this bill and burn il up. Let the
corfagration be so complete that
like proposal will never ind It's way
10 the floor Of this house.
If trust that the members OF THIS
house understand fully the real sig
nilcance of section ; of this bill. by
that section II is deliberately proposed
hat an American vessel. flying the
American flag. laden with American
rodlcts. and bound from the port OF
ore state TO the port OF ahother
state, shall be stopped at toil-gate
ard compelled to pay tax before II
may proceed 10 its destination Ut,
TO state the proposition in another
form, IL is proposed TO erect an aru-
Eficial barrier in the path OF free eX-
change between the states OF the pro-
ducts OF the American farm, forest,
mine and factory. II is unnecessary
TO say that this proposal is new and
7, revolutionary IT is al war with the
fundamental policy of this government
for 1875 years--a policy which, coupled
with a national system of internal I'M
Irrovements. has made the domestic
commerce OF the United States the
marvel of the civilized world"
we have expended in the improve
ment Of rivers and harbors and the
reconstruction of canals. exclusive or
1.-THE Panama canal. the sum OF $b2I,-
lO9S. 1866. III we arc now TO abandon
our historic policy of free commerce
between the states, why not erect TOLL
gates on the Mississippi river In the
Improvement of which we have ex-
pended $123, 0SS ,90905-or nearly one
third OF the estimated cost OF the
Panama canal? Why not burden our
merchant marine at the harbors OF
PHILADELPHIA. Baltimore, Boston, New
York, Savannah. New Orleans, Calves
ton and other places in the improve
ment of which the government has ex.
pended many millions of dollars? II
this Is TO be our policy, why not erect
n toll-gate at the 500 Canal through
which 41,653,488 tons OF shipping
passed in 1911? We have expended
Iupon the Great Lakes and waterways
connected herewith, including the
500 Canal and locks. the sum or $llOr
l015 ,3S1.04. The commerce that passed
through the 500 Canal in 1911 exceed
ed the worlds commerce through the
Suez Canal In 1910 by twenty-five mil
llion tons This tonnage. nearly all OF
which was domestic traffic, also pass
cd through the Detroit river upon
which the government has expended
nearly ten million dollars. Why not
build a toll-gate there?
The manufacturer OF automobiles
in Detroit must have rail rate tC
the Pacific coast that will be fairly
competitive with the water rate giver
the manufactures OF automobiles or
the Atlantic seaboard. The furniture
manufactures of Grand Rapids must
have rail rate to the Pacific coast
that will be fairly competitive Will
the water rate OF eastern manufac
turers of furniture. The bath tut
manufacturer at Chicago demands 9
rate by rail to the west that Wi,
enable him TO compete with the batf
tub manufacturer at New York who
uses the water route. These exam
pies might be multiplied indefinitely