New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-08
CANAL TOLLS DEBATED
Chamber of Commerce Fails IN
Uphold Taft'S Course.
REPORT AGAINST NIXON
Protest Adopted Opposes Any
Change in the Board
of Appraisers.

President Tafts approval OF the Pan.
anna Canal bill and a resolution intro.
duced in the Chamber OF Commerce bv
Lewis Nixon that the action OF the Presl.
dent be Endorsed by the chamber brouVh,
! about considerable discussion yesterday
| When Mr.. Nixon introduced his resoly.
ton, on October g. 1t was referred 10
committee OF seven, Of which Welding
Ring was the chairman. That committee
yesterday reported adversely to the Nixon
resolution.
Mr.. Nixon's resolution set forth that
there was no provision in the Hay
Pauncefote treaty forbldding the United
States from regulating Its commerce by
RENTING tolls on American ships using
the Panama Canal, the foreign press To
the contrary Notwithstanding. The COM
mlttee on foreign commerce and the reye-
nue. laws held that the chamber should
not adopt the resolution.
Neither the resolution nor the report o.
the committee was adopted, but thers
was a debate, in which Lewis Nixon led
Finally it was decided to let the matter
go over until the next monthly meeting
and in the mean time members Of thu
chamber will be supplied with copies Of
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. so that they
may be familiar with the subject.
Mr.. Nixon contended that as tho Prss.
dent OF the United States, the Senate sud
the House OF Representatives were In
support OF the Panama Canal bill, Il wss
beneath the dignity OF the Chamber Of
Commerce TO take action rejecting upon
the good faith OF the government He
said that the question was purely an
American one, and read sections Of the
treaty TO show that the government had
perfect right 10 regulate It's commerce.
He declared that the dissemination Of
Tory literature had caused a misconcep-
ton on the subject.
President Clafiin said ne did not believe
there was any one present who did not
subscribe TO at least part Of the remarks
made by Mr.. Nixon, but that he realized
that on the matter the members were d.
vided. Edward D. Page, who was Of the
committee reporting adversely on the
resolution, said the question was a moral
one. 1t had taken the President some
time to consent TO sign the bill. he said,
and at one time 1t had looked as though
he would reject t. The resolution and
report then went over
The chamber adopted unanimously a
resolution protesting against placing the
General Board of Appraisers under the
control of the Treasury Department Or
any other department Of the government,
or so changing the present law as to
lessen the Independent judicial position,
rights and duties OF the board.
William Lumrnis, on behalf of the dele
gates TO the conference at Washington to
consider the advisability Of forming
national chamber. OF commerce, presented
a report suggesting that the executive
committee should take action in the mat
ter, in view of the chambers historic
policy Of independence.
Edmund Dwight, chairman of the spe-
cial committee appointed to consider
workmen's compensation legislation. r.
ported that the committee had beguA i,s
investigation of this very important CUES.
ton, and would submit a report at
later meeting. The committee requested
and received authority to attend the con-
ference on the subject TO be- held on No
vember 26 under the New York State
Council Of the National Civic Federation.