The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-29
PANAMA TOLLS DISPUTE.
ENGLAND MUST DECIDE AS TO
COURSE AT ONCE.
knox's Note To Britain Means That
His Majcsty's Foreign Office Must
Announce Plans Immediately. Opin-
Ion I'm Senate Is Divided, Some Fa-
yoring Idea, Others Opposing IL.

Washington, Jan. 24.-Secretary
Knox's reply to the British protest
against the exemption of American
coastwise shipping from tolls in the
Panama canal having been received In
London. IL Is incumbent upon the
British foreign Office to come to a
decision at once as to the course to be
pursued in the continuance Of the
the efforts shall be continued to ad-
just the supposed differences between
the two countries by further ex-
changes or to accept Secretary Knox's
offer to exchange ratifcations Of the
Knox-Bryce general arbitration treaty
as amended by the senate and refer
TO a special commission the task of
finding the actual facts as a basis for
possible arbitration.
officials here are awaiting this de-
cision with great interest because
upon II will depend the probability
OF President Taft reaching a satis-
factory settlement of the question be-
fore he leaves office.
Should the British government de-
eide to regard as satisfactory the
American statement that its appre-
tensions for the future treatment Of
British shipping In the canal are
groundless and will 80 express itself,
the incident will be closed, at least
for the time being, or until some sub
sequent congress might endeavor to
act in a way as to warrant the charge
Of discrimination against foreign
shipping. Secretary Knox, in his
note. expressly invited the British
government to examine the facts cited
by him as a basis for his statement
that through Prof. Jonson's inclu-
sion OF American coastwise shipping
In his calculations upon which the
tolls are fixed. the British objection
that an unjust burden was to be fast
ened upon British shipping has been
completely met.
IL should not require much time to
confirm that statement. as II Is known
that Prof. Johnson's report Is also
in the possession of the British for
egin office. so that the way Is clear
to a speedy understanding. II Sir Ed
ward Grey prefers 10 immediate ex-
change publications. of the pending
arbitration ireaty. Ptes!dcn, Tat. is
ready to almost Immediately appoint
the three American members II the
special commission provided under it's
terms TO ascertain and report upon
the facts. The United States senate
can not intervene at this stage to pre-
vent such action on the part Of the
president, and while 1t Is true that
the special commission would have
no power to force arbitration Of the
question Of canal tolls, it is probable
the recommendation of such a tri-
bunal. required by the terms Of the
treaty 10 De supported by no less than
five OF the six members would carry
such weight that it might be difficult
to resist the acceptance of its plan.
Senator'S favorable to arbitration
were generally disposed today to go
on record in opposition to Mr.. Knoxs
position. Senator McCumber (Repub-
lican) and Hitchcock DemocraD, ,
both members of the committee on
foreign relations, expressed them
selves.
Said Senator McCumber: THE sec
retary's letter does not alter the fact
that we agreed by treaty TO treat all
nations alike in connection with the
canal and that we also agreed by an
other treaty to submit all such ques-
tions as this to arbitration"
Senator Hitchcock said: THE re-
ply OF Secretary Knox demonstrates
that in eXempting from tolls vessels