Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-06-27
TOLLS QUESTION
STILL PENDING
WILL BE SETTLED DIPLOMATIC.
ALLY. AND DIPLOMACY TRAY.
ELS SLOWLY-OpINIONS DINID
ED ON FREE TOLLS QUESTION.
SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN
ALTERABLY OPPOSED TO FREE
TOLLS-ADAMSON OF ALABAMA
AMONG THE NUMBER.
Especial to The Hcrdld.)
By BURTON X. STANDISII.


Washington, June 27.-The reading
public may recall that a year ago, or
somewhere Whereabouts, there was a lit
tie fuss with Great Britain about those
Panama Canal tolls. Most folks have
probably forgotten about the matter.
The newspapers haven't been printing
first page stuff about it for some time.
One. would think that the question had
been sidetracked.
1t hasn't. however. The state depart
mcnt tape still entwineS Great Britains
notes. President Wilson has the con
troverSy down i'm his memorandum book.
1t is still ~pending-and vii, in all prob
ability, be pending when the BIZ water
way is completed, sometime in October
or November.
The tolls dispute may be settled DIP
lomaticaliy. 1t may be disposed Of by
leaders Of the scnat and house collab-
Grating on a scheme TO repeal the provi
sion to which Great Britain objects
that granting American vessels free pas
sage through the canal. There are sew
eral other modes of Scttlcment-but Al
will take a long time, Diplomacy is
necessarily a slow and cautious method.
Red tape is found nowhere il such lib
eral quantities or is used so extensively
as at the state Department. Aud the
present session Of Congress will be de-
voted exclusively to the tariff and cur
rcncy. according to prcScnteplans.
\a,apf baIoS. tiuYa Vn several f'nn-
grcssional leaders who pan to bring the
Panama tolls controversy up this SEES
sion. if they possibly can. The House
Interstate and Foreign Commerce Com
mittee has several bills before it touch
ing on the matter. Representative Adam
son, of Georgia. chairman Of the com
mittce, has already directed that his
committee members study the question
thoroughly. in order to be ready for
work. AdamSon is materially opposed
to the free tolls plan. He fought it bit
terly in the House, being the only Dem
%ocratic member of his committee to pre-
sent AN adverse report to the Panama
measure. The Georgian thinks Congress
will now repeal the Objectionable para
graph. He points out that the section
was passed bv the scant majority of six
teen in the last Congress, and he be
'ieves since that time the legislators
have had time 10 figure out that its Op
Grafton would be a mere granting Of a
Iegalizcd monopoly to a few shipping
concerns of the trade between The Allan
tic and the Pacific.
On the senate side. OGorman, chair
man of the Interocranic Canals commit
tee. takes an opposite view from Adam
son. There is now Il movement on foot
I'm this committee to give President
Wilson the power TO suspend the cNemp-
ton clause. This can only he done, how
ever by passage Of a resolution and it
is believed that the House would refuse
70 concur in such "A plan. House leaders
think the scheme a strategic one. de-
signed obviously and solely as a test of
the free tolls sentiment Of the new
members.
The resolution introduced by Repre-
sentative Thetus Sims. of Tennessee. and
now pending in AdamsOns committee.
will he the first to be considered by the
Interstate Commerce Committee mem
hers. IT repeats the exemption clause
Sims thinks the bill will pass the house
hnt If is doubtful about the senate.