Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-21
ROOT URGES TOLL
U. S. Should Submit to Arbi-
tration or Recede, He Says.
TALKS on CANAL QUESTION
Would Amend Law Granting Free
Use Of Waterway to Our Ships.
GREAT REGRET. TO PUBLIC
New York Senator Also Says Stand
Of This Country Has Created Pain
full Impression Abroad.
TALKS ON CANAL QUESTION
GREAT REGRET. TO PUBLIC

The United States should either sub.
NIT the Panama free toll question to i'm.
partial arbitration or retire from the DO.
sition We have TAKEN" was the declara.
ton OF Senator Root in the Senate today
in a speech favoring repeal Of the free
toll provision Of the new Panama canal
act.
Senator Root took the position that
congress should not have passed law
last summer that Disseminated against
foreign shipping and granted free tolls
to American coaStwise shipping. That
action, he declared, had been a source
Of great regret to multitudes Of our
fellow citizens" and had created a
painful impression throughout the
world"
Speaks to Secure Amendment.
Senator Root was an active opponent
OF the free toll provision when the canal
act passed last August and his speech to-
day opened fight to secure an amend
ment Of the law before it goes into eff
feet. Senator Root declared today that
Congress had been tierd out before the
bill was taken up last summer. and that
the measure never received proper con-
sideration.
I'VE were weary and exhausted and our
minds were not working during that pc
"A decent regard for the opinions Of
mankind was one of the motives set by
the people of these colonies into the
great declaration OF their independence, 4"
added Senator Root.
Tells Of Treaty Making.
He outlined the relation between the
United States and Great Britain which
had led up to the making Of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty of 1901. under which
the canal was constructed. At that
time. he said. it was expected that the
Nicaragua route would be used.
"rhe United States gave up nothing
that 1t had them" said Senator Root Its
obligations, in that treaty were entirely
looking to the future. But Great Britain
gave up its rights to the protectorate over
the Mosquito coast. which it was sup
posed would be the eastern terminus Of
the canal"
From the treaty with Great Britain
Senator Root read the declaration that
the proposed canal was to be open ION
equal terms to all.
Corner Stone of U. S. Rights.
THAT declaration is the corner stone
of the rights Of the United States at
the Panama canal" he said 1.-The
representations made by the United
States when the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty was made, put the United States
under specific obligation to make the
canal a great highway open on equal
terms to the world" said Senator Root
He read from statements made at that
time by the United States representatives
that 1.-The United States would not If it
could obtain any exclusive rights over the
canal"
''On that representation Great Britain
relnquished her right to all control over
the future OF the Panama canal and con-
scented to the abandonment of the Clay
ton Bulwer treaty"
The United States, he said. had asked
Great Britain to enter into a new
treaty to succeed the old Clayton-Bulwer
treaty. The result OF the negotiations
then undertaken was the HayPaunce-
fote treaty, now in force.