Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-22
NEW FIGHT ON TOLLS
0'Gorman Replies to Root in
the Senate.
OPPOSES FREE PASSAGE
Newlands and MARITIME Also Make
Arguments.
GREAT BRITAIN CRITICISED
Brandegee Determined to Call Com
mittee and Reopen1ng Of Whole :.
Dispute Is On.

A bitter. new fight over \the whole
question of the Panama canal tolls has
been precipitated in the Senate as a con-
sequence Of Senator Roots remarkable
speech in the Senate yesterday, in which
he declared that the United States is
guilty OF false pretenses in the eyes of
the world unless it submits the Panama
question to arbitration.
Senator O'GOrman decided to answer
Senator Root at once, and began before
the Senate early today a speech in Wig
orous opposition to the stand taken by
his colleague. Mr.. Root. Senator O'Gor-
man was member of the subcommittee
which put into the democratic platform
at Baltimore the plan indorsing the free
toll provision.
f. Senator ,Newlands followed Senator
OGorn1an with another speech in which he
declared the Panama canal is a domestic
utility and as such is to be administered
like any other waterway Of the country
upon which the public moneys have been
expended.
Senator MARITIME Of New Jersey also
spoke against the proposal to repeal the
free toll provision.
1T comes with bad grace for Great
Britain to demand arbitration" he said,
when her whole history has been one
of greed and avarice in dealing with the
world"
Forces Are Marshaled.
The advocates of free tolls have mar
shaded their forces to prevent any action
in the Senate favorable to the Root
amendment. which provides for the repeal
Of the free toll provision. Senator Bran
degee, chairman OF the interoceanic
canals committee, has determined to call
a Meeting n that committee consider
the Root amendment.
The democratic forces in both House
and Senate are divided on the free toll
question, and the attempt made in Sena-
tor Roots speech yesterday to bring
about 4 change in the law at this session
has opened fight more bitter than that
which attended the original passage of
the canal act.
speak again in support of his declaration
that the free tolls provision is Il violation
of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
Senator O'Gorman began his speech to-
day against the Root amendment by
pointing out that it proposed either to
repeal the free passage clause or submit
the question to arbitration.
Legislation Not Hasty.
II am opposed to both provisions said
he 1T has been suggested that the leg
islation passed by the last session was
hasty, unadvised and ill-cOnsidered. On
the contrary. the Panama canal legsla-
ton was before the committee many
weeks, and was discussed at great length
in the Senate" He said the same Obiec-
tons now made to the Panama canal law
were made then. but the Senate passed
the bill at that time by vote of As to 10.
Senator O'Gorman declared that "the
great remedy which the Panama canal
bill carried was lost sight Of in the de-
mand for it's change. The bill was aimed,
he said, at controlling the transcontinen-
tai railroads and preventing a monopoly
in transportation.
Rarely Hear Of Railroads.
You rarely hear in the discussion
of the Panama bill any reference to
the railroad features" he said II adj
nit they are broad, but they are nee
essary to protect the people against
transportation monopoly.
"Of course. you hear it said we have
violated a treaty with Great Britain.
and we are told that we may be held
up to the world as violating our
treaties But we have not violated the
treaty by exempting our coastwise
traffic"
He said England for nnety-eight years
gave English shipping the preference in
English ports. Notwithstanding treaty
guaranteeing to United States ships equal
treatment with British ships.
I'VE have some people in this country
who are more English than the English
themselves in their views on our obliga-
tions," said Senator OGorman.
Foreign Powers Not to 1ntrude.
He declared many English authorities
did not take the view that the United
States was violating its obligations. eve
can never permit a foreign power to in
trude upon US its views respecting our
foreign policy. II we yield once further
entertainments will be made on our integ-
rity as a nation
1--WE have ample authority for the con-
clusion reached by the Senate last Au-
gust" said Senator O'Gorman.
THE question before us is: Shall We
permit foreign government to dictate
to the United States respecting our do
nestle policy? II our right to pursue a
domestic policy Is challenged by foreign