The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-02-20
AMEND THE PANAMA CANAL
ACT.

AMEND THE PANAMA CANAL
Sufficient time has elapsed since the
passage of the Panama Canal Act last
summer for widespread national dis
enssion of that much debated measure.
From Platform and pulpit, in the mag
azine and the daily press, the question
of free tolls has been so iptelligently
thrashed out, that the general public,
or at least the thinking part of it, has
today pretty we'll made up its mind as
TO the wise and just course to pursue
in extricating the Government from its
present admittedly difficult position.
The provision for free tolls, which
is the only question in the Act that
has been subjected to serious criticism
has been attacked on the dual ground
of morals and economics. Our objec-
aions on the ground of international
morality have been clearly stated, and
are we'll known to our readers. 1t is
not our purpose to enter into that side
of the question again; for we believe
that, under the new light which has
been shed upon the economic side of
ahe question by the report of Prof.
Emory R. johnson, there will he found
ample justification for an amendment
Of the act so far as the canal tolls are
eoncerned-a procedure which We be-
fieve would be in harmony with the
present state of public opinion and
would furnish Congress with means
of dignified withdrawal from it's pres
ent debatable position.
Without disparaging the weight Of
the argument based on the moral as
poets of the question, We believe that
che question of tolls will be fought
cut and finally settled mainly on econ.
omic grounds. Furthermore, we be-
ieve that the senate, in putting the
free-toll provision into the act, was
moved thereto by a laudable desire to
promote, in a just and honorable way,
the best interests of American ship
ping. During the months which have
interviewed since the passage of the
Act, however, two important factors
nave entered into the problem, which
60 our thinking have entirely changed
its whole aspect. These were the
publications of Prof. Johnson's report
on the financial side of the question,
and the fuller realization of the fact
that the leading maritime nations
were renting canal tolls to ships u.s.
ing the Sueg Canal, and would prob
ably follow the same course with re-
gard to the Panama Canal.
Prof Johnson shows that under ex-
isting conditions, coastwise ships sail
ing between the east and west coasts
of the United States are already pay
ing over 81 per ton for the carriage
Of freight across the Isthmus by the
Panama Railroad and doing a lucra-
tive business at that. He points out
shat the payment of the $1.20 per ton
toIl through the Canal would still
leave wide margin of profit for the
soastwise trade. The argument is sim
ply unansWerable. 1t has swept the
ground from beneath the feet of those
who claim that the tolls should be re-
mitted to coastwise shipping in Or
der to stimulate and develop it. The
people of the United States, thanks
to Prof Johnson's analysis, are now
perfectly satisfied that the exclusion
Of foreign shipping from our coast
wise trade has given to the latter all
the assistance that it can reasonably
demand from the Federal Government
There is a widespread conviction that
10 remit the tolls to these ships alone,
would be to make gratuitous gift of
money from the Treasury to private
corporations that stand in no need
of it whatsoever.
Furthermore, there is a growing un-
Outstanding, both inside of Congress
and outside, that the repeal of this
section Of the Act will not prevent the
Federal Government from rendering
financial aid to the American Mer-
chant should it feel disposed to do so;
For, if a fiat rate is charged on all
shipping, domestic and foreign alike,
shere will be nothing in the much-dis-
puted treaty with Great Britain to pre-
rent the Government from making a
remission of tolls, in whole or in part,
20 American shipping using the Canal,
should it see fit to do so. Obviously,
che first step in this policy should be
che passing of an amendment to the
Panama Canal Act by which its pres
ohiaotior HI, Famine would \, M