The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-06-15
CANAL WILL Be
IN USE BEFORE
MANY MONTHS
EXPECTED THAT PASSAGE WILL
BE POSSIBLE BEFORE THE TOLL
QUESTION, NOW UPPERMoST IN
MINDS OF EXECUTIVES, is SET
TIED.
BY WINFIELD JONES.


Washington. D. c., June 14.-With
the organization Of the house commit
tee on interstate and foreign commerce
completed. there may be expected soon
some definite action relating to the
house policy toward the exemption Of
tolls for American ships, passing
through the Panama canal.
At the same time, 1t is probably
true that vessels will be using the
canal and the two great oceans Will
be linked for inter oceanic commerce
before the toll question, now upper
most in the minds of executives, cab
inets and diplomatists Of this and other
countries, is settled.
The matter may be settled diplomat
ically, OF it may be settled by the
house Of representatives and the SEN
ate getting together and deciding to
repeal the clause in the Panama canal
act, which provides that American
ships shall not pay a penny to go
through the big ditch. Either of these
methods of settlement will take a long
time. Diplomacy is necessarily a slow
and cautious method, and the best in
think that the differences of opinion in
the senate and house cannot be settled
without a grueling tussle.
The matter is going to be the center
of thought and discussion in Senate
and House committees very soon. Rep
house committee on interstate and for
eign commerce, has his committee in
working shape now. AdamsOn is un-
alterably opposed to free tolls for
American ships, while Senator O'Gor-
man, chairman of the senate commit
the opposite view. It is believed that
If the matter ever comes to the floor
of the house in this session il will be
passed there. 1t was beaten once last
session by only sixteen votes but the
advocates Of no exemption say the at
titUde of the new house will prove to
be in favor Of repeating the exemption
clause.
AT some time in the near future
some member Of the house commit
tee or interstate and foreign commerce
is going to introduce a resolution Civ
ing President Wilson the power to sus-
pend the exemption clause ir the Pan
anna canal bill. This has been deter
mined upon for what may appear to
be a strategic reason.
The committee wants to get some
thing of the sort before congress mere
~ to test out the sentiment of the new
mem bers. Whether or not the presi-
dent will take kindly to this method is
not known by members of the commit
tee, as it is understood he has not talk
ed about 1t to any OF them. The ma
jorfty Of the house committee is sup
posed TO De II IaNOT OF repeating the
exemption clause on the ground that 1t
is sop to the ship trust" and will
grant a few American shippers too
great a monopoly.
The resolution Of Representative
Sims of Tennessee to repeal the ex-
emptiOn clause is bfore the committee
along with several other resolutions
and bills, all aimed a making Ameri-
can ships pay tolls through the canal
Sooner or later the Sims resolution,
which is really the crucial point in the
whole controversy, will be taken up for
considera ton. This resolution will
then be sent to Secretary of War Gar
riSon, and his opinion sought. And
when he gives his opinion the public
will know what the administration be-
lieves is right in the Panama toll sit
IA ton.