The sun., 1913-12-26
PANAMA CANAL TOLLS.
4 Eair statement From the Pa"snr
Coast 0f Views Prevailing There.

editorial articleS IN THE SUN Hioiiths
ago ON the repeal OF the NTH section OF
the Panama Canal law C ntaned the best
statement Of the matter In controversy
that have seen. 1t seems TO me that no
fair minded man will hold that NC are
violating our treaty obligations by remit
ting the tolls on any class or American
shipping 30 long rs the tolls on foreign
shipping are not thereby increased. the
United States is bound by the Hay
Pauncefote treaty to open the canal to
the vessels of all nations 80 there shall
be no discrimination against any eucn
nation, nor its citizens or subjects. in re-
spect of the conditions or charges OF
trafI1c or otherwise" But there Is roth-
ing In the treaty to prevent any nation
from subsidizlng its shipping. II 1t had
been intended to prohibit the United
States from paying the tolls for Its ship
ping would not like prohibition nave
been laid upon foreign nations in unfnis-
taxable terms? Mr.. Emory Il. johnson
has stated that a yearly revenue of VIZ
$500 would enable the United states
to operate and maintain the canal govern
the Canal Zone, pay the Panama annuity
Of $500 pay interest on the canal IN
Ncstment and set aside an amortization
fund of 1 per cent. per annuni Those
who criticise the canal law assume that
our Presidents will Fix the tolls go that
foreign shipping and American shipping
entire sl9.250.OOO The law does not
require the President to do this and 1t is
very unfair to assume that Mr. Tart IN
fixing the toll at $40 ton attempted
To lay the entire burden upon the toll
paying shipping. careful reading OF
the published extracts Of Mr.. Johnson
former report should convince anybody
that the rate was determined by divid-
ing the sum to he raised annually by
the total amount OF shipping OF all classes
which IL IL anticipated will use the canal
within few years after II Is open 70
traffic. An easy mark Is always bounded.
Foreign nations that ask more than this
are not worth talking to.
The foregoing conclusion is borne out
by a comparison with the rates that have
been charged by the Suez Canal. IN
1873 the tariff for passage through TINS
canal was fixed at 10 francs net register
! ton, with a surtax of four francs ton,
or a total of SEQ ton. This was re-
, duced to sl.93 In 1854. to $l.S3 In 1888.
| to $50 in 1906, 10 $40 In 1911. and
| then to sl.39 in 1912, and tn s12l '6.:5
| francsD on January ]. 1918. FOR pas
sengers the dues have always been main
! tained at o francs. or sl?3, head. IN
| 1909 the number Of passengers who went
| through the canal was 2l3.l2- The eN-
| penditures of the company up to the end
| Of the year 1869. when the canal was
| opened, were A32. .So1.ss2 francs. to which
| should be added 100, 900, 900 francs OBJ
| tained later ny loan Ior "lueih's "''
| deepening the canal mus 'ne c"It vi
| the Suez 'anal may pc piaced NJ o'-'-
| sO7.Ss2 francs. or sl02.s3l,s-i.
| The Panama Canal will cost 1915, ooo.-
| o00 Beginning on January !, 1919. the
| United states IS required 10 pay f-o''-
| 600 annually ~ tanania' sum eiua' ~
| the annual interest at per cont on
<'333,333. The Tolls nave peeh uN'u ~
\ ~, 10 IN a ~, a.
| passengers. the charSc Tor shlps III ""I-
! last is somewhat lower than the HutH ra'r
! II Is expected that IN" fahtnla ,ai'ha VIII
! hAN" ABOUT 'o per cent W tne ua'h' "'
! the Suez Cana. whiie the cost "i ihaII-
! tenancc ana operation Will De hucn
greater.
! England. largo sharehoIder or Suez
| stock. can hardly ohJect 70 'lr s"'' S'ar'
! holder OF Panama STOCK iniNlns rs Idrg"
a proh' as she herself MAKES on her Hue-
STOCK, 50 lons OF 'oul - as an sIl'f'lS -
required To pay It's JUST dues Inc "u'"
company is limited To % per cent
| "pruht by an agreement "hlcn f'Ilsn
sh!pown' forced upon ~ IN N'N''npe1 =
! lHs3. by thi'atenIhE 10 pulIn ''iiIct
ing canal IN 800 f'e'hnn housht l'''-
~. shir'S or SueH stHN' '"' "'I'' ~
paid si".326 lsN Thc par Va ne "' 'n'S
stock Is Slnol2'oF5' f"r thc year r.ird
. March 81, l"l"' she r"ccl.en >"'''''-
]
&c, II may DC above" 10 Cory ,he
| language OF the Statesman rear t'o"h'
| our humh'e talh about h'n'''Hh'l'h u
| ituIhlhIe IN th" idc' ut Nn'h pr'"'S
Could any 'au!t he rouNu WIN hnsI'nn
" sh" femlten to's 10 ner s'iPPHhs 'o
the amount OF hr earnings lroii' hcf
Suez holdings IN case sh' Sh"u'' 'lus
suhNidlle h'' sh!Pphs' Is ,nt', any r'a
son wnN sh" shoula htht h"r dement's 10
vessels engae"d ex'Ius'NeN IN h'r coast
ing trade "hat Is 'ne'' IN 'ne SNn'eN'
Interpretation "t our Nedt'S' III common
sense AS IL Is unhrrs''"o "hro'" "hu u
IN" eNa'nple OF ''T'lch na''o"S' |" pre-
vent Us from hAinG 'he 'o'IS :" tha' u"
entire 'hsrs" 'or "ptr"to''' h,H'''c"'IlO''
government ahhultlrS' Hl"i.N'' d','"' '"i
non an" soou l"' !ili"'at '''',
shsll DE horne cN our cr!ioS s"'PP"s
WINE our own goes SCOT 'rce
| shouln IKE 10 see tne toI's rcH''lte'
on American shlPpihs ehe"Seo IN i"re's'
trade. nope Some Time /" see IN" Amer
lcan nag IN foreign p"r,s on s"h''n,'it ~
besides neh-oi-"ar' fich men Hach''
ana Standhrd wi uphiS' 'N'""I t"i '""S
I" coast sh'pplhS VIII NOT heen "''"u'
ageinent our tremendous sAppI's "i
the great lakes proves tnat' hut Wh\
Hntiih wv l'''''"' gu -''' ~" '''''
Townsend in case Il touches ~ AcapuIc,