Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-04-10
CANAL TOLLS.

CANAL lOLLO.
The question of Panama Canal tolls
is now receiving much attention in
congress, and the following will show
why the foreign nations are requesting
10 be heard in the matter OF fixing tolls
for the use of the canal that Will Snort
~ be opened for shipping. !
In 1888 Great Britain acquired Hon.
duras, and later it acquired protec-
torate OF the Mosquito coast and over
the Bay islands, group near Hon
duras. Those possessions and privil-
eyes were held, by the craftsmanship
Of that time and for nearly century
afterwards, to give Great Britain the
privilege of building canal across the
isthmus. But early in the nineteenth
century Americas statesmen began to
feel that it would be detrimental to the
interests of the United States to have
Great Britain build canal in that
neighborhood independently OF us, and
negotiations were begun looking to
equal partnership and coutrol, on
the part Of the United States. in any
canal that might be built These ne
gotiations eventuated in 1850 in the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
The salient provision Of this treaty
was the agreement that neither the
United States nor Great Britain would
tsever obtain or maintain for itself ex-
elusive control over the projected ship
canal" and that neither will ever
erect or maintain Notifications COM
handing the same or in the vicinity
thereof nor ''fortify or colonize, or
assume any dominion over any part OF
Central America" They further
agreed to protect ond guarantee the
neutrality Of any canal that might be
built and invite other nations to do
likewise s'to the end that all nations
might share in the honor or advantage"
Of such an enterprise. Great Britain
was likewise persuaded in the same
negotiations to give up the Bay islands
and forego all protectorate rights over
the Mosquito coast. 1t was, however,
permitted to retain British Honduras.
1t will be seen that by the Clayton
Bulwer treaty the U. S. acquired the
privilege Of participating in any canal
that might be built, and that, further
more, Great Britain was induced to
give up territory which it owned there
and surrender authority that had
never been questioned.
Further along the United States be-
came anxious to build a canal alone
and in 1881 Mr.. Blaine endeavored
but unsuccessfully, to amend the treaty
to SO permit. After the Spanish war,
however, and the trip of the battleship
Oregon around the Horn, the desira-
bility OF the canal became more press
ing and Secretary Hay again took up
the question of revising the treaty,
which ended in the existing agreement,
effected in 1901. The salient fact Of
this agreement was that Great Britain
surrendered its partnership interest
to the United States exclusively, but
only in consideration Of new agree
ment that the canal should be operated
ION terms OF entire equality, SO that
there shall be no discrimination against
any such nation or its citizens or SUBJ
jects, in respect Of the conditions or
charges Of traffic or otherwise"
The only question as to the meaning
Of this language is whether the United
States is to be included among the ma
items or whether it is not. Those who
hold that it is, contend that to exempt
our coastwisc shipping from the pay
mcnt OF tolls would be to violate the
provisions for centre equality" and that
''there shall be no discrimination. But
the contention over the meaning of
words is not here at point. The point
here merely is an explanation of why
Great Bsitai, has any rights in the
canal and what the treaty has to do with
it ANYHOW. In irief, Great Britain had
the first and independent right there;
later it took the United States into
partnership and then surrendered its
remaining partnership share, in con-
sEderation OF receiving equal treatment
OF the hands Of its former partner.
Winchester Journal:-Senator James
H. Brady, Idaho's junior senator, is