The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-02-27
BLAMES THE RAILROADS
Declares Canadian Pacific Has
Inspired the Proposed
Repeal

hGsHiuS tofl, ~. Nss fcDTuutS 90
Senator George e. Chamberlain is
outspoken in his opposition 10 the
repeal of that portion OF the Panama
Canal act which exempts coastwise
vessels from payment of tolls. He has
travelled along the same road with
President Wilson since the inaugura-
ton, but as to the repeal of the
free-tolls provision, which Is now
being championed by tn echief eyec-
utive. the senior senator from Ore
gon enters a positive but dignified
remonstrance .....
In speaking of the agitation now
going on Senator Chamberlain said:
1T is my opinion that the demand
for the repeal of that portion Of the
Panama Canal act granting free
tolls to coastwice vesselc is inspired,
in the first instance, by the Can
adam Pacific railroad, and this in
turn by the trans-continental rail-
roads of this country. These latter
roads have always opposed the con-
struction of a canal. Their e.nissar-
lies were in Washington to oppose
the passage of the Panama Canal
act and, having failed In that, they
are now resorting to the field of
diplomacy. ready, IL need be, to
plunge the country into bloody
war to accomplish their purpose.
Ready for Bloody War.
Suppose the congress yields to
the demands CT Great Britain md re-
peals the free-tolls clause of the act,
will that satisfy her? Not by any
means. for. yielding to this demand.
II will be followed by other insistent
demands and amongst these win he
the opening of the cahal to rail-
road-owned ships. This is the real
secret behind which the transcon-
tinental lines are hiding, both those
in Canada and tn United States.
"lf these demands are complied
with II will be insisted that we have
no right to fortify the canal: that
we have no right to pass our navy
through the canal In time of war;
that we cannot honor our treaty
with Panama with reference to the
passage OF her vessels through the
canal; In fact, that we have no
right whatsoever-except TO expend
about sixteen millions of dollars
per annum in the maintenance and
operation of great national high
way built by American ingenuity
with American money.
There Is no question that there
are international complications
which make the subject a delicate
one at this particular jnncture, but
a truly American policy demands
that the Panama act should stand
as 1t was enacted in spite of these
complications, and the United States
ought to maintain its position at any
hazard or cost. 1t is insisted by
those who would repeal the clause
that II Is I'm violation OF the Hay.
Pauneefote treaty. but the question
OF treaty violation was discussed at
great length before the law was
enacted, and II was determined by
an overwhelming vote i'm both the
senate and hcuse that the enact
ment OF the law was In no sense
OF the word violation of the treaty.
II is not a larty question, but one
Of national Import.
Treat not Violated.
"Not only vas this view taken
by congress, but the then president
Of the United States, as well as the
secretary OF state, both of whom
were and are distinguished consti.
tutional lawyers, maintained the same
/, view, the first In his approval of the
act as passed, and the second in
his answer to the protest of Earl
Grey. Further than that, the
supreme burt of the United States,
In passing upon a treaty provision
between the United States and Great
Britain very much like the one in
question. held that II was not a
violation Of the terms of the treaty
that the Legislature of Texas dis
eliminated in fevor Of American
vessels engaged in navigating the
waters of that safe.
"The consenus OF opinion through
cut the United States sustains the
1 view that there Is no sound basis
for the argument that the law
violates any treaty obligations. but
aside from the question of treaty
stipulations there are compelling
political, military and economic rea.
sons why the party now in power
should not undertake to repeal the
free-tolls provision, nor, as ! view II,
even to suspend it's operation.
at seems to me that the time has
come when we ought to take a firm
stand with Great Britain, as we
have taken with Japan, and insist
upon our right to control our inter-
nal affairs in whatsoever manner we
see fit II we have to fight TO
maintain our rights we might as well
do 1t now as TO yield to the de,
mands of every foreign power and
practically fetter the commerce be-
tween the United States and every
quarter of the globe.
Il believe In peace. but Il ought
not to be purchased at the expense
of national integrity and honor. A
law which was enacted at the de-