The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-03-25
FORCES READY
FOR TITLE ON
FREE TOLLS ACT
Democratic Leaders Aligned
on Both Sides Have Argu-
ments Ready and Ad-
herents Marshaled.
DEBATE ON MEASURE
TO BEGIN THURSDAY
Chamberlain Resolution Holds
That Repeal of Free Tolls
Would Tax Ships on.
All Waterways.

WASHINGTON, March 24.-De-
termined to begin the fight for the re-
peal of the free tolls clause OF the
Panama canal act on Thursday, admins
tration forces tonight kept the house in
session we'll into the evening. Over a
mild protest from opponents of the re.
peal bill. consideration OF the rivers
and harbors appropriation bill was
pushed to point where the measure
can be DISPOSED of in an hour, and an
agreement was reached whereby it will
be taken up again at II o clock Thurs
dav morning and the way cleared Tor
the presentation OF the special rule for
the repeal bill at noon.
Arguments Are Ready.
Democratic leaders aligned on both
sides of the issue have marshaled
their forces and prepared their argu'
ments. Preliminary to the debate,
which is certain to be spirited, special
attention was given tonight by sena-
tors and representatives to the ma
iority report on the Sims repeal Dill
submitted by Representative Adamson
OF Georgia, chairman of the committee
on interstate and foreign commerce.
This report points particularly TO the
fact that in reporting the Panama
canal act in the last congress the com
mittee had recommended uniform tolls,
and that the exemption for American
coastwise shipping was accomplished
by amendment. The committee had
recognized, the report said, long before
anv foreign government had voiced an
opinion or complaint, that treaty stipu-
lations required uniform tolls 1t added;
We are not disturbed by the
taunt made for purpose that re-
peal would be trucking and yield
ing TO foreign demands. similar
taunt could be hurled against any
man @. nation honorable enough
to comply with contracts OF
generous enough to promote friend
" relations by according respectful
consideration to views OF the oppo-
site party.
No Discrimination.
From high sources IN this and
other countries and from men yet
alive who participated In the
formation Of the various treaties,
men whose veracity and integrity
cannot be questioned, come un.
emivocal statements that the
language of the treaty controlling
the imposition OF tolls was not in
tended to permit such discrimina-
tion.
Even if il was close question,
with the balance tending in our
favor. we could not afford, in
matter of national honor, 10 con
tend or even debate a proposition
which involves n policy not even
in the interest of our entire people,
but in the interest of small
special class in whose favor the
exemption operates against the gen
eral interest of the entire nation.
Far better TO abolish the canal
itself than even to permit our ma
tioual honor to remain in question.
Considerable speculation exists as Il
the strength of the opposition to tb
repeal in both houses of congress. Con
scrvative proponents of the proposed
reversal OF policy, while claiming no as
surcd majority in both houses, admi
that the opposition is formidable.
1t is an unusual situation confront
ing the Democratic party in the house