New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-07
Provides That Country
Waive No Right Under
the Treaty.
NO CHANCE FOR BILL
WITHOUT CONCESSION
Simmons Gets Norris's Agreement
to Withdraw Amendment and
Accept Substitute.
From The Tribune Bureau. J

From The tribune bureau
Washington, June 6.-Proponents Of the
Panama Canal tolls repeal bill In the
Senate have reached the conclusion that
the bill cannot pass without an amend
ment specifically stating that the action
of Congress is not to be taken as waving
the right Of the United States to exempt
American vessels Of commerce from the
payment Of tolls through the Canal. Hav-
ing reached that conclusion Senator Sim
mons, of North Carolina, who has been
leading the fight for repeal for the Presi-
dent ir the Senate, and other adminlstra-
ton Senators decided that this amend
ment had better come from one OF the
Democratic leaders than from Repub-
lican.
The parliamentary situation calls for a
vote first on an amendment to the Dill
offered by Senator Norris, OF Nebraska
which provides that the passage or the
bill shall not be construed as waiver or
the right of the United States TO exempt
American coastwise vessels from the pay
ment OF tolls, or TO reduce the Tolls on
those vessels. Senator Simmons, after
drawing up a substitute amendment Tor
that offered by him in committee ana
adopted by the committee merely provid-
ing that the United States waived no
right under anytreaty, submitted his SUB
stitute TO Senator Norris tonight and OBJ
tanned his agreem& to withdraw the
Norris amendment Rfavor of the second
/ aQC0nd
| mons amendment is as follows:
THAT the passage of this act shall not
be construed or held as waver or re-
lindushment of any right that the United
States may have under the treaty with
! Great Britain ratified the 18th or NO
yember, 1901, or otherwise, to exempt
the vessels Of the United States or It's
citizens from the payment OF tolls Tor
the massage through said canal, or as
in any way waving, impairing or af-
fecting any right of the United States
under said treaty or otherwise with
respect to the sovereignty over the own
ership, control and management Of said
canal. and the regulation of the con-
ditions or charges Of traffic through
the same
4 final vote on the repeal bill Is not
expected before Tuesday or Wednesday.
Failing TO make any progress toward a
conclusion of the debate tonight the
Senate gave over it's consideration or
the repeal bill late this afternoon and
took up the regular calendar
An effort may be made after the bill
Is disposed of to press a resolution to
arbitrate the Panama tolls exemption
question with Great Britain.
Senator Hitchcock, Democratic col
league Of Senator Norris. announced
early in the day that he would vote for
the Norris substitute. 81 shall favor any
amendment OF like import which will at
tach to this bill a declaration that its
passage shall not be construed as sur
render of the American right to dis
eliminate in favor of American vessels
in the use OF the Panama Canal" he said.
Il should he willing to go even further,
and favor specific declaration reafiirm-
ing and asserting that right because that
would express my own convictions in the
matter"
Senator Hitchcock added he was OPP
posed to the free passage of vessels now
as a matter of local policy, but he said
the action of the President in pressing
repeal on Congress for the chief reason
that the Canal act violated the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, required something
more than mere repeal legislation. TO
act upon his suggestion without qualifica-
ton may, perhaps, put Congress In the
light Of indorsng his reasons and might
put the United States on record as
abandoning its former Interpretation Of
the treaty and asserting to the interpre-
tation placed upon 1t by Great Britain"
he said.
81 am not willing to do that. | be-
lieve the United States should stand by
the position 1t has taken. That Is the
dignified course"