Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-08
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sciously, exaggerated. The Americaasl
people want peace, but they rear nc
power on earth. Shadows cannot dis
turb a brave man. They should nos,
alarm brave and intrepid people.
mo senator questions the patriott
ism and high purposes of the FRESH
dent, but if legislation is to be made
dependent upon his will alone, no one
can predict the mischief to which SUCH
a precedent will expose this govern
ment in future years. 1 believe thatx
the passage of this bill compromises
the dignity and honor of the country,
and before the deed is consummated, u
enter my solemn protest against whaN
I conceive to be betrayal of tpe
American people"
Wise Economic Policy
Senator O'Gorman further sought tc
show that exemption of American
coastwlse vessels is a wise economicA
policy; that if such vessels fall withip
the terms of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, exemption does not constitute
a violation thereof and that the. ca
nal has been constructed on territor )
over while hthe United States is SOW
ereign while the canal contemplated
in the treaty was to be built on alieIS
SOIL and therefore the treaty is map
piicable.
Results Of Exemption
"Exempting coastwise craft from the
payment of tolls" he continued, viii
reduce the cost of shipping through
the canal to a minimum, and therebX
compel competing roads in the UniteG
States and Canada to reduce their
rates to competitive basis. The NOR,
expensive you make water transport
tation the greater latitude you extend
to the railroads in the fixing of thefS
rates. Place toll on the domestic
shipping and for every dollar you COL
lect by way of toll you enable thP
railroads to make a corresponding in
crease in their rates. 1t was hoped by
some that the exemption to the coast1
wise trade might be followed in the
near future by a like exemption to
the few American ships now engagea
III the foreign trade, but deny this
privilege to the Coastwise vessels now
and you make it forever impossible u
confer it upon the ships engaged in
overseas trade.
Uniform System7
II know it is said that free tolls will
simply enrich the shipowner and comp
fer no benefit on the producer and
consumer. Well, if free tolls will not
decrease the cost to the consumer, imt
posing tolls on the other canals OF
the country will not increase the cost
10 the consumer. l suppose you wig
make your system uniform. Perhaps
thsi is part OF program to impose
tolls on the shipping of the other CAV
nails of the country"
The senator argued that 1t is weiiy
known principle Of international law
that conditions in any international
agreement cease to be obligatory wheS.
the state of facts on which they were
founded has ceased to exist or has
been changed. He pointed out theS
when the United States became the
sovereign of the Panama Canal Zone
and it became United States territory
the -Pauncefote treaty no long
er bound the United States.
England Fortified Suez
TO back up this contention, the
| senator showed that England fortts
! came British territory and that when
the Great Powers which were partieI
to the convention under which that
canal was constructed, raised objec-
tion. the British government relies
| upon this same principle of interna-
! tional law. He said that since Great
Britain had recognized the Americas
right to fortify the canal, forbidden
/ in the treaty, it had recognized a
| changed condition which makes tie
! entire treaty imperative.
THE treaty" said he, must stand
! or fall as whole. Under the doctrins
recognized by the British government
| the treaty is imperative as to the
| newly acquired territory of the Units
| ed States, and the canal constructed
| on American territory at Panama, u
! no more affected by the Hay-Paunce-
/ fote treaty than would he a canal
/ built across any other part OF the soy
! of the United States"
Definition of Provision
| Tho senator in conclusion declared
| that the provision of the treaty that
the canal shall be free and open to
| the vessels of commerce and war of all
! nations" cannot be interpreted to in
clude coastwise ships, because ves;
! sells of commerce have been defined as
| those engaged in international trade.
i
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