The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-05
An ynvit alton to senator O'GOrman

An ynvit alton o senator O'GOrman.
We respectfully invite the attention
Of the chairman Of the Senate Commit
tee on Interoceanic Canals to three
propositions which we have tried to
present rs briefly as possible and in
straightforward English.
Senator OGoRMAN Is asked to con-
slider these three propositions not as
the leader Of a parliamentary faction,
not as an apologist for the contradic-
lions of the Baltimore platform, not
a. Q hyphenated politician cherishing
implacable hostility to the British Gov
eminent; but as jurist who has
served with credit for eighteen years
on the bench and gentleman In the
habit Of keeping his own word:
1. The question is simply whether
the discrimination at the canal gate.
by which vessel sailing from Eastport
In Maine to Port Townsend in Washing
ton passes the toll gatherer Mt Panama
deadhead, while another vessel sailing
under the British flag from St. John
In New Brunswick to Victoria In Brit
fish Columbia IL stopped and made to
nay the dollars demanded for the priv
ilege of not having to circumnavigate
South America by way of the Strait Of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. this constitutes in
equality Of treatment. II 30, it surely
violates our contract made with Great
Britain when that Power released Us
from the inconvenent obligations Of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty as to joint con-
troll of any canal between the oceans.
2. If taxing the British vessel for
the maintenance of the canal where the
American vessel passes free does In
fact constitute unequal treatment, then
the refusal Of the Senate to repeal the
cOastwise exemption of the canal net
Of August "a. 1912, is naked repudia-
ton Of the treaty contract which the
Senate itself made with the British
Government. Such reputation after
securing the benefit Of the bargain is
infamous conduct either In nation
or In an individual. JAMES ALOYsIUs
O'OoBMAN, who Is an honest and rather
quick tempered man, would he first
to denounce such repudiat ton as infa
nous in a parallel case coming before
him as a Judge on the bench or Oh
served by him as gentleman in the
private walks Of life.
3. The talk about surrender" Is the
crudest bosh. unworthy of any Senator
or newspaper OF intelligence. The
Milky Way is not more remote from
the question than is the assertion OF the
right of the American Government t.
manage its own property. and. if Il
pleases, to subsidize It's own shipping
If the rate charged was based upol
all canal traffic, including our owl
coastwise trade, there would be moth
ing either in the letter or In the spiri
Of the Hay-PauncefOte contract to pre-
vent this Government from paying bacl
TO its coastwise trade, or even to III
foreign oceangoing trade, every dolla
collected as tolls at the canal. Their
would BE- no discrimination or unequa
treatment in that proceeding. for Grea
Britain, or any other nation, woul'
possess and might exercise the SAM
right to reimburse her ship owners 70
canal tolls paid at Panama. But tn
fact remains that If the rate charget
to British subjects in order tn proyid
proper revenue for maintenance, IN
.erest and amortization is higher %
accom-, of the exemption Of the Amer
lean conStwise trade than it Woul
have been without such exemption
there is discrimination, there Is III
equal treatment and there is broke
faith with Great Britain.
These three propositions were pr,
scented by TIN Sun eighteen month
ago for the consideration of Senate
O'GoRMAN aud others. IN substantial
the same form, ~ reasons for the n
peal Of n law which WAS then not man
uanxs OH \ food Of rhetoric" u MAJ
Of sophiStry, Il cloud of pasSi"nal" mi
representation have not m"anwhl'
changed the real question IN the .ligh
est particular.
Senator BoRAn Is reported as cnllir
for a popular referendum on the sui