The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-22
ROOT DEMANDS
TOLLS REPEAL
Tells Senate British Treaty
Is Part of Panama
Canal Title.
T. S. HONOR IS At STAKE
John Hay. He Asserts. Never
Thought of Free Passage
for Any Ships.
NO THREATS By ENGLAND
Pleads for Continuing Americas
Reputation for Keeping
It's Word.
NO THREATS By ENGLAND

WASH tNGToN. May 21-Senator Root
spoke for Ave hours In the Senate this
afternoon In support OF the bill to re-
peal the legislation exempting coastwlse
vessels from payment of Panama Canal
tolls.
At the close Senators applauded Wig
rously, Kern. the Democratic leader.
starting II. Then Senators crowded
around Mr.. Root and congratulated him
In opening his address Senator Root
said:
Tho excitement and fervor Of false
patriotism, the insoence and rancor
which I'll beht the consideration OF a
serious international subject by great
people but which have been injected into
the popular discussion OF this question in
some quarters. have found but little re-
Spouse among the members OF the Senate
The question before us has been debated
with sense OF responsibility and dig
nifty.
THE treaty with Panama is the basis
or our rights" he continued. From
II we get our title BY that treaty the
grant OF property and jurisdiction. upon
which We have proceeded. upon which
'SiN th' Nhllbis 10 SUBJECT 10 Int pro-
vision that the canal when constructed
and the entrances thereto shall he neutral
In perpetuity and shall be opened upon
the terms provided for by the treaty be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain in 1901.
Treaty Carried Into Title.
so the treaty with Great Britain
which Is referred to here is carried into
our title as Limitation upon It.
IF the construction which feel forced
70 give to this treaty is a sound one
We are not at liberty to produce the re-
suit OF a subsidy to American shps hv
relieving them OF tolls which we impose
upon other ships. All lawyers are familiar
with the distinction between accomplish.
ing an unlawful object in "A lawful way
and accomplishing a lawful object in an
unlawful way.
For three quarters OF century the
United States had been declaring to the
world that she sought To procure the
making OF canal across the isthInus AZ
public service work. a public calling. "a
public utility, with all the wants of tn.
public to be served always without one
varying note. until we got the title and
control of the canal: and then for tn.
first time Is heard the demand that Amer
lean owners OF ships shall receive better
treatment in tolls than the owners OF
other ships.
Answering the assertion that SOW
erelgnty was being yielded. Senator Root
said:
Virtue of Observing Treaties.
Conformity To the obligations OF treo-
ties Is the highest exercise of sovereignty
and not the infringement of sovereignty"
Concluding, Senator Root with earnest
ness referred to the charge that the re-
peal OF the statute would be a surrender
ut the behest of Great Britain
what has Great Britain said to uso
She has said that she considered the
statute a violation OF the contract.
Docs that sound lik" a behestr IL
there anything arrogant or insolent about
lhatr
Let me recall To your minds what the
United States has said and done In re-
spect to arbitration the messages OF
Presidents in long succession declaring
TO Congress the unalterable devotion of
the Government of the United States to
the principle OF arbitration.
Are we to regard II "a arrogant and
insOlent that a nation with which we
have treaty differs from our interpre-
tation of treaty and proposes arbitra-
tom"
Senator Foot referred to the success of
arbitration In the Alabama claims the
Northwestern boundary dispute and the
Venezuela boundary quarrel Referring
20 Presiden. Cleveland's attitude In the
Venezuela boundary dispute with Great
Britain. Senator Root said
'lie laid II before Congress You all
remember that II was war message
All the world understood IT, He got his
arbitration.
ooh, arbitration when we want IT, yes
but when another country wants II,
Never, never fun the American nag at
the behest Of foreign nation
Shall II he InsoIenre or Dignity.
DO the American people want us 20 be
ugly, reYeEgeful, lngOlfnt. brutal and