Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-09
Tuesday, June 9, 1914.
Our Domestic Commerce.

In the discussion of Panama canal
tolls, which has been going on in Con-
gress for the past three months, the
phrase 'Coastwise Traffic frequently
figures. The term implies domestic
commerce, and includes trade by water
shipment between one American port
and another. The genuine American
understanding, we believe, is that such
traffic should be as free from foreign
interference If between New York and
San Francisco as between Boston and
New Orleans. 1t would seem to make
no difference to the interests of other
nations whether such commerce were
carried on between all Atlantic ports
or all Pacific ports, or between At
lantic and Pacific ports via Cape Horn
or the Panama canal. The only ques-
ton seems to be as to whether Amer
lea has the right to give its domestic
commerce the privilege of short cut
through its Canal and the consequent
saving in the cost to American con-
sumers, or whether such commerce
should pay the same rates while pass
ing the canal as must foreign trading
vessels, thus giving foreign COMPETE
tors the advantage of the canal tolls
in our markets.
To bring the falsity of the British
position more forcibly home to the
average American, let us suppose that
America should now cut canal from
Galveston, Texas, to San Diego. Cal.
OF course such a proposition is beyond
serious consideration, for the same
reason that the Panama canal went
undug for centuries-beeause the
world could not afford to build it.
Such canal would be as impossible
to even American energy and wealth.
as was the Panama canal to any ma
ton or combination of nations up to
the time America took hold of the
project But for argument it will
answer every purpose.
If America had cut such a canal at
its own expense. by it's own genius
and energy and determination; had
fortified it for protection, and had an
nounced to the world that it would
maintain and safeguard this mighty
Undertaking for the benefit of the
world, securing to all nations equal
treatment in availing themselves of its
advantages, then would some one of
the family of nations have the royal
cheek and supreme audacity to come
forward and declare that America in
giving equal privileges to all nations"
had bound herself to pay the same for
its domestic commerce as a toll in
passing the canal, that other nations
are required to pay?
1t is admitted by the proponents of
repeal that among the subjects which
are never included specifically in
treaties, is domestic commerce. If
the -Pauncefote treaty preeludes
trade between the states of the Union,
then it is not an American treaty, and
the more quickly 1t is destroyed the
better for all concerned. If American
vessels in domestic commerce cannot
ply between American ports without
violating our treaty with Great Britain,
then it had best be abrogated. One
of the things which Americans will
never brook is outside interference
with domestic commerce. All other
nations adopt similar attitude. Not
one of them tolerates alien interior
ence with eoastwise commerce. 1t
should matter not whether American
eoastwise commerce is between New
England and the Gulf states or be-
tween the Gulf and Pacific states, in
the affairs of other nations. To be
polite but plain, it is none of their
business. That is our business, and
Americans will see to it, before the
matter is finally settled, that no nation
beyond the Atlantic or Pacific shall
dictate the control of our coastwise
traffic. II is not the business of any
other nation whether We pay tolls
upon our warships or our domestic
commerce shipping, because we built
the canal, we own the canal and we
will maintain the canal and make all
the collections which help to support
it, regardless Of the niggardly whin-
ings of John Bull or any other Euro
pean, Asiatic or African agency.