The Washington times., 1914-05-21
ROOT MAKES PLEA
FOR TOLLS REPEAL
Not Question of Control, But of
Treaty Bonds, Declares New
York Senator.

! , Senator TI!hu Root of New York
urged the Senate today to pass the
| bill for the repeal of free tolls for
/ American coastwise ships through the
Panama canal.
Senator Root decla red that no ques-
! ton of control of the canal has been
| raised. that the rights of this country
Were absolute and complete, but al the
same time this country was bound
by treaty TO charge the sumo tolls to
the vessels of other nations that it
charged its own.
The New York Senator was given
careful attention bv a larse body OF
Senators. The galleries also held a
sood audience. Nelson O'Shaughnessy,
lately charge at Mexico City, was an
interested spectator in the diplomatic
sallery.
To Ask Agreement.
Before Senator Root spoke, Senator
Kern, Democratic leader, gave notice
that he intended at the close of Sena-
tor Roots remarks to ask again for
an agreement to vote May q, and that
he intended to compel constant dis
cussion Of the repeal bill, with night
sessions. If necessary, to force a vote.
senator Root in beginning spoke in
nigh terms of the senate debate. He
said his utterances would be in the ma
ture OF a r"ply to arguments made
in the discussion and opinions advanced.
Referring 10 the high character of the
Senate debate. he said:
The excitement and fever of a false
patriotism: the insolence and rancor
which i'll befits the consideration of a
serious international subject by a great
people which have been injected into
the popular discussion of this subject
In some quarters, have found little
response in the Senate OF the United
states: Senators have argued the ques-
ton like lawyers and legislators on its
merits
Referred to Treaties.
Senator Root then proceeded at some
length to state the question and to re-
fer to the various treaties involved. in
cluding chiefly the treaty with Panama
and the Hay-Pouncefote treaty. BY
the treaty OF Panama. he said. this
got title. But he emphasized
the fact that the treaty with Great
Britain, known as the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, was carried into the title and
was Limitation upon 1t.
One question and one question onl?
Is raised" said Senator Root. What is
the measure Of the tolls that We are az
liberty to charge a British or German |
"a
camel? 1t Is not question Of eNemp- |
ticn from tolls. The question Is |
we are to take our own treat !
ment of American ships as the meas |
Ire of the treatment TO be accorded to |
the ships of other nations"
He pointed out that if no tolls We're |
cherged American vessels. then by !
treaty we were required to grant the |
same treatment TO citizens of other ma
tio.,s.
I'VE agree that the measure We mets
70 th, citizens Of our own nation shall
De the mea sure We mete to the cittzenc
,f other >a;ions," said he.
- Control All Ours.
rs there any question here about the
Ibsolute and complete control of the
anal by the United States? There is
10 question. and there can be no ques-
ion. Political control military control.
m'nistrative control-all are ours.
The only question is what standard are
We bound to apply TO the citizens OF y
,ther countries for the use of the canal.
Ne are the practical sovereign OF the
erritOry. and we have all the rights OF
overeignty in respect to the territory.
Ne are the owner of the canal, just as
canal company would be the owner II
!. constructed the canal"
He argued at length to show that we
re bound to accord the same tolls to
essels OF the citizens of other nations
s our own.