Evening star., 1914-04-11
Treaty With Colombia. Grant
inq Exemption, Chief Theme
of Lawmakers.
HOW CAN PRESIDENT
RECONCILE POSITION?
Jones of Washington Asks Question.
Believes Other Republics
VIII Protest.

How tho administration will be able
TO reconcile its position on the repeal OF
the tolls exemption for American coast
wise vessels with the exemption from
tolls allowed in the new treaty with Co
Iorubia- I do not see." said Senator Jones
Of Washington today. Senator Jones Is
one of the most active opponents of the
Presidents repeal bill.
TT seems to me that other South
American republics may be expected
to protest vigorously against any dis
elimination in the matter of canal tolls
in favor of Colombia, continued Sen
ator Jones. Also if Great Britain
acquiesced in this exemption for Co
lonbian ships, how can she plead that
under the Hay-Pauncefote treaty all
nations, including the United States.
must be treated alike in the matter of
toIls?''
Senators Discuss Situation.
The announcement by Secretary
I:ryan of the State Department that the
new treaty with colombia allows the
exemption from tolls of Colombian war
vessels munitions of war and soldiers
passing through the Panama canal is
the main topic of conversation among
senators today when the tolls ques
tiOn is up for discussion.
The hearings on the repeal bill before
the interoceanic canal committee have
been postponed until Monday, and Chair
man O'Gorman of the committee is today
in New York.
Witnesses Asked to Appear.
Another list of witnesses. aho have
been asked to appear before the, commit
tee to discuss the tolls. however, was
given out today. 1t includes oscar 5.
Straus, New York. Joseph II Choate.
New York: Henry White, Washington,
D. c.: William Reeda. Chicago: H. G..
Herget. Chicago: Horace White. New
York; Benjamin I. Wheeler, presife1t of
the University of California; Frederick
y. Judson. st. Louis; Frederick W. Lei-
man, st. Louis, former solicitor general
of the United States. and George l..
Record. Jersey City.
All doubt as to whether the advo-
Gates of the repeal bill would have wit
nesses before the Senate committee
during the hearings was dispelled
when the new list of persons invited
to appear before tire committee was
made public today. Practically all of
the persons on the new list are known
TO favor the repeal of the clause of the
canal law exempting American coast
wise vessels.
Concession to Colombia Admitted.
The announcement last night by Sec
letary Bryan OF the State Department
that the new American-Colombian treaty,
through which the State Department
hopes to heal the breach with the South
american country, growing out of the
separation of Panama. will contain
provision for the free use of the Panama
canal by Colombian warships, has added
still further to the complication of the
canal tolls controversy now going on
in the Senate. The senators who are op-
posing the bill which repeals the exemp-
ton OF American coastwise vessels from
payment of tolls find this item in the
new treaty with Colombia hard to recon-
cile with the demand of the administra-
tion that the repeal bill be passed
Mr.. Bryan said that the clause relating
to the free passage of Colombian ships
will be identical with one i'll the Colom-
bian treaty negotiated in 1903 by Mr.
Root. then Secretary of State, with the
approval of Great Britain, but never ac-
cepted by Colombia, although ratified by
the United States Senate.