The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-03-20
TOLLS fight
" NOW TO FORE
Repeal Bills Up In House
And Senate.
Bryan to Explain Treaty Giving
Fortific alton Rights With
Nicaragua.


bate on repeal of the toll exemp-
tion clause OF the Panama Canal Act
will begin late this week in the
House, and vote in that body on
the Sims bill, to carry out the rec
concentrations of President Wilson,
is expected by Saturday night
In the Senate an earnest effort will
be male by Administration leaders
TO pave the way for early action on
the issue by bringins 1t squarely be-
fore the Committee on Interoceanic
Canals for consideration and report
by the time the House has disposed
OF the subject.
Opposing forces In both houses IRE
arrayed for the fight. the prospect
being that the champions OF toll cx-
emption for American coastwise ships
will lose when, the roll calls have
been taken in both houses. Represen-
tatives Adamson and SINS. In cnsage
OF the repeal forces On the House.
are only doubtful as to the size OF
the majority their cause will have.
They predict that it will be large.
while Majority Leader Underwood al II
some OF the Democrats who agree
with him that 1t is an economic mis-
|, take to reverse the Nations policy
regarding canal tolls. insist that the
vote will be close.
In the Senate, the return of Sen
ator O'Gorman, chairman of the Com
mittee OF Interocesnic Canals. is
awaited with interest in view OF the
fact that Senator Owen, a majority
member of the committee, has intro
duced a bill SIMILAR to the Sims bill
for the purpose CT eXpediting settle
ment Of the controversy as soon as
possible Senator Owen seeks 10 have
the committee take the repeal bill up
at once and pass upon 1t.
That the vote in committee will
be close is certain and opponnts of
the repeal insist the majority will
vote against the Presidents plea. In
that event. there will be a minority
report upon which the controversy In
the Senate will hinge. Aiding Sena-
tor Owen in leading the Admins
tration forces will be Senators Hoke
Smith. OF Georgia, and James, OF
Kentucky. Various polls OF the Sem
ate ON the repeal question have in
dicatai1 that the President will be
sustained by majority Of from ten
TO twenty votes.
Another matter included in the
foreign relations OF the Government
which It is planned to undertake this
week for consideration Is the pend
ing treaty with Nicarasua, negotiat-
ed by the Taft Administration, which
the present Administration is to
have amended and ratified as soon
as possible.
The Foreign Relations Committee
of the Senate expects SECRETARY OF
State Bryan to appear for
an explanation Of the Admins
tIations desires relating To the treaty
which is designed primarily for ac-
quirenlent hy the Unitsd States OF
Nicaraguan canal rights and rishts
TO naval station sites in the Bay OF
Fonsoca in exchange for a payment
OF $3,O00,O00 in gold.
by the terms III the treaty, as or
iginally framed, Nicaragua would
grant in perpetuity to the United
States the exclusive rights for an in
teroceanic canal thru the San Juan
River and the Great Lake OF Nicar-
aqua, or by way ci any other route
over Nicaraguan territory. Article
of the treaty proposes that "in order
TO facilitate the protection of the Pa
namB Canal and the rights con-
templated In Nicaragua. Nicaragua
shall Lease 10 the, United States TOR
ninety -nlnc years the Great Corn and
Little Corn Islankis On the Caribbean
Sea and rights to naval base on the
Cult OF F'onseca.
Early in the present Administra-
ton Secretary Bryan proposed TO the
Senate committee that the treaty he
amended In such a way thai the
United States would secure virtual
control OF Nicaragua thru IA proaec-
tora. similar to that exercisd over
Cuba. lie wouoi add TO the treaty