New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-16
House of Representatives
Will Begin Within a
Few Days.
SENATE ALSO WILL
EXPEDITE THE WORK
Champions of Exemption for
American Ships Counted on
to Lose Fight.

Washington, March l5.-Open debate on
the repeal Of the toll exemption clause OF
the Panama Canal act will begin late this
week in the House. and a vote in that
body on the Sims bill to carry out the
recommendations Of President Wilson is
expected by Saturday night. In the Sen
ate an earnest effort will be made by
administration leaders to pave the way
for early action on the issue by bringing
IL eouarelv before the COMMITTEE on
Interoceanic Canals for consideration ana
report by the time the House has dls-
posed of the subject.
Opposing forces in both houses are ar
rayed for the fight. the prospect being
that the champions Of toll exemption TOT
American coastwise ships will lose when
the rollcans have been taken in Doth
houses. Representatives Adamson ana
Sims. in charge of the repeal forces IN
the House. are only doubtful as 10 the
size OF the majority their cause VIII
have. They predict that II will be large
while Mr.. Underwood, the majority lead
or. and some of the Democrats who agree
with him that il is an economic mistake
10 reverse the nations policy regarding
canal tolls insist that the vote VIII De
close.
I'm the Senate the return of Senator
O'Gorman. OF New York, chairman of the
Committee ON lutcroceanic Canals IS
awaited with interest. i'm view OF the iact
that Senator owen a majority member oil
the committee, has introduced a bill SINH
tar to the Sims bill to expedite settlement
Of the controversy as soon as possible.
Senator owen seeks To have the commit
tee take the repeal bill up at once ana
pass upon it. Senator OGorman' VINO
will lead the opposition. took the position
before leaving Washington last week that
his committee should do nothing with the
repeal until the House had acted. Admin
istration Senators. after comforting with
the President. determined that the issue
WAS so clearly drawn that there was no
reason for delay, and that the senate
should be ready to discuss the SUBJECT
Immediately after the House action or
even before should the Sims bill meet I'M
expected delay in the lower branch.
That the vote i'm committee will be close
is certain and opponents of the repeal IN
sist the majority will vote against the
presidents plea. I'm that event there VIII
he a minority report on which the con-
1roversy i'm the Senate will hinge Aiding
Senator owen i'm leading the adminlstra-
ton forces will be Senators Hoke smith
or Georgia. and James, Of kentucky.
Xarious polls of the Senate on the repeal
h1f PTCGl-
dent will be sustained by a majority VI
from ten to twenty votes
Another matter included in the foreign
relations Of the government which IL Is
MANNED 10 take up this week for consid-
Grafton is the pending treaty with NC
aragua, negotiated in the Taft admins
tration. which the present administration
wishes to have amended and ratified as
soon as possible The Foreign Relations
Committee Of the Senate expects Secre-
tarv BRYAN 10 appear on Wednesday IN
exclamation of the administration de-
sires relating to the treaty, which Is de-
signed primarily for requirement by the
United states OF the Nicaraguan canal
rights and rights to naval station sites in
the Bay Of Fouseca in exchange Tor a
payment Of 100000 in gold.
Bv the terms Of the treaty as originally
framed Nicaragua would grant in perpe-
unity TO the United States the exclusive
rights for an interoccauic canal through
the san Juan River and the Great Lake
Of Nicaragua. or by way of any other
route over Nicaraguan territory. Article
If Of the treaty proposes that lin order
to facilitate the protection Of the Panama
Canal and the rights contemplated In
Nicaragua. Nicaragua shall lease to the
United States for nnety-nine years the
Great Corn and Little Corn islands in
the Caribbean Sea. and rights to a naval
base on the Gulf Of Fonseca.
Early in the present administration
Secretary Bryan proposed TO the Senate
committee that the treaty be amended In
such a way that the United States would
procure virtual control of Nicaragua
through protectorate similar TO that eX-
rrcised over Cuba. lie would add 10 the
& reaty features similar TO the PLAT
a mondment' relating to Cuba. TO this
~ oposal there was considerable opposi-
ucju I'm the committee. and It is expected
to- be revived now.