The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-04
THE PANAMA TOLLS.

Editorial In Golfers: THE canal
shall be free and open to the vessels
" " u Of all nations 8 . = on
terms of entire equality. so that there
shall be no discrimination . in
respect = " . to the charges of
traffic" So runs rule 1 of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty. And it is a highly
creditable feeling on the part of many
Americans, reflected by President Will
son, that we cannot afford to be unfair
or unfaithful to our promises simply
because we happen to be strong.
Volumes have been published about
this matter of tolls through the Pam
anna canal, but the biggest book would
be the one containing what people
to suspect, at least, that the country
generally will not profit by the free
passage provisions of the law signed
by Mr.. Taft under exceptional condi-
tons. and that the exemptions in IA
vor OF our coastwise traffic will serve
only to take expenses off the shoulders
Of the American shipping combine.
opoly of wharfage, and steel mills and
shipbuilding. With free steel, free ore,
and the wharf-building activity of cit
les like New York, Boston and the
up in our coastwise trade, giving con-
sumers, sooner or later, the benefits OF
a free canal But. as things stand, the
trust will get the benefit OF free pass
age, anu the OllLLSu oIalSo "t4 JILL
operate a cheap waterway for the great
captains of industry to make none
by. This is probably the presidents
view-part of 1T.
as impolitic as it is scaly. We have
more to ask of Great Britain in the
way of unrestricted navigation or u
inter-communicating waterways than
she has to ask of us at Panama. Cam
ada is about to build the Georgian Bay
ship canal from French river to the
ottawa, twenty-five feet deep n
capacious. enough to carry the great
going tramps. This system will flank
our whole lake AND interior basis COM
merce. The Erie barge canal Is a tad
5ps ohi eli from e9 ehIeago. M Mifn TX sf pps
luth of West Superior will be able to
reach the ocean via Montreal by this
route. n that. too, without breaking
reach Erie, Pa. by the present route.
Canada will then command a ornmerc
far more important to us thar Of the
Panama canal. She will have the whip
as that which we can get on Great
It's plain meaning. And she will be
ne to t. s ieat the ships ii ali nations
through the Panama canal on equal
terms. You broke that treaty by let
ting your own coastWise ships through
Tree aIluLIS u uSAIlE5EL
to our coastWfse ships. Now well use
our advantage in the Great lake out
let!' Our TREATY as to the Great Lakes
passages is that they shall be open TO
the Shipping OF both nations on equal
terms. But what will that mean once
we begin playing fast and loose with
the words ION equal terms q
We are wrong in this matter, and
the sooner we get right the better. We
are wrong, not only as egard Great
Britain and our relations with Mexico,
Columbia 4(both a Pacific and an Allan
tic power), and Canada, but also with
Germany, France n Portugal. We.
are wrong with the whole world. Our
is like that of the private citizen
who had done something, that was de-
nounced as criminal. a"Creeminal!" re-
.peated a FrenchWoman. "Creeminal!
Eet is worse zanf creeminal. Bet IS
positively siIly!"
Falseness to obligations, or a squir-
wriggling,.3 pettifoggiinfs attitude
them on our part, cannot be
justified by f'preeedents." II England
drove a sharp bargain with us long
ago, thai is (today3 neither here
nor1there. Afbargainsis a bargain. We
are too big to WEIGH. Moreoyer--and
therefore---the country should support
the president in his determination 5to|
repeal the c~ontroyerted Panama tolls
arrangement. The Adamson Joint reso-
luton should be passed by congress-
and passed now.@8 54