Evening star., 1914-03-11
Canal Tolls.

Tue President appeals for repeal of the
free-tolls provision both to those who
agree with his conviction OF today that II
violates the treaty and to those who still
believe that It does not violate tie treaty.
Americans in the second class are urged
not to raise the question whether the
provision is right or wrong but as a mat
ter of expediency or international policy
TO vote for repeal in order. il is limited.
10 help the President to avoid some seri
GUS national embarrassment or to secure
some substantial national benefit. which
could not otherwise be avoided secured.
The world of difference between the
poles is not greater than the difference
between the two suggested grounds of re-
peal. The United States has declared its
conviction that freedom from or refund
Ing of tolls payable by its coastwise ships
yiolates no obligation imposed by the
treaty as reasonably construed, and it is
hard TO believe that it will reverse itself
in respect to this right under the treaty.
# it cannot without treaty violation eN-
enpt from paying or refund after pay
n.ent tolls payable by its coastwise ships
1t will be more restricted in beneficial use
OF the canal than any other nation in the
world. though il owns the canal and will
have spent s4O0,O0OO00 upon its own
property. For other nations can, and
many will refund reimburse TO their
ships the amount paid in canal tolls Just
as is now done in respect to the Suez
canal tolls. A surrender of this right and
assent to the latest British construction
Of the treaty will be in essence abdication
o. control of the canal. and will degrade
the United States from owner to interna-
tional caretaker. Neither in peace nor
war neither in respect to ships of war
nor of commerce will it have any more
rights in the use of the canal than other
nations. Indeed. in some respects as in
freedom OF action in subsdizing its ships,
II VIII be, as we have seen. more re-
strfcted than any other nation
On the other hand. however firmly
tne United States held to its conviction Of
its rights in respect to the canal, and
however vigorously it reasserted this con-
victfon. free canal tolls could be sus-
pended or repealed for any good reason
appealing to the discretion of the nation.
10 refrain from exercising the right in
this particular Is not to surrender it.
Uncle Sam. through Congress, can say:
Il have the right under the treaty to
remit or refund canal tolls payable or
paid by my coastwise ships. Without sur
rendering this right, 1 will not at this
time exercise it. / thought BIZ renting
canal tolls to my coastwise ships would
benefit my people by breaking down
;he monopoly Of the transcontinental
railroads. 1T is now suggested to me that
IN doing this l am building up an
other monopoly. Moreover, per-
ceive more clearly than did before that
tolls remission is subsidy to my coast
wise ships and l am sensitive to the
last degree over that word subsidy. Last
ly. in my International relations it is
at this time more advantageous to me
not to exercise than to exercise this
right. l will not surrender control of
my canal to Great Britain or the whole
world. / will not admit that l have
agreed with any one how much, as own
er. snail charge myself for the use of
my own canal, and what use 1 shall or
shall not make of the tolls money after
have received it. II / wish to refund
part of it TO owners Of my coastwise
ships. as a sound domestic policy, or If
l wish to throw It into the sea no ono is
concerned except my own people But il
International considerations more i'm
portant for the time than this domestic
policy have arisen 1 will not hesitate to
vision, just as / would suspend or elm
mate some item OF my tariff on i'm
ports IL / saw clearly an advantage to
be gained or a danger TO be avoided by
50 doing"