The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-07
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CONTINUED From Page One.)
Panama canal for all time. The con-
struction Of the canal will rank among
the worlds wonders, but the opinion
of mankind will pronounce the SUP
render Of our sovereignty over it a
colossal blunder and a triumph of Brit
ish diplomacy.
II know there is vague suspicion
that diplomatic reasons require this
national abaSement, but my judgment,
maturely formed and based upon such
information as is available. Is that the
gravity Of our international relations
has been grossly, though unconscious
ly. exaggerated. The American people
want peace. but they fear no power on
earth. Shadows cannot disturb a brave
man. They should not alarm a brave
and intrepid people.
NO senator questions the patriot
ism and high purposes Of the pres1-
dent. but If legislation IL to be made
dependent upon his will alone, no one
can predict the mischief to- which
eminent in future years. 1 believe
that the passage of this bill compro-
misses the dignity and honor Of the
country, and before the deed is con-
summated. 1 enter my solemn protest
against what conceive to be a be-
Wise Economic Policy.
Senator O'Gorman further sought to
show that exemption of American
coastwise vessels is q wise economic
policy; that If such vessels fall within
the terms OF the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty, exemption does not constitute
violation thereof and that the canal
has been constructed en- territory
over which the United States is SOW
ereign, while the canal contemplated
in the treaty was to be built on alien
soil, and therefore the treaty is inap-
plicable.
'.Exenpting coastwise craft from
the payment Of tolls" he continued,
will reduce the cost Of shipping
through the canal to a minimum. and
thereby compel competing roads in
the United States and Canada to re-
duce their rates to competitive la
sis. The more expensive you make
water transportation the greater lati-
tude you extend to the railroads in
the fixing CT their rates. Place a toll
on the domestic shipping and for ev-
cry dollar you collect by way of toll
you enable the railroads to make Il
corresponding increase In their rates.
II was hoped by some that the exemp-
ton to the coastwise trade might be
followed in the near future by a like
exemption to the few American SHIPS
Tow engaged in the foreign trade, but
deny this privilege to the coastwise
vessels now and you make it forever
impossible to confer it upon the ships
engaged in overseas trade.
Il know 1t is said that free tolls
will simply enrich the ship-owner and
confer no benefit on the producer and
consumer. Well If free tolls will not
decrease the cost to the consumer. i'm
posing tolls on the ether canals Of the
country will not increase the cost to
h <n-:J
make your system uniform. Perhaps
this is part Of a program to impose
tolls on the shipping of the other
canals Of the country"
Change OF Facts Alters Conditions.
The senator argued that it is a well
known principle of international law
that conditions in any international
the state of facts on which they were
founded has ceased to exist or has
been changed. He pointed out that
when the United States became the
the sovereign of the Panama canal
zone and it became United States ter
ritory. the Hay-Pauncefote treaty no
longer bound the United States.
To back up this contention. the SEN
ator showed that England fortified
the Suez canal after Egypt became
British territory and that when the
great powers which were parties to
nal was constructed. raised objection.
the British government relied upon
this same principle of international
law. He said that since Great Britain
had recognized the American right to
fortify the canal, forbidden in the
treaty, it had recognized a changed
condition which makes the entire
treaty imperative.
The treaty. said he, must stand
or fall as a whole. Under the doctrine
recognized by the British government
the treaty is imperative as to the
newly acquired territory of the United
States, and the canal constructed on
American territory at Panama. is no
more affected by the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty than would be Q canal built
across any other part of; the soil of
the United States"
The senator in conclusion declared
that the provision of the treaty that
the canal shall he free and open to
the vessels of commerce and war of
all natiOnss' cannot be interpreted to
include coastwise ships. because YES
sells of commerce have been defined
as those engaged in international
trade.
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