The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-06
The Panama Tolls Question

That the problem of toll exemption has be-
come national one is shown by the special mes
sage delivered by President Wilson to congress
Yesterday. It seems to us the President was
absolutely right in the position he took on this
important question.
An agreement was entered into with Great
Britain in December, 1902 by which the Ameri-
can nation pledged itself to show no discrimina-
ton against any nation in the tolls charged for
the use of the Panama Canal. This document,
known as the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, is very
specific and clear, as can be seen from the fol-
lowing passage:
1.-THE canal shall be free and open to the YES
sells of commerce and of war of all nations OBJ
serving these rules terms of entire equality
so that there shall be no discrimination against
any such nation citizens subjects in respect
of the conditions or charges of traffic or other
wise. Such conditions and charges of traffic
shall be just and equitable"
When the regulations were drawn up by which
the canal should be administered it ordered
that all ships passing through from ocean to
ocean should pay certain toll. But an exemp-
ton was made in favor of those American
ships which ply up and down the coasts.
This exemption was lifted to the dignity of a
political issue in the Presidential campaign and
cratic party, as the following plank very clearly
shows:
1--WE favor the exemption from tolls of Amer
lean ships engaged in coastwise trade, passing
through the Panama Canal
After his election, President Wilson made
some Investigations of Panama tolls and, as
result Of his findings, became of the conviction
that this exempting of American ships is wrong
Il l,oL 41o &c L;
tvs campaign declaration to the contrary. Who
gives unprecedented consideration to the
facts as published by the Panama tolls commits
sion cannot help but feel he is perfectly justified
in his position.
If ship which plies between New York ano
San Francisco pass through the canal for
nothing while ship which plies between Liver
pool and San Francisco must pay toll for pass
ing through the canal, it is perfectly obvious tc
anybody that discrimination has been made
against the British ship. This is an open viola
ton of the clause in the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
quoted above. Unless the United States is to
gain the reputation in Europe of not standing by
its own solemn declarations and vows, it has nc
other recourse than to strike the exemption
clause from the canal regulations.
But even it were not for the treaty pledge
there other good reasons for not exemptne
American ships. It has been argued that such
exemption would mean cheaper freight rates on
coastwise shipping. Investigations have shown
this not to be the case. The coastwise shippers
TX their prices by agreement and exemption of
tolls would mean more money in their pockets be-
cause it would cut down their expenses, but il
would not mean lower shipping rates.
Further than this, the canal is designed to be
self supporting in the near future But if the
income which otherwise would accrue from the
coaStwlse shipping tolls were to be denied it, the
canal would have to be supported by the federal
treasury several years longer and that would
mean tax burden carried by the entire country
at large
But even if it were not for these latter consd.
erat1ons, the mere fact that the United States of
America has pledged on it's honor not to discrim-
mate against or in favor of any country is suffi.
Gent to condemn the exemption clause as inioui.
tous and the fact that President Wilson has had
the courage to stand for his principles even when
those principles confcted with his own partv's
pledges, will establish him more firmly than ever
in the confidence of the country
The Art of Conversation
In the days before the factory. the rai]wa,
and the big city came to disturb our peace socia
lie almost entirol1 u,