Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-28


not lie within the mouth Of Great Bril-
tain or any foreign nation to COM
plain that we have not given them
fair and equitable treatment in the
tolls that we have charged for the
passage of their ships through the ca
nal.
There is a more serious question
involved in the passage of this bill.
The right to discriminate in favor of
our ships, the opportunity to encour-
age our shipping and to increase our
commerce are matters of vital import
ance. but they pale into insignificanee
when compared with the attack on the
sovereignty of our country in the Ca
nal Zone.
The power to build the Canal under
our Constitution rests in the war pow
er of the United States We built the
Canal primarily as an addition to our
war power as it permits the quicker
transfer of our naval forces from one
ocean to another. It's inland lake pro-
ytdes a harbor of refuge in which our
pavies can rendezvous, and, as oeea-
sion offers, strike either ocean.
The advocates of Great Britain take
the position that we are forbidden TO
discriminate in favor of our own YES
sells Of commerce, and as vessels of
commerce and war are named togeth-
err, how long will it be before the same
advocate of the British Contention viii
advise US that we cannot discriminate
in favor of our own war vessels.
THE contention of those advocating
the British claim seems almost absurd
when we recognize that If we admit
them for vessels of commerce the same
reasoning will require us to admit
them for vessels of war. TO do so
would convert the Canal in time of
war into a liability instead of an as
set. OF course we made no such con-
tract. We give to all nations observing
certain rules adopted by us certain
privileges in the Canal. That did not
mean that we proposed to build Ca
nal at our own expense and then sur
render it's sovereignty to all other ma
tons.
There is no word in the treaties
that even by implication denies our
right to give free tolls to our vessels
in any trade, and the day will yet
come when we will free our vessels
from tolls in the foreign trade. But we
nave yet u GbiISluti ttiG liiOOb oSilpdH
surrender that the advocates of the
British Contentious desire to make
that is, to make the admission that
We are not sovereign in the Cana
Zone.
BY your vote you are asked to rat
fly for all time to come, the British
| desire that we surrender sovereignty
of the Canal Zone and admit that il
is an international waterway in which
we have no rights that are not pos
sessed by all other nations
Our governmental status on the Ca
nal Zone was established and fixed by
a treaty made with the Republic OF
| Panama subsequent to the making OF
the y-Pauncefote treaty. Great Bri-
tain remained silent after the publiea-
! tions of this treaty and allowed us tC
! build the Canal under it, and she IL
! stopped now to deny the right We ac
| CURED under this treaty with Panama
THE Republic of Panama acquired
| the sovereignty over the land through
which the Canal was built in the same
| manner the original Thirteen States
| of this Union acquired their sovereign
| ty. by successful revolution, Panama
! has surrendered her sovereignty oyel
| the Canal Zone TO our Government, by
| language that is so clear it cannot b.
misunderstood.
Are we now to yield the sovereign
rights of a nation and for what? Cal
anyone tell US plainly why we surren
| der and what is to be accomplished
by it?
Are we to yield merely because thu
sentiment of Europe is against us
When has the sentiment of Europ'
ever been with us about matters o
moment
Was Europe with us when we pro
tested against the British government
taxing us without granting representa-
ton in the Parliament? Did Europ
sympathize with us when we protested
against the unlawful seizures ant
search of vessels in the second decad
/ of the last century?
when will the time ever come. whei
| we can expect to maintain and pre-
serve our rights, political and com
mercial. with the acquiescent sympa
thy of European governments"