Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-24
CALLS UP OLD
BILL ON TOLLS
Chamberlain Argues Act of
1884 Guarantees Free Tolls
for U. S. Ships.

WASHINGTON, March 2i.-Basis
for an important phase of the argu-
ment against the administration pro-
posal for repeal of the tolls exemption
provision of the Panama canal act
was placed before the Senate today,
when Senator Chamberlain, of Ore
gon, introduced a resolution which
would pave the way toward repeal of
a section of the rivers and harbors act
of July .. 1884, providing that no tolls
or operating charges be charged on
any vessel through any canal or
other work for the Improvement of
navigation belonging to the United
States"
After setting forth in detail the pur-
poses sought by the government in
the act of 1884, the Chamberlain resolu-
ton, which calls upon the secretary
of war for information relating to the
maintenance of rivers and canals. de-
clares:
THAT the secretary of war be, and
ne Is hereby requested to. furnish to
the Senate of the United States the
following information: First, the
amount expended by the United States
in river and harbor Improvement since
the adoption of the constitution; sec
ond. the amounts expended by the
United States in the construction of
canals covering the same period of
time; third, the amounts that the sew
eral States have raised to be used in
cooperation with the United States;
fourth, the names of the rivers which
have been improved and the amounts
that have been expended on each, the
harbors that have been improved and
the amounts that have been expended
oT oanb no oonalG that hnGn
constructed and improved and the
amounts expended on each; fifth. the
total commerce in tonnage and in
value that passes through said rivers
and harbors and canals; sixth, what
charges are made for tolls on any
thereof, and what amount of tolls
would be necessary to charge on each
for the purpose of reimburSing the
government for the expenditures here
tofore made and for the mainten-
ance and upkeep thereof; seventh,
what classes of vessels, whether do
nestle or foreign, are permitted to
pass through or into each of these
rivers and harbors and canals, and
what discrimination, If any, is made
in favor of domestic shipping; eighth,
what amount might be realized by the
United States, if u reasonable toll
We're charged on all shipping passing
through said rivers and harbors and
canals; ninth, what, If any treaties
areNn force between the United States
and any other foreign power which
would prevent the United states from
charging tolls against such foreign
governments, even in cases where 1t
might be determined to charge toll
on it's Own vessels passing through
such rivers. harbors and canals; and,
tenth what is the present cost per
annum to the United States for main
tanning and operating said rivers,
harbors and canals"
Senator Chamberlain resolution as
serts in it's preamble that the
Panama canal has cost the United
States moro than four hundred mil
lion dollars. and is built upon soil
which TO all intents and purposes be
longs to the United States and forms
part of the United States coast
line"
The resolution was referred to the
committee on interoceanlc canals.