Arizona republican., 1914-05-22
A Weakened Case

The opponents of the exemption of American
wise vessels from the payment of canal tolls
had a very good case as long as they stood on their
Interpretation of the yPauncefote treaty. Per
haps a majority of the people of this country from
such information they then had were of the opn-
ion that exemption would be violation of the
treaty. But since then doubt has been raised and
the advocates the repeal the exemption clause
have contributed more largely the raising of that
doubt among their followers than the advocates OF
exemption have done. When the opponents of ex-
emption undertook fortfy their position by intro
ducing arguments against it grounds of public
policy they weakened case created question in
the public mind regarding their Interpretation of
the treaty divided their forces.
IT. as they said, lower canal going
to affect freight rates, of what material advantage
in the way transportation the canal going
be? We would hardly have undertaken the great
expenditure for the construction and maintenance
of the canal for the easier passage of the worlds
warshps or for the worlds commerce. in which not
one American in half million has any other in
terest than the lower cost of moving it The most
of the things Americans consume will be carried
by railroads any way and if the transportation
of them S going be made cheaper, the build
ing of the canal far concerns the overwhelm-
ing ajory of us has been waste of a half bill
lion dollars
Another error the advocates of repeal was
expression of the afterthough Exemption is
subsidy" and the democratic party is record
against subsidies Mr. Bryan, who assisted in the
preparation of the exemption clause Of the demo-
cratic national platform was first believe,
discover weeks the deoate in congress was be
gun, the similitude OF exemption and subsidy We
dislike to accuse Mr.. Bryan of trick but We can
not believe that he does know the difference be
tween exemption this and subsidy
A subsidy. that is ship subsidy, is a gift made
bv a nation to vessels owned by citizens of that
nation to enable them compete even terms with,
or at an advantage over vessels owned by citizens
of other nations Exemption of American coast
wise vessels the payment of canal tolls could
have no such effect since there could be no foreign
vessels with which they could compete or over which
they could be given advantage.
Exemption would enable them carry goods
cheaper and would stimulate the building of other
American vessels engage in the Atlantic Pacific
trade The only competition could be among them
selves or between them and the transcontinental
railroads That the roads own many of the vessels
now engaged in coast-wise trade the Atlantic
and Pacific would not prevent other Americans from
engaging in the industry would enable the roads
TO control carrying rates by either land or water.
II as the advocates of repeal assert, the railroads
now sixty per of the vessels. ready to use
the canal any added inducement such the
emption of tolls would tend to encourage encroach-
ment upon what ever monopoly the roads now enjoy.
The subject subsidies is, therefore, foreign to
this discussion but since it has been mentioned we
may that the United States is the only great
nation in the world that has merchant marine,
though formerly flag flew in every port. The
merchant marine of every nation is supported, III
part by subsidy, and whether we like it or not as
the world now manages maritime business,
merchant marine and a subsidy nseparable.
The matter is then reduced to the inquiry, Is mer-
chant marine worth while? Does the de-
velopment Of the commerce of nation? Is it
stimulation industry and production?
In reply this inquiry believe that mer
chant marine is worth while; that it would further
develop our commerce. and stimulate industries.