The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1914-03-31
THE PANAMA TOLLS QUESTION

President Wilson pet measure of
repeating the law exempting Amerl-
can ocastwise shipping from paying
Panama canal tolls is meeting with
determined opposition in both
branches of congress. Nor is this
confined to the Republicans, many
Democrats being opposed to the re-
peal, including Speaker Clark, of the
house, Majority Leader Underwood
and Senator O'Gorman. However, it
is probable that the party lash will
be applied with vigor and that the
measure will eventually become law.
The following, taken from the San
Francisco Chronicle, gives a brief
history of Great Britain's claims, as
follows:
On the southern coast of Nicaragua,
and including what was once the har-
Dor of Greytown and the proposed en-
trance to any Nicaraguan canal. is a
strip of low, swampy land, inhabited
by rather degraded Indian tribes, and
known as the mosquito Coast"
In the process of time these natives
by some means acquired the habit of
speaking the language which had more
resemblance to English than to any
other language, and over hat terri
tory for a long time there has been
a more or less shadowy pretense of
British control. The natives were
L. - O.. -
rather than elsewhere for protection
against the bandits who, under the
name of "Presidentv or "Dictator,p
for many years after Spain lost her
American colonies succeeded eachother
as official exploiters of that country.
As the project of an interoceanic
canal began to take shape this Mos
quito Coast assumed Importance as
controlling the entrance to any Mica
raguan canal, and Great Britain de.
clared a formal "protectorate" over
the territory-not before having
made any regular establihment there
or made any formal claim to a Iodg-
ment.
Such a proteetorate, if established.
was a direct violation of the Monroe
doctrine in it's original form, and was
promptly resented in this country.
Negotiations resulted in the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty of 1850, by which
Great Britain formally eeded her pro
tectorate to Nicaragua, and both
countries agreed that neither would
ever seek exclusive control of an 18TH
milan canal, but would Jointly protect
any canal which might be built.
Doubtless, at that time, it was expect
ed by AL that when a canal should be
built it would be a private company.
1t is the British claim that the sur
render of the Mosquito Coast protect
crate fas a "valuable consideration
by which she acquired, as against the
United States, and all Central Ameri-
can countries, a voice in the determi-
nation of control of any isthmian
canal.
Americans who understand the stu
alton insist that there was no consid-
Grafton, because the protectorate was
in violation of the Monroe doctrine,
whose validity was accepted by Great
Britain and which, in fact, was pro-
mulgated by British suggestion. Be
ing without consideration, the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty, like all other
treaties, was subject to denunciation
whenever conditions might change.
Nevertheless, our state department
recognized the treaty as binding until
it was superseded by the Hay Paun-
ceforte treaty of 1901, with which all
are familiar.
To that treaty, until abrogated, the
American people will adhere. No de-
cent American would violate the ma
tional faith.
But we do insist that the treaty had
not the slightest reference to our do
mestic trade and protest against the
insistenee of Great Britain upon in
flicting injury upon us, upon an in
depreciation of the treaty which we
hold u~njustified and which, in any
event, has not the slightest founda
ton in equity, since it claims as a