Evening star., 1914-04-12
MAKING HARD FIGHT
TO HOLD MAJORITY
Advocates of Repeal of Tolls
Exemption Looking After
the Fences.
CHANGE IN HOUSE BILL
REGARDED AS PROBABLE
Administration Forces. However.
Confident That the Presidents
Policy Will Be Indorsed.

With a majority in the Senate eight or
ten strong favoring the Panama canal tolls
repeal bill, the administration is bending
every effort to keep this majority in line
and also to prevent amendment of the re-
peal bill during its passage through the
senate There seems to be no doubt that
the President and the advocates of the
repeal. If a vote were taken tomorrow,
would be victorious so far as the passage
of repeal measure is concerned. But
public sentiment, the hearings before the
Senate interoceanic committee and the
debate in the Senate may change the
present alignment of that body during the
coming weeks.
1t is by no means sure. however that
even if a vote were taken tomorrow the
President and his adherents on the tolls
question would be able to put through
the House repeal bill unamended. In
fact. the odds appear to be in favor of
amendment. a number of the republican
senators. upon whose votes the President
is relying to put the repeal bill through,
are anxious to have the bill amended SO
that it will say to all the world the
United States, while removing the ex-
emption in favor of American ships for
the present, still retains the right to
control the tolls charged for passage of
the canal, and to submit the whole mat
ter to arbitration. if it SO desires. Senator
Norris of Nebraska, who is supporting
the repeal bill, has already introduced an
amendment making such provision.
Favored by Democrats.
democrats who will vote for the repeal
bill would not vote against such an
amendment 1t is felt in some quarters
fn SiSf
upon the repeal bill being passed without
amendment the tension will be stretched
to the breaking point. Democratic SEN
ators who are basing their support of
the repeal upon the argument that the
exemption for American coastwise ves-
sells is an economic mistake will be
called upon to say whether they also
believe that the United States has no
right to exempt its coastwise vessels
from the payment of tolls; and there are
to go before their constituents for re-
election after registering vote in the
Senate which may be characterized by
many as a surrender to Great Britain.
President Wilson Is keeping in close
touch with the situation. Administration
! supporters are constantly canvassfns
senators who SO far have not commit
ted themselves on the tolls question and
others who are thought to be wabbiing-
Their reports are Immediately submit
ted to the President. While expressing 3
absolute confidence that the repeal bill
will be passed, the administration is TAX
ing no chances and is overlooking no
opportunities to make this result sure.
Opposition to Flat Repeal.
The heaviest artillery opponents of
repeal of Panama toll exemption for
American ships can bring to bear will
be trained against the administrator s
fiat repeal policy before the Senate
committee on interoceanic canals this
week. Every possible argument that
can be raised is to be brought for
ward, in the hope of prevailing on the
committee to make an adverse report
on the bill as it passed the House, and.
failing in that. TO lay foundation for
continuing the fight in the Senate it
self.
In addition to the general opposition
to absolute repeal there will be argu-
ments by democratic senators who
agree that exemption for American
ships is in violation of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty and that the gov
ernment should reverse it's policy. but
hope the means of bringing this re-
suit about can be tempered with an
amendment reasserting the sovereignty
of the United States over the Panama
canal.
Whatever may be the report of the
canals committeeman there is posi-
DllIty CnaI SeVcTdi pTOpOSeu iHSdSui CO
may be reported without Recommended :
administration and opposition
leaders concede that the first fight will
be over an effort to amend the Sims
bill which passed the House. Cham
pions of the Presidents position insist
that there will be no compromise
Will Cite Colombian Treaty.
Senator OGorman, chairman of the in
teroceanic canals committee and leader
of democratic opposition to the repeal.
plans to make forceful argument be-
fore the committee against the admins
trations position, on the ground that this
government now is negotiating in its pro-
posed treaty with Colombia a clause
whereby Colombias S vessels of war may
have access to the canal free of tolls
The clause is identical with one In a
previously negotiated but never enforced
treaty with Colombia which Great
Britain approved. The argument viii be
made that if Great Britain conceded the
right of the United States to exempt CO.
lombian war vessels it is inconsistent
for Great Britain to maintain now that
the United States may not exempt Ameri-
can coastwise shipping