Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-11-23

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tain in operation and durable and
inexpensive in construction.
PANAMA CANAL TOLLS.
The references made to the SUBJ
ject Of Panama canal tolls In the Re-
publican platform, and in at least one
of the speeches Of Senator Harding
have created the impression that this
subject is to be brought UP in some
form for consideration after the new
administration assumes control. It
has been sggested that Mr.. Harding
has chosen to visit the canal zone at
this time in order to familiarixe him
self with the subject. This notion
seems to be rather far-fetched. It
seems more reasonable to suppose
that the president : elect was
chiefly concerned in finding a pleas
ant place in which to spend his vaca-
ton after the strenuous experiences
Of the campaign, and Of combining
with this the inspection Of a great
engineering work Of which every
American may be proud. He could
learn more about the tolls question by
sitting in his office and examining
docun14nts than by visiting tn. canal
in person. ~
The construction of q ship canal to
join the waters Of the Atlantic to
those of the Pacific became the sub
ject Of discussion almost Immediately
upon the discovery by the followers
of Columbus that their way to the
Indies was blocked by a mass Of land
which stretched out inconveniently
and apparently interminably north
and south. For the new continent
itself they had little use. Their first
desire was to avoid 1t or to drill a hole
through it.
AS the years passed 1t became evil
dent that two, nations. the United
States and Great Britain, had vital
interests, surprising those of all other
nations. in the construction OF an in
t~eroceanic canal. Such a canal would
facilitate communication between the
eastern and western sections OF the
United States and between like Sec
tons Of Canada, and would afford
Great Britain Al alternative route to
the far east. In 1850 the two nations
entered. into an agreement in what .s
known as the Clsyton-Bulwer treaty
whereby each waived the right to
separate control Of n canal to be
constructed, binding themselves joint,
lly to maintain the neutrality of the
canal and it's use on equal terms to
the shipping Of each other and of the
world. .
In 1901 the Clayton-Bulwer treaty
was superseded by the Hay-Paunce-
tote treaty, under which Great Brit
ain agreed to the construction Of the
canal under the sole auspices of the
United States and to, its exclusive con-
troll by that country, subject to a con-
tinuation Of the forme. conditions for
naturalization and use on equal terms,
these provisions being further elabor-
ated to conform to tie provisions of
the convention governing the use Of
Suez canal. In both treaties the par
lticular canal in mind was that across
Nicaragua, but both are made to ap-
ply specifically to any other canal
across the Isthmus or any part of
Central America, and it is declared
that the purpose is not merely to pre-
scribe exact conditions, but to estab-
lish the general principle that any
canal constructed shall be for the
benefit of all mankind, to be used on
equal terms by all nations subscribing
to the conditions set forth in the
agreement. re,
The Panama route was chosen, and
prior to the completion of the cana,
congress mad provision for its opera
ton. Provision was made for the COL
lection of tolls from all vessels using
the canal, American and foreign, ex-
cept that American vessels engaged in
the coastwide trade were exempted
from the payment of tolls. Diplo-
matte representations were made by
Great Britain. to the effect that such
exemption would be in violation o.
our treaties. ~ movement was start
ed for the repeal of the exemption
provision, and after much discussion.
this provision was eliminated from
the law. Tolls are collected from all
vessels using the canal.
Among the men who held that the
exemption from the payment of tolls
of American vessels of m class
would be a direct violation of treaties
to which we had agreed and o
which we had acted were Elhiu Root
and Henry Cabot Lodge, and it was
upon the principle that the United
States cannot violate its contracts
that the exemption clause was re-
pealed.
One influential Republican paper
the Chicago Tribune, has just de-
clared emphatically against. exemp-
ton, first on the ground that it would
be, a violation of contract, unless
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