Arizona republican., 1921-06-03
FRIDAY MORNING. JUNE 3, 1921.
4 Prosperity IS not a0ithout na0ny jears and distustes, and odversity IS not Uithout comforts and hopes.
 Bucon.
Mako th. Canal Self Sustaining


 Tn his statement to the senate committee on Interstate commerce last Tuesday Edward Cham her4 ce-presdent of the Atchison. Santa Fe rncifc railroad. suggested plan which the govern- @ent might well consider to avoid the waiving by tho railroads Tong and short haul clause of 4he interstate act.
 He proposed that the government should fix the rates of water transportation and higher toll tor the passage of the Panama canal AZ We do not understand from the brief mention of IT. Chambers statement that this suggestion was nade in the interest of intermediate territory which would be sorey discriminated against, by the per mited violation of the fourth section of the inter stnte commerce act The primary effect in Mr. CamberS mind the imposition of such tolls would ,e o reduce the rgors to the competition An effect secondary importance would to make the Panama canal self sustaining. 10 make 1t of to the country in the paacs of the great deficit which must be made by the taxation the railroads and all citizens of the United States.
 We must all be amazed the short ghtedness very large majority the people of this country about eight years ago from the present date The deusocratic natoina1 convention the previous year hod declared in favor of free tolls for coastwise traffic passing the canal. Americans would be the 6<noficiax1es Of such an exception for only Ameri cnn vessels could engage in coastwise traffic. Mir Wilson the nominee of his party publicly en- 00g0e0 that panks when the Hldtler was DIVusHt uD in congress he had changed his mind and he eooefully opposed legislation for tolls. posi- tlon supported by MT. Root and other eminent republicans.
 The pre.ident was subjected to some criticism by members of both parties by republicans for partisan reasons and by democrats and other citi- xens. who favored this proposed discrimination in favor Americans. They could not of how eree tolls were going benefit them the country xiaterially They simply blundering along blind with patriotism. often blunder when we feel patriotic.
 It did not occur them that nobody would be behefitted but the American shipowners- And still iess did it to them that the benefit to the shipowners would at the expense of the rail- roads provided the roads were not also shipowners And still less did give consideration to the effect this stimulated water competition would bring about the very thing which threatens the inter-mountain territory and all territory far from terminals not to feel the effect of terminal rates.
 These things might then have been thought of but for that international relations obscured them. It was questioned whether not pre- cluded by ancient treaties with Great Britain from discriminating against other than American traffic through the canal That the position of MT. wilson MT. Root all who opposed free tolls
 We hope that the idea planted by MT. Cham bers will grow and bear fruit and that such canal tolls will be levied as make the self porting Then the railroads will not be under the necessity lowering through rates discrim- mate ruinously against intermediate territory whose substance would otherwise be drawn upon build up seaboard cities and their agricultural adjuncts