The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-22

then American ships passing through
the canal have been paying tolls the
same as the ships of every other ma
ton But there was always much
restlessness on the part of members
of congress, who were dubious over
what had been done.
Undoubtedly, the matter would not
have rested SO long as it has but for
the fact that only a few weeks later
the great war began and submerged
this issue.
Subject Omitted.
When the two party platforms were
written in 1916 the war was still on,
and he subject was not mentioned but
when the Republicans came together
tor their convention last June the sub
ject was again brought up. The Re-
publican platform. when adopted. con-
tanned a plank to the effect that the
treaty, if put in power, would repeal
the act and would exempt American
ships, engaged in coastwise traffic
from paying tolls.
Committee In Dark.
1t is an Illuminating commentary on
how platforms are written and how
things are done at party conventions
that / asked nearly everyone of the
SO members Of the committee on res
olutions of the Republican convention.
just how this plank happened to ap-
pear in the platform and who intro
duced it. OF the So members fully 40
were as surprised as any outsider
was to find the plank in the platform
which they themselves had drafted,
and only four knew anything of it's
orisin. ~
The facts are that the plank was
drafted by Senator Borah of Idaho,
and put in the platform almost wholly
through the activity of him and Sen
ator Smoot of Utah. Senator Jones
of Washington, was also instrumental.
" ~ Domestic Matter.
In taking this action, Senator Smoot
and Senator Borah, and Senator Jones
had little thought of our foreign rela
tons. With them it was wholly do
nestle matter. Not merely a domestic
matter, but local matter. 1t reflect
ed the wish on the part of shippers of
lumber and other heavy commodities
on the Pacific coast for an opportun-
ity to send their goods to the markets
of the eastern coast with the smallest
possible expense for freight.
Incidentally, when the bill comes up
for passage it will encounter a GER
tain amount of opposition which will
he lust as local and sectional in its
motive as the advocacy of the bill is.
The shippers and other business men
of the Mississippi Valley, who are COM
PEELED to rely on railroad transporta
ton, feel that the passage of this act
will give Pacific coast shippers an I'M
fair adva rtage over them.
exemption Unfair" ..
A leading paper of the Middle West,
the Chicago Tribune, has said:
at is not good judgment, good di-
plomacy. good economics, or good poll
tics to free American ships from the
Panama canal tolls"
This argument is based on the
ground that the exemption would be
unfair to inland cities, agricultural in
terests, and manufa cturers, who help
ed to pay, and are still helping to pay
for the construction of the canal"
Sectional Problem.
Which this Panama tolls bill comes
up in congress the fight will be large
ly one of sectional interest. 1t will
hang chiefly on freight rates and
manufacturing costs. OF course, it
will also have an international angle,
for the thing cannot be done in honor
without taking into consideration the
old Hay-Pauncefote treaty.
On this latter point Republican lead
ers themselves differ. Elihu Root be-
lieves that we cannot exempt our ships
consistent with the treaty. On the
other hand. ex-senator George Suther-
land of Utah. whom Senator Root
holds to be as good lawyer as him
self, believes that correct interpreted
ton of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty does
not forbid us to exempt American
ships.
Copyright 1921 by the New York
Evening Post, Inc.)