PANAMA CANAL TOLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1655, 23 January 1913, Page 5

PANAMA CANAL TOLS.

AN INDIGNANT AMERICAN.

MR. ROOT'S FIGHT.

By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright

: ' Washington, January.22.' Mr. Elihu, Root, ex-Minlster for War, has commenced a campaign of tho United States against the provisions of the Panama Ganal ' Act .exempting American 'coastwise:vessels' from the payment of canal, tolls,-.,'fhe. country, he declares, should oither.withdraw: from its present stand or submit tho Panama question to arbitration'. . ;

' The' United tiStates is not-free to discriminate in! its favour; it must have a;decent regard for the.opinions of man- ':;'.' •■•:.'..•..,'.'■.■ .■,■'.■'";.-■'■• •'

Senator Roofs speech to tho. New 'York Chamber of Commerce in November last denouncing.in strong terms the proposition to disoriminato in favour.of American ships in the; matter .of the! Panama Canal tolls, attracted "great attention .throughout the United States. Many politicians, and. 'business men who were :intorviowed on tho 'matter -expressed.' the hope that the new Congress at Washington would see its way. to repeal the contested legislation, or, in default, that Senator Root's appeal to 'arbitrate/ on .tho main; issue would • filially, succeed.. .."-.Mr. Root recited the, language :of the treaties in relation'to the canal, and, continuing;' eaid:— '-.>:■..■:" •'..•. .■ .:.;..."/: •'.■■' .• .■■•..!

"Americans: have a, . treaty with. Great Britain- under .which, we agreed that all questions arising upon tho. interpretation of treaties shall bo'submitted ito arbitra-, tion.i'ltjseems hardly.,,conceivable, ■ yet there are men who say we will never,tirbir trato on tho question of the construction of.;that' treaty. And I sa'y,;to yqui: that if. we refuse to/arbitrate, on .it we shall be in vtno': position yof the .merchantfwho is known to .all the world to be false to his promises. -With our nearly...£Boo,ooo,ooo of. foreign'trado.ive shall stand in the world of commerce as a:merchant false to.his ;W6rd,. .Among allthe people,on this earth who,:hope for better, days of righteousness, and' peace in the future,.-',we shall stand, in, the light of our, multitude-of declara- . tions for arbitration and peace,' discredit- : hypocrites, with the fair America-blackened,: with, tho self-' respect of Americans gone, with the influence' of America ■ for advance along: the, pathway of .progress and. civilisation annulled,' dishonoured, and .'