The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1914 THE CANAL TOLLS QUESTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1914 THE CANAL TOLLS QUESTION.

ft is certainly gratifying to other ■ nations to learn that President Wilson has taken the course he has in connection with the proposed tolls on vessels passing through the Panama Canal, and that he is against the discriminating advantage which tire new law proposed to grant to American-owned l shipping. Addressing Congress in person the President of the United States urged tire legislature to reverse its previous decision to Insist; on the exemption of American ships, in order that the United tSatcs might lesevvG its reputation for generosity | and redemption of every obligation without quibble or hesitation. The President further stated that ho was •onfident his policy would be oarired in both Houses without opposition. In all parts of the world this line utterance has been applauded, and if President Wilson’s confidence in his countrymen’s sense of right and justice is borne out, there will he one less cause ' for perfect amity between the two great Anglo-Saxon nations. That ever a misconception as to the proper course should have arisen is surprising, for everywhere, except in the United States, the language of the Hay-Panncefote treaty, governing the situation, is given hut one interpre-j tation. The treaty between the Unit-] ‘d States and Great Britain, concern-! ng the Canal, appears to he as plain! and explicit as any treaty could he: I ■‘The Canal,” says Article 3, “Shall I ie free and open to all nations. . . j "i terms of entire equality, so that* there shall he no discrimination ’gainst any such nation or its citizens j ■’i' subjects in respect of the condi- i ions or charges of traffic or otherwise.” If America were to exempt ’"-'i’ own ships from payment of toll surely it would he a discrimination against the ships of other nations, uid to argue otherwise discredits the United States. Many leaders of public opinion and journals of the highest standing in America, have powerfully urged the Government to take the course it now proposes. The Sau

Francisco Call voice's tins in the fol-, lowing terms: —“The pledge given in the Hay-Panneet’ote Treaty. simple and understandable, it as binding as when it was made. It commits the' Tinted States, without reserve, to a policy which the act ot hist \eat , directly contravenes. this act should' never have heen passed hy ( ongress ; it should never have heen approved hy executive authority. It was a blunder- —worse, an act ol had faith. And we shall do well frankly to acimit our error and revise the law in conformity with the pledge. President Wilson has been slow in coming to an understanding ot this matter—curiously slow. It is gratifying that at last he has found the resolution to take a stand for faithful performance of a promise in the spirit of honest dealing. ”