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Show SEME CGI1IITEE " mm is closed Members About Evenly Divided Di-vided on Repeal of Canal Tolls Exemption. WASHINGTON". April 27.-r-HearIngs on the bill to repeal the free tolls provision of the Panama canal act were closed tonight, to-night, and the senate canals committee tomorrow will begin consideration In executive ex-ecutive session of a report to the senate. The committee was said tonight lo be about evenly divided for and against repeal. re-peal. Chairman O'Gorman thought the executive deliberations might last, two days. Senator Simmons, who has been prominent promi-nent in the fight for repeal, said the committee com-mittee might report the bill with an amendment which would declare. In substance, sub-stance, that tho United States -waives no rights over tho canal. Others suggested that, owing to the division di-vision in the committee, a report without any recommendation whatever could be looked for. Tn any caso the big fight on repeal will be made on the senate floor, where the debate Is expected lo last several sev-eral weeks. William H. Wheeler of San Francisco, representing the chamber of commerce of that city, appeared before the committee today In opposition to the bill. Mr. Wheeler called attention to the position la ken by the Associated Chambers Cham-bers of Commerce of the Pacific coast whon. In October, 1911, It passed a resolution resolu-tion demanding that American vessels engaged en-gaged In coastwise shipping be exempted from the payment of tolls. Mr. Wheeler dwelt on the point that tho free tolls provision did not constitute discrimination against vessels of other nations that would use the canal, for the reason"! ha I no foreign ships could engage in American coastwise traffic. What discrimination dis-crimination might be alleged to exist, Mr. Wheeler contended, was In the navigation navi-gation laws of the United States. Joseph N. Teal of Portland, Ore, on behalf of the Portland chamber of commerce com-merce and other Pacltlc coast trade organizations, or-ganizations, protested before tho committee com-mittee against the repeal and criticised severely the Taft prochnation fixing tolls on the carrying capacity of ships. R. II. Phillips of ICensInuton, Md.. expressed ex-pressed the opinion that tho proper Yankee Yan-kee way for the Democrats to get out of a bad hole the Republicans had placed them iti was to exempt all ships passing through the canal from ono coast, of North or South America to the other coast. F. A. Jonos. member of the Arizona state corporation commission, said that the intermountain country was just as much Interested In free tolls a.s the Pacific Pa-cific coast. President Dodson of the Pensacola chamber of commerce favored repeal of tolls exemption. |