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Show TO URGE UNIFORM RULES FOR VESSELS G-oethals Declares He Will Ask Congress Con-gress to Take Some Action. SAX FRANCISCO, Sept. s. Major General George W. Goe-thuls. speaking before the San Francisco Commercial club today, said he - intended to endeavor en-deavor to have congress, at its next session, establish uniform rules for the measuring of vessels and the chafing of tolls at the Panama canal. He also advocated the abrogation or modi ti cation ca-tion of the so-called Taft treaty with the republic of Panama, so as to permit the establishment of American business houses and warehouses on the canal zone. Goethals asked fur the support of the business men of the Pacific coast. ''We are iu a horrible muddle, " he said; ''we have no uniform system of measuring vessels and the present system sys-tem is discriminating. I believe charges should he made on the carrying capacity of vessels, and deck loads should be in eluded. ' On account of having to refund tolls to vessels passing through 'the canal during the first year, as a result of the discrepancy in the rules, we are $150,000 short, instead of being ahead $250,000. as was previously announced. Personally. 1 could never see why the canal should not be made a business busi-ness pre position. I do not think any should benefit by it at the expense of others." |