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Show 0UILI1I 'LAWS FOR mm 1 WASHINiJTU... .'C 28. Immedl-! Immedl-! ate formulation of Panama canal lop-! lop-! Illation practically was decided upon , at a confoence at the White House I lODipbt. i The conference was participated n ' bv President Tait, Secretary Knox, 1 Secretary I lie klnn. Senator Flint, of California, chairman of the houalo committee cn Inter-oceanic ciDaln. and Senator Brandegeo. of. Connecticut, also a member of that committee, and Representative Mann of Illinois, chairman chair-man of the b"iise committee on In-I In-I teretatc and foreign conjinerce. The conference lasted until nearly midnight. mid-night. Immediate Action Necessary. i It was agreed that immediate action ac-tion on canal questions was necessary in order that I he commercial world mlpit ho able to plan ahead. It ; j suggested that by having a definite understanding as to the tolls and , trade questions lnolved, an active ' trade would be assured for the canal almost from the day of Its opening. Finding concurrence In his opinion that expeditious legislation Is necessary, neces-sary, President Taft Is said to have concerned bimself tonight principally with the trado aspect of tlm canal, rather than with fortifications. If th.- latter subject entered Into the discussion discus-sion ot all. It Is believed to have been subordinated to the matter of tolls, the maintenance of dry docks and re-I re-I pair ship facilities and stations for the .' sale of coal, oil and other ship's fuip-plles. fuip-plles. President to Fix Tolls. The opinion at the conference, It ; was said, favored legislation empowering: empower-ing: the President to fix tolls within certain limits, taking into considcra- tlon distance, tonnage and cargo. The question of whether the pov-I pov-I ernment should operate coal yards and I dry docks and whether it should pass Its war vessels through the canal free, and Its coastwise ships and possibly all of Its merchant vessels at a lower rate than thore of foieiKn countries, was discussed at lenfjth by the conferees con-ferees and tentative plans were I launched for the preparation of legis-I legis-I lation i.n these points. I It was argued by some that the United States mipht not be possessed of the l'gal rlc;ht to discriminate In favor of its own vessels. To Safeguard Competition. I Suggestions for safeguarding competition compe-tition between Eastern and Western seaboards throuch possible amendments amend-ments of the interstate commerce I laws, making it prohibitory for. rail-j rail-j roads to own or control Fhlps In the I canal trade also were advanced, but I no conclusions were reached j Representative Mann and Senators I Flint and nrandegee, whose commit-j commit-j tees will be most concerned with the I legislation, are said to concur with the President In hU Idea of Immediate ac- tlon by contrrcss, particularly on the j subject of tolls In order that Interents now thinking of bulldln? vessels or i otherwise entering into commerce via ! the canal may be sufficiently Informed Inform-ed in advance of the conditions that probably wl'l ovist when the canal Is : opened on the date expected, January 1,1013. - |