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Show DESIRES ACTION on m. TOLLS PRESIDENT WILL ENDEAVOR TO HAVE EXEMPTION OF COASTWISE COAST-WISE SHIPPING RESCINDED. Believes Treaty With Great Britain Guarantees Equality of Treatment to All Nations, Including United States, in Subject of Tolls. Washington. President Wilson announced an-nounced on Thursday that he would endeavor to have repealed at the present session of congress that provision pro-vision of the Panama canal act which exempts American coastwise ships from the payment of tolls. He made his position clear to callers in unequivocal un-equivocal terms. The president believes be-lieves the Hay-Pauncefote .treaty with Great Britain guarantees equality of treatment to all nations, including the United States, in the subject of tolls, and that the United States is in honor bound to charge American vessels the same tolls it imposes upon those of foreign nations. The president impressed upon his callers that he would use every legitimate influence at his disposal to have the exemption clause eliminated from the Panama canal act. This announcement was expected by administration leaders at the cap-itol. cap-itol. The president's views will be carried out in the house, according to Representative Adamson, chanrman of the interstate and foreign commerce com-merce committee. Not so certain, however, are some of the Democratic leaders in the senate sen-ate that the president will be sustained sus-tained in his resolve on this question, ques-tion, which has agitated American relations with Great Britain for several sev-eral years, and has been a subject of international controversy since the passage of the Panama canal act ia August, 1912. Senator O'Gorman, chairman of the interoceanic canals committee, which had charge of the bill, who led the victorious fight in the senate to exempt American coastwise coast-wise vessels from tolls, has asserted his purpose to stand by his convictions convic-tions and fight the president's desire. |