S. J. Res. 84, introduced by Senator Weeks;

S. J. Res. 16, introduced by Senator Newlands, Sixty-third Congress, first session;

S. 96, introduced by Senator Root, Sixty-third Congress, first session; and

A proposed amendment to H. R. 14385, submitted by Senator Norris.

The chairman would be glad to receive any suggestions from the members of the committee as to the program that should be adoptedwhether we should invite the authors of these various bills to come before the committee and present their views.

Senator BRISTOW. I think that would be a good suggestion.

Senator CRAWFORD. Should not we take up the House bill, and then any suggestions found in these other bills could be presented in the way of amendments, if desired? We could take the House bill as the basis on which to work.

The CHAIRMAN. Senator Ransdell desires to be heard.

Senator RANSDELL. Just one moment. I have received certain telegrams on this subject, Mr. Chairman. One is from the general manager of the New Orleans Association of Commerce, which is the largest commercial body in the city of New Orleans. It has, I think, 2,100 or 2,200 members. It reads:

Hon. Jos. E. RANSDELL,

United States Senute, Washington, D. C.:

Please ask for hearing before Interoceanic Canal Committee on canal tolls matter for association of commerce. Will have one and not more than three representatives. Kindly keep me posted.

M. B. TREZEVANT, General Manager New Orleans Association of Commerce.

I have another telegram from the president of the New Orleans Board of Trade, which is the second largest commercial organization in the city of New Orleans, with several hundred members-a very powerful organization. It reads:

We respectfully urge your good office in behalf of having open hearings before Senate Interoceanic Canal Committee on Panama Canal tolls repeal measure.

JEFF D. HARDIN,

President New Orleans Board of Trade (Ltd).

I wish to file those telegrams, and to request that the hearing be granted to those gentlemen, if you decide to give any hearings at all. I understand that New Orleans was not heard when this measure was before Congress in 1912. A good many people there are very much interested in the subject now. I can not state what the real general sentiment of the community is, but I know that there are many people there who are intensely interested in it, and I know they honestly wish to be heard.

Senator THORNTON. As a member of the committee, and also a Louisiana Senator, I will say, as I said to you a week ago, that if the New Orleans people wish to be heard I think they ought to be heard, as they were not heard at the time before, although I had specially arranged with the chairman of the committee to have them heard, and wrote to them, but they declined to come, stating that they did not care to come. But that does not interfere with their rights to be heard at this new hearing if they wish to. As they were not

heard before I for one should wish that they be heard at this time, even though they did not care to be heard the other time, and Í make a motion to that effect.

Senator BRANDEGEE. Before that motion is put, I think the proper way would be for the committee to decide whether it is going to have any hearings before it decides to hear particular people.

Senator THOMAS. And what length of time is to be given.

Senator BRANDEGEE. Yes; and what length of time is to be given. If we decide to have no hearings there is no use of talking about hearing particular people.

Senator THORNTON. Mr. Chairman, I am inclined to think that is a reasonable proposition advanced by the Senator from Connecticut, and I am willing that the other should be taken up first. I certainly, however, will ask that the New Orleans people have the opportunity to be heard. I am not in favor of others who were here two years ago, and were heard then all they wanted to be heard, being heard again.

Senator BRANDEGEE. Before we take that up, Mr. Chairman, if I may be allowed to say so, I think perhaps anybody who has any requests for a hearing might be allowed to state it now, and then we could consider the question of whether we are going to have any hearings. I see that the Senator from Washington [Mr. Jones] is present, and I did not know but what he had something that he wanted to present.

Senator JONES. Yes. I do not think there is any section of the country that is more interested in this matter than the Pacific coast, and especially the people of our State. They feel that their interests are involved very deeply in this proposition. I have here a telegram from the West Coast Lumber Manufacturers' Association, reading as follows:

Following telegram sent Senator O'Gorman. Please wire results. Considering the President's asservations in his message to Congress that free tolls would foster a monopoly and is an economic mistake, we are justly entitled to a hearing before the Interoceanic Canal Committee. We respectfully request that the date be made at such time as possible for Pacific coast representative to appear.

WEST COAST LUMBER MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION,
D. E. SKINNER, Chairman Committee.

I take it from this telegram that a telegram has been sent to the chairman of this committee asking for a hearing.

The CHAIRMAN. I have received such a telegram and a great many others from citizens in the West and Northwest.

Senator JONES. I have here a telegram from George Milton Savage, the president of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade, asking for a hearing. I have also a telegram from the Seattle Chamber of Commerce about other matters, which closes by saying: Also wiring Senator O'Gorman asking coast interests be granted a hearing before the Senate committee reports on tolls repeal. Will you please reenforce this?

I will file those telegrams. I tried to get in touch with Senator Poindexter this morning, but was not able to do so. I am satisfied, though, that he would concur in my request for a hearing on behalf of our interests before this committee.

(The telegrams referred to are as follows):

Senator WESLEY L. JONES,

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.

Tacoma Commercial Club and Chamber of Commerce under instructions of resolution adopted by board of trustees to-day offers sincere protests against repeal of freetolls measure. We believe that American dollars invested in Panama Canal should not be used to destroy or injure American commerce. Repeal would menace industries and commerce of entire Pacific coast. We urge that you use every possible energy to prevent undoing of the just and reasonable canal regulations adopted the last Congress. GEO. MILTON SAVAGE, President.

Senator WESLEY L. JONES,

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.:

Referring recent telegram covering protest Tacoma Commercial Club and Chamber of Commerce against free-tolls repeal, urge that you make every effort to secure hearings; very important that western representatives on way to Washington have opportunity to present arguments.

GEO. MILTON SAVAGE, President.

The CHAIRMAN. In this connection I might say that I have received similar requests from the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce; the Tacoma Commercial Club and Chamber of Commerce; the Silverton Commercial Club, of Silverton, Oreg.; the West Coast Manufacturers' Association, Seattle, Wash.; the South Bend Commercial Club, South Bend, Wash.; the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, Aberdeen, Wash.; the Polson Implement Co., from Seattle, Wash.; the Rainier, Rainier, Oreg.; A. C. Little, mayor, Raymond, Wash.; the Raymond Commercial Club, of the same place; the Centralia Commercial Club, of Centralia, Wash.; the Astoria Chamber of Commerce, of Astoria, Oreg.; all asking that they be given an opportunity to present their views regarding the pending legislation. (The telegrams are as follows:)

Hon. JAMES A. O'GORMAN,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

SILVERTON, OREG., April 4, 1914.

We protest against the repeal of the exemption clause in the Panama Canal tolls law, and urgently ask for a hearing before your committee. This matter is of vital importance to the entire Pacific coast and we believe the country at large.

SILVERTON COMMERCIAL CLUB, By GEO. W. HUBBS, Secretary.

Senator JAMES A. O'GORMAN,

Washington, D. C.:

SEATTLE, WASH., April 4, 1914.

In the interest of American business and shipping, the Pacific as well as the Atlantic coast, we most sincerely urge a proper hearing before your committee against the bill repealing exemption of tolls through the Panama Canal.

PERRY POLSON, President Polson Implement Co.

Hon. JAS. O'GORMAN,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

SEATTLE, WASH., April 6, 1914.

Considering the President's asseverations in his message to Congress that free tolls would foster a monopoly and is an economic mistake, we are justly entitled to a hearing before the Interoceanic Canal Committee. We respectfully request that the date be made at such a time as possible for Pacific coast representative to appear.

WEST COAST LUMBER MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION.
D. E. SKINNER, Chairman Committee.

JAS. O'GORMAN,
Washington, D. C.

SOUTHBEND, WASH., April 4, 1914.

Free tolls necessary to the success of our various industries. Use every effort to postpone final action until further hearing can be secured. The Pacific coast helped pay for the canal and constitutes a part of the United States.

SOUTHBEND COMMERCIAL CLUB.

Aberdeen, Wash., April 4, 1914.

Hon. JAS. O'GORMAN,

Washington, D. C.

We protest against free tolls repeal. Will work an injury to the whole country as well as Pacific coast. We petition that hearings be granted before final action injurious to Nation's welfare be taken.

ABERDEEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

SEATTLE, WASH., April 6, 1914.

Hon. J. A. O'GORMAN,

Chairman Interoceanic Canals Committee,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

Pacific Northwest so vitally concerned in Panama Canal tolls issue we respectfully ask that committee grant hearing to coast interests before making report on repeal

measure.

SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Rainier, Oreg., April 4, 1914.

United States Senator O'GORMAN,

Washington, D. C.:

Free.tolls to our coastwise vessels means lower freight rates by rail as well as water as is of vital importance to the Northwest. Can you arrange a hearing before your committee for our representative? If so will send one at once.

Senator JAMES A. O'GORMAN,

RAINIER COMMERCIAL CLUB, By GEO. W. VOGEL.

RAYMOND, WASH., April 4, 1914.

Chairman Committee Interoceanic Canals, Washington, D. C.:

Our citizens earnestly protest against repeal of free tolls act. This action serious blow to the lumber business, our basic industry. British Columbia manufacturers have big advantage in shipping rates. The repeal of free tolls will give them our business. We urge delay until Pacific coast interests can be heard.

Hon. JAMES A. O'GORMAN,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.:

A. C. LITTLE, Mayor.

RAYMOND, WASH., April 4, 1914.

The repeal of the law exempting American vessels engaged in the coastwise trade from the payment of tolls through the Panama Canal is a very serious matter to the Pacific coast, and will greatly handicap the development of coastwise commerce between the Atlantic and Pacific, and will give to England and Canada the benefits that should rightfully come to the United States from their construction and operation of the canal. We therefore respectfully urge that you delay action on the measure until representatives of the commercial organizations of the Pacific coast have been given an opportunity to be heard by your committee.

RAYMOND COMMERCIAL CLUB, By W. W. HAYS, Secretary.

CENTRALIA, WASH., April 4, 1914.

Hon. JAS. A. O'GORMAN,

United States Senator, Washington, D. C.:

If possible, kindly use your influence to procure hearing by the people on free tolls canal bill now pending. Free tolls is of vital importance to lumber and all other industries on this coast.

CENTRALIA COMMERCIAL CLUB.

ASTORIA, OREG., April 4, 1914.

Senator O'GORMAN,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.:

We respectfully urge that you endeavor to have action on repeal of canal tolls held until a hearing can be had from different sections of the country. This chamber reiterates its objection to the repeal of the measure.

ASTORIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The CHAIRMAN. I have also received a letter, with resolutions attached, from a committee representing the commercial, industrial, and horticultural interests of the State of Oregon.

(The letter and resolutions are as follows:)

Hon. JAMES A. O'GORMAN,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

PORTLAND, OREG., March 28, 1914.

DEAR SIR: The undersigned, a committee representing the commercial, industrial, and horticultural interests of this State, desire to express their gratitude and obligations they are under for the firm stand taken by you in the protection of American rights in an American waterway.

We value our honor quite as highly as do those who propose to concede without question to foreign nations the right to exercise a control in our domestic affairs. Free tolls are not asked in behalf of shipping interests but for the producers and consumers of this country who pay the freight. Important as this question is, not only to the producers but to the ultimate consumer, it is far more important that the rights of this country be maintained over our own waterways. We have never been impressed with the logic or reason, much less the necessity, for abandoning the policy of our Government, as evidenced by the proposed repeal of the free-toll provision of the Panama Canal act.

It may be that Congress will so act, but its action in this respect will in no wise change our views as to the right of the question, and it is our firm belief that instead of settling a controversy, the subject will continue to be agitated until it is definitely determined whether the canal is to be controlled by the United States or is to be subject to the control of other nations.

We take pleasure in handing you resolutions passed on yesterday at a meeting of representatives from the States of Oregon and Washington engaged in lumber and other industries, and feel assured that it is fairly representative of the sentiment of the vast majority of our people irrespective of politics.

We beg leave to remain, very truly, yours,

[Inclosure.]

L. O. LEWIS.

H. W. MITCHELL.

W. M. LEOD.

C. A. MALBOeuf.

F. S. KNAPP, Chairman.

Whereas after due deliberation Congress in prescribing rules to be observed by shipping in the use of the Panama Canal as provided in the Hay-Pauncefote treaty has enacted into law a provision exempting American shipping engaged in coastwise trade from payment of tolls for passing through the Panama Canal, which act was approved by the United States; and

Whereas a bill is now pending in Congress which has for its purpose the repeal of said law so enacted; and

Whereas such action is so antagonistic to the interests and national policy of this country as to justify the unalterable opposition of the citizens of the United States thereto, and believing that the action heretofore taken by Congress is in no sense a violation of the said treaty, and that the repeal of the existing law would be an admission that Great Britain and other nations of the world had the right to interfere and intervene in our purely domestic affairs:

Resolved, That we reaffirm our former declaration that there be no tolls charged through the canal on vessels coastwise flying the American flag and we most earnestly request that you continue to oppose the repeal of the present law and do all in your power to maintain the same as it now stands.

Resolved further, That in view of the importance of the question not only to the Pacific coast but to the American people, it is our belief that hearings should be had before the Senate Committee on Interoceanic Canals before a measure of such farreaching consequences be acted upon, and we hereby respectfully request such hearings be granted.