Foresee Canal Rate War.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 23, 1912:
Reduced Suez Tolls Is Viewed as a Retaliatory Act Against Us.
    WASHINGTON, Aug. 22.— A rate war which might involve all the maritime nations of the world, and which would revolve about the Suez and Panama Canals, is predicted to-day in Washington by officials who have watched the development of world interest in the Panama Canal bill now awaiting approval by President Taft.
    According to the report that reached the State Department to-day, the directorate of the Suez Canal has decided to reduce rates through that waterway.
    In official circles this notice is regarded as the first retaliatory step against the free-tolls provision for American ships through the Panama Canal.
    The announcement of the proposed reductions through Suez appeared in inconspicuous notices in American newspapers. The notice which aroused so much interest was to the effect that after the first of next year the transit dues in, the Suez Canal will be reduced 50 centimes, bringing the toll for loaded ships down to 6.25 francs.