Show CANAL 4 OUTSIDE THE TARIFF WAlL President and Secretary Taft Have No Regard for far Home Labor Market BUYING SUPPLIES ABROAD MATTER AGAIN PLACED BEFORE c CONGRESS 1 Washington May IL leThe The p president e to today today day transmitted to congress a letter from Secretary Taft accompanied by numerous appendices In which the secretary who has hag the full approval ot of the president lays down the principle that supplies for forthe forthe the Panama canal should be b bought in inthe inthe the cheapest m market an all thIngs consid considered considered ered whether American or foreign When UThen this policy polley was Inaugurated b by bythe the secretary over a year ear ago he sent senta a 3 letter asking congress If this Impartial buying In the best market should be con continued continued and in the letter sent to both houses today Mr Ir Taft reminds the pres president Ment ident that congress return returned d no answer to his Questions Purchase of Dredges Secretary Tafts letter In the present instance relates chiefly to the purchase of two seagoing suction dredges The Maryland Steel company has put in a bid of while the Scotch firm of SI SImons Simons mons Co of Renfrew Scotland of offers offers fers to provide the dredges at a cost of delivered at the Clyde Adding to the latter bid incidental expenses of transportation to Panama etc Secretary Taft after minute calculations finds that the Scotch bid is 8 per cent lower than the AmerIcan Secretary Taft states that some pur purchases purchases chases have already been made abroad and at a 8 considerable sayIng saving particular particularly ly in cement large quantities of which will be required as well as other sup supplies plies pIles He then briefly reviews the law Jaw Jawin lawin in the matter showing that the act of 1575 giving preference to American pro producers producers and manufacturers In making government purchases applies only to the United States and not to the canAl Outside the Tariff Wall Therefore says sas the secretary the result of a consideration of general prin principles principles of law Jaw and the practice of the gov government in the absence of specific direction direction tion to the contrary is that In the con construction construction of the Panama canal In the canal zone on the Isthmus which is out outside outside side the tariff wall aU surrounding the United States proper and into which by virtue of the treat treaty with the he republic of Panama material sup supplies supplies plies and machinery of aU all kinds for forthe forthe the con construction of the canal are to be Introduced free from tariff or imposts It Is your our dut duty to bu buy where you OU can ean ob obtain tain aln the material supplies and ma machinery machinery chinery at the cheapest price other con conditions with respect to quality prompt de delvery ery etc being equal This view it seems to me is confirmed by the failure of congress to direct any definite course on your p part rt although the matter was bro ht to Its attention more than a acad cad ago a o and your our view of your our duty In Inthe inthe the remises if the premises P If congress b took no further t action was clearly indicated Referring to a resolution introduced by Senator Dick but never acted upon the secretary says sas If this resolution Is to control the ac of bids for the construction of these dredges then It should be promptly considered and passed by congress It If there is no prospect of early action by congress I shan shall direct Mr un unless unless less ordered b by you to take a different course that he accept the bid of Wil William William liam Simons Co of Renfrew ew Scot Scotland Scotland land The secretary transmIts correspondence relative to the purchase of foreign ce cement cement ment as 85 summarized by Joseph Bucklin Bishop secretary of the canal commis commission slon sion Mr Bishop says sas in speaking of the barrels of cement purchased abroad The commission would not have been justified in p paying more for Amerlean Amer AmerIcan lean Ican cement than for foreign cement particularly In view of the fact that there was no doubt as to the quality of the foreign cement being full fully equal to that offered by the lowest bidder on American cement I Senator Dick is quoted as protesting against this purchase and saying to favor foreign manufacturers with patron patronage patronage age at the expense of business that should be placed with American firms to the benefit of American labor and In Industry industry Is not In accord with the spirit which It seems should dominate those in charge of a public pubu work under the auspices of the American government |