OCR Text |
Show The deci'-iou of thu Secretary of War to buy thu materials and machinery with which to construct the I'anama Canal where ho can buy them the cheapest, will com tnand the respect of every unselfish un-selfish American. Even the protectionist pro-tectionist can hardly object. The decision in no, way effects the American market which it is the aim of protectionists to preserve intact for the American manufacturer manufac-turer and producer, in so far as it can be done. The construction of thu canal is a unique enterprise, largely patriotic, but it is also for thu benefit of all nations, and of future generations. On the same principle as philanthropic and religious re-ligious institutions arc exempted from taxation in this country, so the canal should be exempted from the burden of thu tariff tax which, it is already demonstrated would increase the cost by considerably con-siderably more then 50 per cent. 01 course, there will be tremendous tremen-dous pressure on Congress to extend ex-tend the protuctivu system to the materials and machinery for the oanal, but it is to be hoped that in this instance the members of Congress Con-gress will show evidence of broad-minded broad-minded patriotism. It is generally gener-ally understood, although not officially determined, that the eight hour law will apply to the work on the canal, and that of itself it-self will materially increase the cost of the enterprise. |