The San Francisco call., 1905-05-18
Assumes Full Response
bility for the Cheapest
Market" Policy in Pur-
chase of Canal Supplies
FIRM ATTITUDE
TOWARD CRITICS
Protests of High Protection
lists in the Republican
Party Will Not Swerye
Him From His Intention
Special Dispatch to The CAN.

CALL BUREAU, POST BUILDING.
WASHINGTON, May Il. President
Roosevelt to-day fatty assumed all re-
sponsibility FOR the adoption and an
nouncernent Of the cheapest market
policy in the purchase OF Panama Canal
material. without preference TO American
goods and American bottoms. He told all
Of his callers who talked with him on the
subject that he had personally directed
the action and that no other course was
open TO him, since the Government was
bound TO construct the canal with the
greatest possible economy. He also in
dicated quite plainly that he did not con
s.der that a political principle was in
VOlved.
If the party question were TO be con-
sidered, where would the administra-
tion land, he asked, IL if did moi bay in
the cheapest market and shOuId thus
lay itself open 10 sse charge of paying
the highest prices TO the trusts. 1t
would open the way 10 scandal and ac-
cuSatiOns % fraud.
At any rate the question was up to
Congress. That body had an opportunity
To act once and would have an oppor-
tUnitg TO act again.
This frank assumption of responsibility
has not quelled the rebellion within the
lines Of the Republican party. On the
contrary, the family row continued to
grow to-day Criticism of the action is
not entirely outside of the Cabinet. There
has been plain talk to-day about "such
a policy, If persisted in. disrupting the
Republican party" or at least making
difficult The path Of the next Republican
candidate.
Representative DaIzeI of Pennsylvania
came out ia an interview tonight scor-
Ing The action in most vigorous terms
He called it free trade" and "a sight
Tor gods and men," and said that Con-
gress had never acted and never intended
10 act.
Al the same time many protests are
coming N. especially from American ship
builders.
Senators Scott and Burrows, both high
tariff Republicans, called on Secretary
Taft to-day and criticized the administra-
tons policy
Il have dropped in to your political
funeral, Mr.. Secretary" said Scott.
fcu can't come TO my funeral with
out bringing flowers, and 1 see no flow
ers, replied the Secretary.
At the same time Taft said that he
would stand by the Presidents action to
The end, funeral or no funeral. He told
MS callers there was no reason why the
Government should pay for two ships
here sum that would buy four ships in
Europe
Winthrop L. Marvin, secretary of the
Merchant Marine Commission, called upon
Secretary Taft to-day and said, later:
'T'he necessity for the Canal Commits
sion 10 buy abroad two 6000-ton ships
h,sisS come as a startling demonstra-
tion o. The depIorabIe condition OF the
American shiDbuiIdfng Industry
Representative Joseph Sibley of Penn
sylvania said:
The announcement of such a policy is
10 be regretted. 1t seems probable that
We shall have to employ coolie labor in
the construction of the canal, but we
have never supposed that il would be
necessary TO buy material made by the
pauper labor of Europe"
Senator carmack OF Tennessee Demo
craD said:
The triumph Of free trade has come
quickly. If the Government can go to the
cheapest market for the material for its
canal, why should not the individual be
allowed TO 90 there for the material for
mis- house?"
-Uncie Joe" Cannon is just as mad as
the other high protectionists. He arrived
in town tonight and added this to the
party flame:
4 do not know the necessity for the
purchase of supplies made or produced
abroad. We have here in the United
States the greatest market in the world,
making one-third of the whole manufac-
tured produce of the civilized world. 1
take ii for granted that all the supplies
needed should be, and will be- the product
Of cur own manufacture wherever prae-
ticable."
Speaker Cannon is so angry that he has
decided not to accompany Secretary Taft
and party to the Philippines.