Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-18

long time member of the ways and means
committee and chief among the standpat-
ters in Congress, prepared an interview for
the Pennsylvania correspondents last night.
AS a leading brief for the high protection
lists in the pending case it argues thus:
Il dislike very much to assume the role
of critic of policies adopted by Secretary
Taft, for whom I entertain feelings of the
highest esteem, and whom 1 greatly ad
mire. But it does seem to me, if he is cor
rectly reported in the public prints, he is
advocating policies which-to put it mildly
are exceedingly, unwise.
"One proposition is that the United States
government shall buy foreign ships which,
by the way, cannot be sailed under the
stars and stripes operate them under a
foreign flag and in competition with it's
own citizens. Would not that be a sight
for gods and men?
Another proposition is to array foreign
markets in competition with our home mar
-ket, buy of the foreigner instead of the
home producer if the former can sell
cheaper. This is entirely inconsistent with
our weil-establshed policy, which has al
ways been governmental encouragement to
the home market. 1t is doubtless true that
cheap foreign labor is able to produce many
things at less cost than they can be pro-
duced by labor at an American wage rate.
But that is no reason why an administra-
ton, which came into power upon protec-
ton platform should advocate the free
trade doctrine of buying where you can buy
cheapest, or to encourage cheap foreign
labor as against our own high-priced labor.
We boast of the Panama canal as great
American enterprise. Let US build 1t in
accordance with American policies.
Therefore, it by no means follows that
cheap, foreign prices mean ultimate econo-
my. While we may buy cheaper material,
yet the foreigner gets our money. When
we buy at home we supply the goods, and
the money remains among our own people.
1t develops our own industries and benefits
our own citizens many times over. There
is no rule applicable to the construction
of the Panama canal that is not entirely
applicable to the construction of other gov
ernment enterprises. Why not have our
battleShips built abroad? Why not have
our guns manufactured abroad? Yes, why
not have our armor plate made abroad, our
army equipment and our blankets pur-
chased in foreign markets If they are
cheaper than our own? These questions
answer themselves.
1T will not do to say that the attention
Of Congress was called to this matter and
1t took no action with respect to it. 1t did
not intend to take any action. l venture
to say that 1t never entered the mind or
any member of Congress, in either house,
or of either party that the necessary out
lay for the construction of the Panama
canal should not be made in American
markets.
Congress did not think for a moment
that the taxes paid by Americans were to
be expended to the enhancement of foreign
ers. That body believed that whatever
money spent on the canal was to be
spent with the end in view of encouraging
our own industries. The policy announced
gives encouragement to the democratic and
mugwump press that is advocating a re-
vision of the best tariff law known in our
entire history, under which policy We are
enjoying the highest degree of prosperity
ever known, either by our own or any other
people. feel assured that sober second
thought will result in the adoption by the
commission of such a policy will pro-
. tect the American people and insure the
building of the canal from our own re-
sources"