Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-02-02
Once More the Stand Patters.

The stand patters are incorrigible
Like the Bourbons of France, they feal
nothing. Like Ephraim of old, they are
Joined to their idols. They propose evi
IDENTIFY to go the whole hog. When the
deficiency bill was up recently to the
Panama canal item Judge De Almond
of Missouri offered the following
amendment: Amend by adding the
following: Said purchases shall not be
confined to the United States, but the
things purchased shall be bought upon
the best terms that the worlds markets
Afford"
Now, be it remembered that De Ar
mond was only proposing to do by law
what Secretary Taft said last summer
that he intended to do. Taft was over
stand ,aat tars--an -so,1.os
lican; De Almond is great Democrat.
That what Taft said he would do and
didn't do and what De Almond tried
to do and couldn't do because the stand
patters lined up and outvoted him is
both justice and common sense.
In supporting his amendment De Ar
mond said:
Mr.. Chairman. in the discussion which
preceded upon the amendment just voted
down it was claimed that the amendment
was unnecessary and is unnecessary be-
cause the phraseology under considera-
ton has reference to the locus of the oon-
tract-the fact Of the purchase being
made in the United States-and that by
this language it is not meant to exclude
purchases Of articles brought from else
vxyhor t1a l,o INIT lott oIo To-,
man will recollect distinctly that that is
the ground upon which this amendment
was opposed; that it did not exclude pur-
chases of articles outside of the United
States. but that 1t had reference to the
auditing of accounts in the United States
by the purchasing agent in the United
States. who, in the United States. would
give orders for the articles no matter
where they came from
Now. do not believe that fairly, or at
least necessarily, the language will bear
that construction beyond possibility of
doubt or misunderstanding II the Lam
guage means that the articles may come
from anywhere; that anybody, whether a
citizen of the United States or an alien,
may supply them; that they may be
brought from any place in the United
States or from any place out of the United
States then think the amendment which
I suggested merely will make palmer and
clearer that proposition.
The purpose of the amendment is to
make this provision of the law show Just
precisely and beyond the possibility Of
misunderstanding or misconstruction what
gentlemen claim 1t already means with
put the amendment. Now, If the provision
as it stands in this bill does not limit the
purchasing agent in the United States
making contracts in the United States to
the American market. then there can be
no objection, it seems to me. to this pro-
vision offered by this amendment If,
however. the provision as 1t stands does.
Or by misconstruction, IL you please,
might, limit the purchasing agent to ar
ticleS of American production--in other
words, to the American market = then
there is the very greatest and very best
Of reasons why the amendment ought to
be adopted Now, If you really wish to
sonflne the purchases to the American
market. then vote down the amendment
Ind interpret the construction of this pro-
vision contrary to what you now claim 1t
means. If, on the other hand. you desire
to enable the purchasing agent of the gov
eminent to purchase the articles at the
worlds price upon the best terms that can
be obtained no matter who supplies them
or where they come from, then 1t seems
to me that this amendment ought to be
adopted to remove whatever of uncer-
ta1nty or danger there might be from mis-
construction of the provision as it stands.
That is all care to say about it.
But De Almond Is persistent fight
er. So, though outvoted on the fore
going proposition, he In a few minutes
proposed another amendment to the
same effect and was again outvoted
Here is his amendment, with the col
loquy:
Mr. De Armond-Mr. Chairman. 1 offer
an amendment.
The clerk read as follows:
amend by inserting a new paragraph
as follows:
"All purchases shall. so far as may be
practicable, be made ct the lowest prices
and upon The best terms that can be OBJ
tained.a
Mr., De Almond Now, Mr.. Chairman, q
single word on the amendment. That
amendment. think. is as carefully and
conservatlvely phrased as any one can
desire VINO wishes to give those who pur-
chase for the government any option OF
any opportunity TO buy nowhere except In
the United States at any prices except
those which tbs trust may hx, It PRO.
tsdas thAt the xirdhAses si2il b made