New-York tribune., 1906-05-25
PANAMA. SUPPLIES

That is a somewhat equivOcal reply which
ii is proposed for Congress to make to the Pres-
dents and Secretary Taft's request for instruc
tons concerning the purchase of supplies FOR
the Panama Canal. Several times in the last
two years Congress has been asked to state
specifically in what markets it wished such
supplies TO be procured. and has been reminded
of the fact that if IL fails to give such drec-
tiOns or until 1t does so, the administration
must under existing law, purchase wherever
il can do so 10 best advantage. Until this week
no action has been taken by Congress- and the
administration has properly been exercising It's
discretion and getting supplies in the markets
which would provide the cheapest and hest
goods most expeditiously, the vast bulk of them
of course, coming from the United States y
few considerable bargains have however. re
Gently been sought abroad and there is pros
pect of some S1OO0OOOO worth or more of sup
plies being required during the next year. on
account of which things, apparently. Congress
has been moved TO net upon the matter.
The joint resolution which was presented i'll
the Senate on Wednesday is Ostensibly meant
it is to be assumed. as a definite reply to the
request of the administration for Instructions
In fact. however. it would seem to leave the
case very much in its present condition. It is
true that it directs that purchases of material
"and equipment for use in the construction of
1.-THE Panama Canal shall be restricted to arti-
"cles of domestic production and manufacture.
But that mandate is conditional, not absolute.
Purchases are to be thus made unless the Pres
'fident shall, in any case. deem the bids or
tenders therefor to be eXtOrtionate or unrea-
"sOnable" in which latter contingency, we as
sumo, he may make purchases of other goods
in other markets 1t is apparently to be left
to the sole discretion Of the President to deter
mine whether prices in the domestic market
are "extOrtionate or unreasonable and that
as ii seems TO us would leave the matter pre-
cisely where it is to-day. save that it would
give the active instead of merely the passive
sanction Of Congress to the course the Presi-
dent has been and is pursuing under his rea-
sonable Interpretation of the existing law
For the administration has not been diScrimi-
mating and has not meant ever TO discriminate,
against American goods. 1t has on the con-
trary Disseminated in favor of them whenever
IL could do so consistently with its lawful duty
and with the public interest. 1t has been re-
Stricting its purchases to articles Of domestic
production and manufacture. excepting when
the President or his representative has deemed
the bids therefor to be eXtortiOnate or unrea-
sOnable- precisely what this proposed mandate
Of Congress contemplates The whole matter
is and under this resolution would remain, piv-
Oted upon the discretion of the President. II
he should deem it extortiOnate for American
manufacturers TO demand a dollar barrel more
for cement than he would have to pay for II
abroad. or II he should deem It unreasonable for
American builders TO ask many thousands of
dollars more for dredge many thousands of
miles from where it is wanted than foreign
builders ask for an equally good dredge safely
delivered at the spot where 1t is to be used, he
would have the undOubted right to purchase the
foreign instead of the domestic goods, and the
sound business sense of the nation would ap-
prove his doing.
In this matter, then. Congress apparently pro-
poses to do by action just what in the matter
of the plan of the canal it seems likely to do
by inactiOn, namely. TO leave the burden of
spOnsibty. of choice and Of discretion resting
upon the President. Perhaps that is for the
best. In the matter of purchases of supplies it
certainly seems to be for the best though in
neither case has the President desired to as
sumo or TO bear such burden. But at least
this should he clearly and consistently under
stood, that the way to exercise discretion is to
exercise it, and that If Congress leaves these or
any such matters to the Presidents decision it
thus binds itself. in all fairness reason and JUS
tice, to accept and to abide by his decision with
ont subsequent carping or demm We assume
that such is its intention In that case the Pres
ident will doubtless not shrink frOm-though
he assuredly has not sOught-the responsibility
thus placed upon him, and he will doubtless dis
charge 1t to the satisfaction of the nation