Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-29
PANAMA CANAL SUPPLIES.
Continued from Page One.)

business and we are all i'll the city
and state deeply interested in its sue
cess and prosperity. l am inclined to
think that upon the ground set forth
this company should have been award
ed the cont, act. I believe that upon the
merits it is entitled to this contract
and that upon a careful circulate it
vii be found that the cost to the gov
eminent would ultimately have been
less if the offer of this company had
been accepted. If these seagoing
dredgcs a built in foreign country il
will not be permissible under the law
to use them in the waters of the United
States, the contract for the dredgns
will be awarded to the Maryland Steel
Co.. IS it is conceded to be the lowest
American bidder.
1T cannot, however vote for the res
olution. ! cannot change the princi-
pies in which / gclevc. and for which
have contendcd during the whole of
my public career, for the purpose of
securing a contract for an enterprise
in nay state, or because it confers a
benefit upon its citizens. 1 have al
ways advocated the doctrine that the
people of this country have the right
to purchase every article in consump-
ton in the cheapest and most desira bic
market Of the world, and | must aDpl>-
to the government the same rule that I
apply to it's citizens. The money of the
government is the money of the people
We have no right to take the money
of the people and expend it i'm a market
where ii possesses the smallest amount
Of purchasing power This is rohbinC
the treasury and however importan.
that advantage may he to my constit-
uency, it is impossible for me to aban-
don 4 great principle upon any such
paltry ground as this.
'The Democratic party, in my opinion,
cannot afford to do so unless 1t is pre-
pared to go down to its irretrievable de-
feat and doom. The effect of this rcsolu-
ton will he that perhaps soooo0o.Co Of
money will he wrung from the people to
increase the profits of our protected ir-
dustrics.
1T is. therefore. not n question wheth-
er the drcdges referred to shall be pur-
chased either in Scotland or in the Unit
ed States. 1t is Il much more compre-
hrnsive subject than this. This resolu-
United States every market in the world
with the exception of the home market.
in connection with these enormous cx-
penditurcs. We do not know how the
President stands in relation to this mat
ter. 1t has been claimed all along that
he was in favor of purchasing the ma
terial and equipment for the canal other
things being equal. in the market where
4 -
IS earnestly hoped that he has not
changed his mind in reference to this
matter. and that he is not either tacitly
or by active participation tending his aid
to the passage of this resolution
Morgan discussed laws put in force by
the President for the government of the
canal zone, which he declared to be an
abuse of power. No member of Congress
would dare to introduce such laws, he
said. He mentioned as an instance tbs
provision permitting the governor to ban
ish undesirable persons. This law, he
said, was absolutely necessary to good
government and the canal zone could not
be controlled without 1t. Yet he said
the Presidcn. had exceeded his author
ity He safd that two years experience
had developed tho fact that the canal
never can be built under existing laws.
The affairs of the zone he said. had been
placed in the hands of men who have no
boundaries of power.
Mallory offered an amendment to tho
resolution to strike out the word cxtor-
tomato, 50 that goods could be purchased
abroad if American prices were unrcas-
enable.
Morgan offered as an amendment MAX
ing tho canal zone a military reservation.
and providing that all of the income of
the zone should be set apart for the ben.
eft of the zone. to be administered for
that purpose without having to be paid
into the treasury of the United States
This amendment provides for the pay
ment Of a duty of II per cent ad valorcm
on all goods imported to the canal zone
from territory not controlled by the
United States
GallinGcr offered IN amendment provid-
ing that all goods for the canal zone shall
be carried in American ships wherever
that is possible.
The resolution went over until tomor-
row.