The Cairo bulletin., 1907-02-04
SOME CRUDE CONSIDERATIONS

The observers of the development
and progress Of the most stupandous
engineering. operation ever undertake
en- BY nation or man nov witness an
uncommon spectacle
Two partners bid for the job Of con
ssructing the Panama canal at a Ger.
tain percentage Of the total cost OF the
work. Their bid at sG.75 is successful.
The next bid In order Of iowress. Ii at
1850 per cent. BY another combIna,
lion of enterprise and CAPT al. beyond
that II Is reported. the Willingness OF
contractors to serve the government
in this particular ranges upward into
the twenties and thirties. The pro
posal 10 supervise the work for els
being welcome 10 official enthusiasm
somewhat blnnted by It's experience
with Weary Walaces and Giftofgod
ShOntsas, the government proceeds to
turn down one of the two partner az
unsatisfactory. financially or other.
wise. and TO send for the divorced
one, solitary and alone with d string
tied TO him, to hunt for new business
associates with substantial backing
We use the word string adyisedly |
i Is fsaing line. Practically this |
IL the unprecedented situation which /
is presented by the latest turn of the !
Panama Kaleidoscope. or rather bio.
scope the greatest government on (
earth has baited thu available Mr. I
Oliver with an option at 675
and during this indescribable interim
OF uncertainty Is dangling bait and
nook over the dark pool of specnla
tive finance. Nothing like It has eve,
been witnessed in the intercourse he.
tween government and business on.
terprise. Watch the DEVELOPMENTS
closely while Oliver is asking for
more. for 1t is likely to be long before
another incident of the same kind Is
visible.
From his end of the string the
pendant contractor with the limited
option now makes this preliminary
report: I have been approached by I
representatives of a number of the
leading contracting firms whose spec.
iaify Is along the lines desired. and at
the proper time the names of NV as-
sociates will be presented TO the com
Approached? We should say not
The charm of the vision OF the resneo. D
able Dir. Oliver thus dangled forth ,
rom the United Sta es treasury IL Z
enough to attract the ghost OF oak.s
Ames himself II is enough 10 evoke I
'hadowy. Credit MobiIiers from every I
resting place of forgot en- scandal n ,
8 certainly enough TO invite the at. >
ention OF the living practitioners of 4
be fine art of government. contract. q.
ng and to start up all the fires Of all {
he Furnacevilles. We should rav In a
he beautiful language of ptomotiop /
0 interest or appeal to" alert D
financial emit rprise; for II The free ,
nd easy policy inauggrated in the I
resent amazing conditional award of n
be contract to William J. Oliver Is I
, mark the future relations between >
he government and the contractor. 4
no knows how soon or by what easy 4
recess of evolution and traas6erra. r
on the meagre 6.75 may become a .
Fortified rs or 30? n the canal is 20 u
e constructed more or less upon he 2
ystem and according TO the methods 0
'hich have filled with sesndalous De. 4
vi 20 many of the pages Of the his p
ny OF government work done by a
riTste contraci. who can fofeteii the II
tact share Of the contractor in the z
aal superintendent Of the hundreds
millions that viii constitute the a
and total of expenditure? r.
We fseall therefore. to the stter II