Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-12-04
EXTENSION OF BoREIeN TRADE.

ltStll 10 Tie appiONdi "a tuo houeO Va
Representatives,.
EXTENSION OF EOREIGN TRADE.
In the course of this communication
reference mas more than once been made
to the policy of the Government AS re-
CARDS the extension of our foreign trade.
IL seems proper TO declare the general
principles that should. in my opinien,
underite our national efforts in this di>
rectioD. The main conditions of the
d. eblem may be thusly stated: We are
people in mechanical pursuits and fertile
liz invention. We cover vast extent.
of territory, rich in agricultural products
ah6 In nearly all the raw materials ne
crssary for successful manufacture. We
have system OF productive establish
ments mere than sufficient to supply our
Own demands, the wages of labor no
where else SO grrat, the scale of living
of our artisan classes is such IS tends
10 secure their personal comfort and
the development of those higher morals
and, intellectual faculties that go to the
making OF good citizens, our system of
tax and tariff legislation is yielding
revenue which is IN excess of the present
needs of the government; these are ele-
ments from which it is sought to devise
a scheme by which without unfavorably
changing the condition of the working
men, our merchant marine shall be re-
lieved from its enfeebled condition and
new markets provided for sale beyond
our borders of the manifold fruits of
our industrial enterprises. The problem
is complex and can be solved by no single
measure of innovation or reform. The
countries of the American continent and
the adjacent islands are for the United
States the natural marts of supply and
demand; it is from them we should OBJ
tain what We dolnot produce. or do not
produce IN suficiency. and it is to them
the surplus productions of our fields. our
.uills and our workshops should flow
under conditions that will equalize or
favor thens in comparison with foreign
lcompelitionI Four paths of policy seem
to point to this end.
First---A series of reciprocal CONNER
cizl treaties withtte countries of Amer
ica, which shall foster between us and
them an unhampered NOV ement of
trade, and the condition of these treaties
should be the free admission of such
merchandise as this country does not
produce in return for admission free OF
lunder favored scheme of duties of our
own products, the benefits of such ex-
change to apply only to goods under the
dag of the parties to the contract, the
removal on both sides from the vessels
so privileged, of all tonnage duties and
imports, so that their vessels may ply
lunhindercd between our ports and those
iof the other contracting parties. though
without infringing on the reserved home
cuasting trade, the removal OF reduction
sf burdens on the exporttd product of
those countries coming within the bene-
dts of the treaties, and the avoidance of
The technical restrictions and penalties
by which our intercourse with those
countries is at present hampered.
Secondly-The establishment of the
consular service of the United States
ona salaried footing, thus permitting
the REIMBURSEMENT of consular fees, n OF
only as respects vessels under the Ma
| Jional flag. but also as respects vessels
of the treaty nations carrying goo Is en-
titled to the benefits of the treaties.
Thirdly-The enactment of measures
| to favor the construction and mainte-
nance of 9 steam carrying marine under
the flag of the United States.
Fourthly-The establishment of uni
form currency basis for the countries of
America, so that the coined products of
of our mines may circulate on equal
terms throughout tue whole system of
the commonwealth. y
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
On the goth of Feb. last l transmitted
to Congress the first annual report of The
Civil Service Commission, togetfrer with
communications from the heads of the
several Executive Departments of the
Government respecting the practical
working of the law under which the