The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-06
FOREIGN TRADE.
Reciprocity and Improved Merchant
Marine Suggested

Reciprocity and Improved Merchant
Marine Suggested
In order to execute as early as posi-
Bile the provisions of third and fourth
sections of the revenue act approved
July a, 1897, I appointed the Hon. John
A. Kasson, of Iowa. a special commits
sioner plenipotentiary to undertake the
requisite negotiations with foreign
countries desiring to avau themselves
OF these provisions. The negotiations
are now proceeding with several gov
ernments, both European and Ameri-
can It is believed that by q careful
exercise of the powers conferred by
that act some grievances of our own
and of other countries in our mutual
trade relations may be either removed
or largely alleyiated, and that the vol
urne of our commercial exchanges may
be enlarged, with advantages to both
contracting parties.
Most desirable from every standpoint
OF national interests and patriotism is
the effort to extend our foreign COM
merce. To this end our merchant ma
rine should. be improved and enlarged.
We should do our full share of the car
rying trade of the world. We do not do
it now. We should be the laggard no
longer. The inferiority of our merchant
marine is justly humiliating to the ma
tiOnal pride. The government by every
proper constitutional means should aid
in making our ships familiar visitors at
every commercial port OF the world, thus
opening up new and valuable markets
to surplus products of the farm and the
factory.
The efforts which had been made dur
ing the two previous years by my pre-
decessOr to secure better protection to
the fur seals in the north Pacific ocean
and Bering sea were renewed at an ear
ly date by this administration and have
been pursued with earnestness. Upon
my invitation the governments of Jap
an and Russia sent delegates to Wash
ington and an international conference
was held during the months of october
and November last, wherein it was un-
animously agreed that under the exist
ing regulations this species of useful
animals was threatened with extinction
and that an international agreement of
all the interested powers was necessary
for their adequate protection.
The government of Great Britain did
not see proper to be properly represent
ed at this conference, but subsequently
sent to Washington as delegates the e1-
pert commissioners of Great Britain
and Canada, who had, during the past
two years, visited the Pribylof islands
and who met in conference similar COM
miSsioners on the part of the United
States. The result of this conference
was an agreement on important facts
connected with the condition of the
seal herd, heretofore in dispute, which
should place beyond controversy the
duty of the governments concerned to
adopt measures without delay for the
preservation and restoration of the
herds. Negotiations to this end are
now in progress, the result of which
date.
International arbitration cannot be
omitted from the list of subjects COM
ing out of the consideration. Events
have only served to strengthen the gen
eral views on this question, expressed
in my inaugural address. The best sent
iment of the civilized world is moving
toward the settlement of differences
between nations without resorting to
the horrors of war. Treaties embody-
ing these humane principles on these
broad lines without in any way imperil-
ing our interests or our honor shall
have my constant announcement.
The acceptance of this government of
the invitation of the republic of France
to participate in the universal expOsi-
ton of 1900 at Paris, was Immediately
followed by the appointment of a spec
ial commissioner to represent the Uni
ted States in the proposed exposition
with special reference to the securing of
space for an adequate exhibition on be-
half of the United States.
The special commissioner delayed his
departure for Paris long enough to as
certain the probable demand for space
by American exhibitors. His inquiries
developed an almost unprecedented in
terest in the proposed exhibition and
the information thus acquired enabled
him to justify an application for
much larger allotment of space for the
American section than had been reserV-
ed by the exposition authorities. The
result was particularly gratifying, in
view of the fact that the United States
was one of the last countries to accept
the invitation of France.
The reception accorded our special
commissioner was most cordial and he
was given every reasonable assurance
that the United States would receive
a consideration commensurate with the
PROPORTIONS of our exhibit. The report
of the special commissioners as to the
magnitude and Importance of the COM
ing exposition and the great demand
for space for American exhibits, sup
plies new arguments for liberal and
judicious appropriation by congress to
the end that an exhibit fully represen-
tative of the Industries and the re-
sources of our country may be made in
an exposition which will illustrate the
worlds progress during the 18th cen
tury The exposition is intended to
be the most important and comprehen-
siVe of the long series of international
exhibitions, of which our own at Chica-
go was a brilliant example, and it is
desirable that the United States make
a worthy exhibit of American genius
and skill and their unrivaled achieve
r0entS in every branch of industry.