The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-05

- SE1E9 ~ - eAAGAAk ~ h0NO vi VAAA
GERS In the navy which should be open to
the enlisted men who serve sufficiently
long and who do their work well.
Among the officers there should be se-
we're examinations to weed out the unit
UP TO the grade of major.
Practice marches and field nlaneu-
Sers S q he last two or three years
should be continued and extended. A rigid
and not n p~erfunctory examination OF
physical capacity has been provided for
well.
Perhaps the most important Of all legis-
latton needed for the beneft of the army
is a law to equalize and increase the pay
OF officers and enlisted men of the army,
navy. marine corps, and revenue cutter
service.
To build one. battleship OF the best and
keep our fleet up to Its present force. ThiA
is not enough. In my judgment, we should
this year provide for four ba~ttleships. But
II Is Idle TO build battleships unless in ad-
dition to providing the men. and the
means for thorough training, we provide
the auxiliaries for them, unless we provide
docks, the coaling stations, the golfers
and supply ships that they need. We ara
extremely deficient In coalin~ stations and
docks on the Pacific. and this deficiency
should not longer De permitted to exist.
should be built. Both on the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts, Notifications of the
pest type should be provided for all our
6I6dlGSI ndTDOTH.
The battle fleet is about starting
by the Straits OF Magellan TO visit Ia
racine coast. Sixteen battleships are GO
ing under the command Of Read Admiral
two other battleships will meet him al
San Francisco. whittier certain torpedo
DESTROYER are 'also going. No fleet OF
and 1t will be OF very great educationai
use to all engaged In &c. The only way
oy which to teach officers and men how
TO handle the fleet so as to meet every
possible strain and emergency In time OF
war Is to have them practice under SINH
lar conditions In time of peace. More
needs Is to perform in dime of peace
whatever maneuvers might be necessary
IL time or war.
The Japanese Exposition.
An invitation has been extended by ia
United states to participate In a great
national exposition to be held az Tokio
from April ! to October 81, 1912. and in
world are to be invited to take part. This
Is an occasion of especial Interest to ali
the nations OF the word. and peculiarly
which such a great national exposition
has been held by a great power dwelling
on the Pacific; and all the nations OF
se Ir1pS ana 70 s1 america VIII, l trust, Join In
Asia.
heartily recommend such legislation
as will provide in generous fashion for
the representation Of this government
and its people in the proposed exposi-
tion.
The adoption of a new tariff bv Ger
many, accompanied by conventions for re-
ciprocal tariff concessions between that
country, and most of the other countries
OF continental EUROPE, led the German
government to give the notice necessary
TO terminate the reciprocal commercial
agreement with this country proclaimed
July IL, 1900. The notice was to take erect
on the lst OF March, 1906, and in default
or some other arrangements this would
have left the exports from the United
states to Germany subject to the general
cent. higher than the conventional dufies
imposed upon the goods of most Of our
compe itors for German trade ..
a turther temporary commercial agree
ment was entered into by the two coun-
tries. pursuant to which. In the exercise
or the authority conferred upon the presl.
dent by the third section Of the tariff act
OF July "A, 1897, | extended the reduced
tarin rates provided for In that Eection to
champagne and all other sparkling wines,
and pursuant to which the German con-
Ventional or minimum tariff rates wer,
extended to about I961k per cent of all the
exports from the United States to Ger
many. This agreement Is to remain In
force until the 30th of June, 1908, and until
six months after notice by either party
to terminate 1t.
The agreement and the report of the
commission on which II is based will be
laid before the congress for its informa-
ton.
This careful examination into the tariff
relations between the United States and
Germany involved an inquiry INTO certain
OF our methods OF administration which
the part Of German exporters. In this in-
quiry / became satisfied tina certain VII
cious and unjustifiable practices had
grown up In our customs administration.
Notably tho nra nffoa nf 1atarp,E1l,- - ~
OF imports upon detective reports never
disclosed to the persons whose interests
were affected. The use of detectives,
though often necessary, tends towards
abuse, and should be carefully guarded,
Under our practice as l found It to exist
In this case, the abuse had become gross
and dlsGreditable. Under it, instead OF
seeking information as to the market
value of merchandise from the w~ell-known
and respected members Of the commercial
community In the country of its produc-
informers and discharged employees and
business rivals. and upon this kind Of
secret evidence the values of Imported
goods were frequently raised and heavy
importers who were never permitted to
know what the evidence was and who
never had an opportunity to meet 1t. It Is
quite probable that this system tended
lected upon imported goods, but / conceive
1t to be a violation OF law to exact
more uuUeS Inan the law provides. inst
as 1t is a violation to admit goods upon
the payment Of less than the legal rate
OF duty.
/ accordingly caused the regulations
governing this branch Of the Gus
toms service to be modified so that val
ues are determined upon a hearing In
which all the parties Interested have an
opportunity to be heard and to know the
evidence against them. Moreover our
treasury agents are accredited to the
government Of the country in which they
seek information, and in Germany receive
the, assistance OF the quasi official cham
bers of commerce in determining the act
ual market value OF goods, In accordance
with what 1 am advised to be the true
These changes Of regulations were
adapted to the removal Of such manifest
abuses that / have not felt that they
ought to be confined to our relations with
Germany: and I q extended their op-
eraI1on TO all other countries which nave
expressed Q desire to enter into similar
administrative rela atoms.
l ask for authority to reform the agree
ment with China under which the indem.
nifty of 1900 was fixed. by RENTING and
canceling the obligation OF hin for the
payment OF all tllat part of the stipulated
indemnity which Is In ext esq of the sum