Norwich bulletin., 1909-12-08
rlsEs u!HE ID IHaYE.

- ing the revision in whole or in part of the existing treaty with Siam. which was co cluded in 1856 and is now, in respect to many of it's provisions, out of date.
 The Department of State.
 I earnestly recommend to the favor able action of the congress the esti- mates submitted by the department of state and most especially the legisla- ton suggested in the secretary of states letter of this date whereby it will be possible to develop and make permanent the reorganization of the department upon modern lines In a manner to make it a thoroughly ef- ficient instrument in the furtherance of our foreign trade and of American interests abroad. The plan to have divisions of Latin American and far eastern affairs and to institute a cer- tain specialization in business with Europe and the near east will at once commend itself. These politico-geo- graphical divisions and the detail from the diplomatic or consular service to the department of a number of men who bring to the study of complicated problems in different parts of the world practical knowledge recently gained on the spot clearly is of the greatest ad- vantage to the secretary of state in foreseeing conditions likely to arise and in conducting the great variety of correspondence and negotiation. It should be remembered that such facil- ities exist in the foreign offices of all the leading commercial nations and that to deny them to the secretary of state would be to place this govern ment at a great disadvantage in the rivalry of commercial competition.
 improved Consular Service.
 The consular service has been great ly improved under the law of April 3. 1906, and the executive order of June 27, 1906, and l commend to your con- sideration the question of embodying in a statute the principles of the pres ent executive order upon which the efficiency of our consular service is wholly dependent.
 In modern times political and com mercial interests are interrelated, and in the negotiation of commercial trea- ties, conventions and tarin agreements, the keeping open of opportunities and the proper support of American enter prises our diplomatic service is quite as important as the consular service to the business interests of the country. Impressed with this idea and con vinced that selection after rigorous ex- animation, promotion for merit solely and the experience only to be gained through the continuity of an organized service are indispensable to a high de- gree of efficiency in the diplomatic service, have signed an executive or der as the first step toward this very desirable result. Its effect should be to place all secretaries in the diplo- matic service in much the same posi- lion as consular officers are now placed and to tend to the promotion of the most efficient to the grade of minister, generally leaving for outside appoint ment such posts of the grade of ann bassador or minister as it may be ex- pedient to fill from without the serv- ice. . It is proposed also to continue the practice instituted last summer. of giving to all newly appointed secre- taries at least one months thorough training in the department of state be- fore they proceed to their posts. This has been done for some time in regard to the consular service with excellent results.
 Under a provision of the act of Aug. 5, 1909, I have appointed three officials to assist the officers of the government in collecting information necessary to a wise administration of the tarlf act of Aug. 5, 1909. As to questions of customs administration they are CO., operating with the officials of the treasury department and as to matters of the needs and the exigencies of our manufacturers and exporters with the department of commerce and labor in its relation to the domestic aspect of the subject of foreign commerce. In lllt ol NaAih they will assist the bureau of trade relations of the department of state. It is hoped thus to coordinate and bring to bear upon this most important subject all the agencies of the govern ment which can contribute anything to it's efficient handling.
 As a consequence of section of the tariff act of Aug. 5, 1909, it becomesHthe duty of the secretary of state to con- duct as diplomatic business all the negotiations necessary to place him ~ a position to advise me as to whether or not a particular country unduiy dis criminates against the United States fin the sense of the statute referred to. The great scope and complexity of this work, as well as the obligation to lend all proper aid to our expanding com merce, is met by the expansion of the bureau of trade relations as set forth in the estimates for the department of state.