davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Special Em-
baSsy From
the Sultan


Ottoman empire from one of retrograde
tendencies to constitutional govern
ment with a parliament and with pro-
grsssiye policies of reform and public
Improvement is one of the important
phenomena of our times. Constitutions
further advance in Persia. These
events have turned the eyes of the
world upon the near east. In that
quarter the prestige of the United
peaceful influence OF American schools,
universities and missionaries. There is
every reason why we should obtain
greater share of the commerce of the
near east since the conditions are more
favorable now than ever before.
One of the happiest events in recent
pan-American diplomacy was the pa
cific. independent settlement by the
governments of Bolivia and Peru of
boundary difference between them
which for some weeks threatened to
bitterments affecting other republics
less directly concerned. From various
quarters, directly or indirectly con-
cerned. the intermediation of the
United States was sought to assist in
solution of the controversy. Desiring
at all times to abstain from any un-
due mingling in the affairs of sister re-
publics, and having faith in the ability
of the governments of Peru and Bolivia
themselves to settle their differences in
a manner satisfactory to themselves.
Wnlcn, viewed WlIn mag {,
would assuage all embitterment, this
government steadily abstained from
being drawn into the controversy and
was much gratified to find its conf
dence justified by events.
The 9Th of July next there will open
at BuenoS Aires the fourth pan-Ameri-
can conference. This conference will
have a special meaning to the hearts
of all Americans, because around its
date are clustered the anniversaries of
the independence of so many of the
American republics. 1t is not neces-
sary for me to remind the congress of
the political, social and commercial i'm
portance of these gatherings. You are
asked to make liberal appropriation for
our participation. If this be granted,
it is my purpose to appoint a distin-
guished and representative delegation.
qualified fittingly to represent this
country and to deal with the problems
of intercontinental interest which will
there be discussed.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
b ure a u of
American Re-
pubics Busy


tions as an international agency, main
tained by all the American republics,
for the development OF pan-Amerlcan
commerce. and friendship, 1t has ac-
complished great practical good,
which could be done in the same way
by no individual department or bureau
Q OF one government, ,,,a and srt Is therefore
The fact that it is about TO enter a
new building, erected through the mu-
nificence of an American philanthropist
and the contributions of all the Ameri-
can nations, where both its efficiency of
administration and expense of MAIN
tenance will no doubt be much aug
mented, naturally entitled it to con-
In the far east this government pre-
serves unchanged its policy of support
ing the principle of equality of .oppor-
tunity and scrupulous respect for the
integrity of the Chinese empire, to
which policy are pledged the inter
ested powers of both east and west. BY
taken the abolition of likin with a
moderate and proportionate raising of
the customs tariff along with currency
reforms These reforms being OF mani
fest advantage to foreign commerce, as
well as TO the interests of China, this
government is endeavoring to facilitate
these measures and the needful ac-
quiescence of the treaty powers. When
were to be hypothecated to foreign
bankers in connection with great rail-
way project, it was obvious that the
governments bankers who held this
loan would have certain direct inter-
est in the question of the carrying out
by China of the reforms in question.
Because this railroad loan represented
practical and real application of the
open door policy through cooperation
with China by interested powers, as
well as because of its relations to the
reforms referred to above, the admin
istration deemed American participa-
tion to be of great national interest.
Happily, when it was as a matter of
broad policy urgent that this oppcr-
-tunity should not be lost, the indis-
pensable instrumentality presented it
self when group of American bank
ers of international reputation and
great resources agreed at once TO share
in the loan upon precisely such terms
as this government should approve.
The chief of those terms was that
American railway material should be
upon an exact equality with that of the
other nations joining in the loan in the
placing of orders for this whole rail-
road system. After months of negotia-
tion the equal participation of Ameri-
cans seems at last assured. 1t is graft
flying that Americans will thus take
their share in this extension of these
great highways of trade, and to believe
that such activities will give real i'm
petus to our commerce, and will prove
practical corollary to our historic
policy in the far east.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Good Progress
In Sanitation
In Cuba

United States is interested under the
treaty, are reported to be making good
progress, and since the congress pro-
yided for the continuance of the recip-
rocal commercial arrangement between
Cuba and United States assurance has
been received that no negotiations in
juriously affecting the situation will be
undertaken without consultation.
The collection of the customs of the
Dominican republic through the general
receiver of customs appointed by the
president of the United States in ac-
cordance with the convention of Feb
ruary s, 1907, has proceeded in an un-
eventful and satisfactory manner. The
customs receipts have decreased, owing
to disturbed political and economic
conditions and to very natural cur
tailment of imports in view of the an
tariff schedule. The payments to the
fiscal agency fund for the service of
the bonded debt of the republic, as pro-
vided by the convention. have been
regularly and promptly made, and sat
isfactory progress has been made in
carrying out the provisions of the con-
vention looking toward the completion
of the adjustment of the debt and the
requirement by the Dominican govern
ment of certain concessions and monop-
olies which have been a burden to the
receivership has demonstrated it's abil-
ity, even under unfortunate economic
and political conditions to- do the work
for it was intended.
1nlS government was ODllSeu TO III :
tervene automatically to bring about
arbitration or settlement of the claim
of the Emery company against Mica
ragua. which it had long before been
agreed should be arbitrated. settle
ment of this troublesome case was
reached by the signature of a protocol
September IS, 1909.
Many years ago diplomatic interven-
tion became necessary for the protec-
ton of the interests in the American
claim of Alsop & Co. against the gov
ernment of Chile. The government of
Chile. had frequently. admitted obliga-
tion in the case and had promised this
government to settle it. There had
been two abortive attempts to do SO
through arbitral commissions, which
failed through lack of jurisdiction.
Now, happily, as the result of the
recent diplomatic negotiations, the
governments of the United States and
of Chile, actuated by the sincere desire
to free from any strain those cordial
and friendly relations upon which both
set such store, have agreed by pro-
tocol to submit>the controversy to def
nitiye settlement by his Britannia
majesty, Edward VII.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Consular Ser
vice Great
Iy Improved


the question of embodying in statute
the principles of the present 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
treaties, conventions and tariff agree
ments the keeping open of opportunl-
ties and the proper support OF Amer1-
can enterprises our diplomatic service
is quite as important as the consular
service to the business interests of the
country. Impressed with this idea and
convinced that selection after rigorous
examination, promotion for merit solely
and the experience only to be gained
through the continuity OF an organized
service are indispensable to high de-
gree of efficiency in the diplomatic
order as the first step toward this de-
sirable result. It's effect should be to
place all secretaries in the diplomatic
service in much the same position as
to tend to the promotion of the most
efficient to the grade OF minister. gen
orally leaving for outside appointment
such posts of the grade of ambasSa-
dor and minister as it may be expe-
dent to fill from without the service.
1t is proposed also to continue the prac-
tice Instituted last summer of giving
to all newly appointed secretaries at
least one months thorough training in
the department of state before 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 Au
gust 5, 1903. have appointed three
officials to assist the officers OF the gov
ernment in collecting information nee
essary to a wise administration of the
tariff act of August 5. 1909. AS to ques-
tions of customs administration. these
are cooperating with the officials of
the treasury department, and as to mat
ters 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 COM
merce In the study of foreign tariff
treatment they will assist the bureau
of trade relations of the department of
state 1t is thus hoped to coordinate
and bring to bear upon this most i'm
portant subject all of the agencies of
the government which can contribute
anything to it's efficient handling
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

AS a consequence
of section 2 of the
tariff act of August
5, 1909, it becomes
the duty of the sec
retary of state to
conduct as diplo-
matte business all
t h e negotiations
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The Argentine
republic will also
hold from May to
November, 1910, at
Buenos Aires, a
great international
agricultural a exhi-
bition, in which the
limited States ha g
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The imperial Chi
nese government,
in pursuance of it's
decision to devote
funds from the
portion of the in
demnity remitted
by the u n ! t e d
States TO the send
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Urges Special Legislation to
Suppress Traffic In
white Slaves
Declares Settlement Made With
Sugar Trust Will Not Prevent
Criminal Prosecution

already receiving the study of both
countries.
The department of state is consider
ing the revision in whole, or in part,
of the existing treaty with Siam. which
was concluded in 1856. and is now, in
respect to many of its provisions, out
of date.
able action of the congress the estf-
mates submitted by the department of
state, and most especially the legisla--
tion suggested in the secretary of
states letter of this date. whereby 1T
will be possible to develop and make
permanent the reorganization of the
department upon modern lines in a
cfent instrument in the furtherance OF
our foreign trade and of American IN
terests abroad. The plan to have dIv1-
sions of American and far east
ern affairs and to institute a certain
specialization in business with Europe
and the near east will at once COM
mend itself. These politico -geog ographi-
cal divisions and the detail from the
diplomatic or consular service to the
bring TO the study of complicated prob
lens 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 1t
should be remembered that such facili-
ties exist in the foreign of1ces or all
the leading nations, and that to deny
them to the secretary of state would
be to place this government at great
disadvantage in the rivalry of COM
mercial competition.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

Since the Wash
ington conventions
of 1907 were COM
municated to the
government of the
United States as a
consulting and adj
vising party this
government h a S
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The lib eri a n
government af-
forded every facil-
ity to the commits
sion for ascertain
ing the true state
of affairs. The COM
mission also had
conferences with
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Congo Annex
alton Still an
Open Question


ernment and enlisted the sympathy of
our best citizens, is still open, but in a
more hopeful stage. This government
was among the foremost in the great
work of uplifting the uncivilized regions
OF Africa and urging the extension of
the benefits of civilization, education
vast domain, and is party to treaty
engagements of all the interested
powers designed to carry out that great
duty to humanity The way to better
the original and adventitious condi-
tions, so burdensome to the natives and
so destructive TO their development, has
been pointed out, by observation and
experience, not alone of American rep
resentatives. but by cumulative evil
dence from all quarters and by the in
vestigations of Belgian agents. The
announced programs OF reforms, strik-
ing at many of the evils known TO ex-
ist, are an augury of better things. The
attitude of the United States is one OF
benevolent encoura cement coupled with
a hopeful trust that the good work re-
Sponsibly undertaken and zealously per-
fected TO the accomplishment of the
justify the wisdom that inspires them
and satisfy the demands of humane
sentiment throughout the world.
A convention between the United
States and Germany under which the
nonworking provisions of the German
patent law are made inapplicable to the
patents of American citizens was con-
cludec February %, 1903. and Is now
in force Negotiations for similar con-
ventions looking to the placing of
American inventors on the same foot
ing as those of other nations have
recently been initiated with other
European governments whose laws re-
quire the local working of foreign
patents.
Under an appropriation made az the
last session of the congress, a com
mission was sent on American cruisers
TO Monrovia to investigate the inter
ests of the United States and its citi-
ZenS in Liberia. Upon its arrival at
Monrovia the commission was enthusi-
astically received, and during its stay
in Liberia was everywhere met with
the heartiest expressions of good will
for the American government and
people, and the hope was repeatedly
expressed on all sides that this govern
ment might see its way clear to do
something to relieve the critical posi-
tion of the republic, arising in meas
ure from external as well as internal
and financial embarrassments.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Japanese Re-
Iafions Cons
tinue Cordial

Hudson Fulton celebration. The recent
visit of a delegation of prominent
businessmen as guests of the chambers
OF commerce of the Pacific slope. whose
representatives had been so agreeably
received In Japan, will doubtless con-
tribute to- the growing trade across the
Pacific, as well as to that mutual un-
derstanding which leads to mutual ap-
probation. The arrangement of 1908
ing of laborers to the United States has
proved to work satisfactorily The
matter of revision of the existing
treaty between the United States and
Japan, which is terminabie in[f912. is
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The international
bureau of Ameri- =
can republics has
carried on an I'M
portant and In
creasing work dur
ing the last year.
In the exercise of
ire uecuIiar func-
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
| Chinese Sfu-
dents Welcome
to Country

ing of students to this country, has al
carrying out this purpose, and a con- on
siderable body of students have arrived
to take up their work in our schools
happy effect that the associations
formed by these representative young
men will have when they return to
take up their work in the progressive
Development of their country.
The results of the opium conference
held at Shanghai last spring at the in
vitation of the United States have been
laid before the government The report
shows, that China is making remarkable
progress and admirable efforts toward
the eradication of the opium evil, and
that the governments concerned have
not allowed their commercial interests
to interfere with a helpful cooperation
in this reform. Collateral investiga-
tions of the opium question in this
country lead me to recommend that the
manufacture, sale and use of opium and
its derivatives in the United States
should be, so far as possible, more rig
orously controlled by legislation.
In one of the Chinese-Japanese con-
ventions of September of this year
there was provision which caused
considerable public apprehension, in
that upon its face it was believed in
some quarters to seek to establish a
monopoly of mining privileges along
the. south .Manchurian and Antung-
Americans from a wide field of enter
prise, to take part in which they were
entitled by treaty with China. After a
thorough examination of the conven-
tions and of the several contextual
documents, the secretary of state
reached the conclusion that no such
monopoly was intended or accom-
plished. However, in view of the wide
spread discussion of this question to
confirm the view it had reached, this
government made inquiry of the i'm
kperial Chinese and Japanese govern
ments, and received from each official
assurance that the provision had no
purpose inconsistent with the policy of
equality of opportunity to which the
signatories, in common with the United
States, are pledged.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The pan -Ameri-
can policy of this
government has
long been fixed in
its principles and
remains unchanged.
With the changed
circumstances of
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Maritime Law
COdifcafiOn
Satisfactory

its general adoption as well as remove
one Of, the difficulties standing in the
way Of the establishment of an inter-
national prize court.
Under the authority given in the
sundry civil appropriation act, approved
March 4, 1903. the United States was
represented at the international COM
ference on maritime law at Brussels.
The conference met the 2Sth day of
September last and resulted in the sig
nature and referendum of a convention
for the uniflcation of certain regula-
lions with regard to maritime assist
ance and salvage and a convention for
the unifcatfon of certain rules with
regard to collisions at sea-
The new projects Of convention which
have not heretofore been considered in
= diplomatic conference, namely one
concerning the limitation of the respon-
sibility Of ship owners, and the other
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The sanitary inn
provements and
public works un-
dertaken in Cuba
prior to the pres
ent administration
of that govern
ment, in the sue
cess of which the
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

His majesty Meh :
lined V, sultan of
re u + X e Y, recently
sent to this country
Ia special embassy
!to announce his ac-
Icession. The quick
transition of the
government of the
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
His maiesty Men.

be devised by the conference for the
islands.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08
Canadian Re-
IatiOnS TO Be
Looked Into

countries OF certain or the boundary
waters and the appointment of commits
siOners TO adjust certain other ques-
tiOns, signed the 11th day of January,
1903, and TO the ratification Of which
the senate gave its advice and consent
March 3, 1903, has not yet been ratified
on the part of Great Britain.
Commissioners have been appointed
on the part Of the United States TO act
Jointly with commissioners on the part
OF Canada IN examining into the ques-
tiOn OF distractions in the st. John
river between Maine and New Bruins
wick. and TO make recommendations
for the regulation Of the uses thereof,
and are now engaged in this work.
Negotiations for an international
conference TO consider and reach an
arrangement providing for the preser-
walton and protection of the fur seals
In the north Pacific are in progress
with rne governments of Great Britain
Japan and Russia. The attitude of the
governments Interested leads me to
hope for a satisfactory settlement of
this question as the ultimate outcome
OF the negotiations
The second conference recently held
al The Hague adopted a convention for
the establishment of an international
prize court upon the joint proposal of
delegations Of the United States,
France, Germany and Great Britain.
The law to be observed by the tribunal
ia the decision Of prize cases was,
however, left in an uncertain and there
fore unsatisfactory state. Article OF
the convention provided that the court
was to be governed by the provisions
of treaties existing between the beliig-
erents. but that in the absence of such
provisions the court shall apply the
rules of international law If no gen.
orally recognized rule exists the court
shall give judgment in accordance with
the general principles of justice and
equity As, however, many questions
IN an international maritime law are
understood differently. and therefore
interpreted differently in various coun-
tries. it was deemed advisable not to
intrust legislative powers to the pro-
posed court, but TO determine the rules
Of law properly p iicable in con-
ference of the representative maritime
nations Pursuant TO an invitation of
Great Britain, j conf =rence was held at
London from December 2, 1905. to Feb
rusry 26. 1909. in which the following
powers participated: The United
States, austria Hungary, France. Ger
many. Great Britain. Italy. Japan, The
Netherlands, Russia and Spain. The
conference resulted IN the declaration
OF London, unanimously agreed to and
signed by the participating powers
concerning. among other matters, the
highly important subjects of blockade,
contraband. the destruction of neutral
prizes and continuous voyages.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The C o n S u ! a r
service has been
greatly improved
under the law of
April 8, 1906, and
the executive order
of June 81, 1906,
and l commend to
your consideration
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The convention
providing for the
settlement of in
ternational differ
Iences between the
United States and
lCanada. including
the apportionment
between the two
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

In the present
e 5 { l m a t e 5 the
needs of the de-
partments and OF
{ h e government
have been cut to
the quick, so to
speak, and any as
sumption on the
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

to the attention of the congress in
special message.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The u e S tt o n
arising out of the
Belgian annexation
of the independent
state of the Congo,
which has so long
and earnestly pre-
occupied the atten-
ton of this gov
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

Our traditional
relations with the
Japanese empire
continue cordial, as
usual. AS the
representative of
Japan, his Imperial |
Highness Prince
Kuni visited the
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The declaration
Of London is an
eminently satisfar-
tory codihcation Of
the international
maritime law, and
II is hoped that its
reasona bleness and
fairness Will secura
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-08

The report OF the
5 e c r e ary shows
that the ordinary
expenditures for the
fiscal year
e N d j n g June 80,
1910, will exceed
1.-THE estimated re-
!. L.cairafc - anl ~