Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-08
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT TAFT TO THE CONGRESS
Real Importance Connection With Prosperity of the People

ment OF Justice, as proposed, might by
giving immunity and otherwise prove an
embarrassment in securing conviction Of
the guilty parties,
No Tariff war.
Two features Of the new tariff act call
for special reference. - virtue Of the
clause known as the maximum and mini
mum" clause, It is the duty Of the exc
cutve to consider the laws and practices
Of other countries with reference to the
Importation into those countries Of the
products and merchandise OF the United
States. and II the executive finds such
laws and practices not to be unduly dis
criminatory against the United States the
minimum duties provided in the bill are
to go into force. Unless the president
makes such a finding. then the maximum
duties provided In the bill, that is, an
increase of % per cent ad valorem over
the minimum duties, are to be in force.
Fear has been expressed that this power
conferred and duty imposed on the execu-
tive is likely to lead to a tariff war.
beg to express the hope and belief that
no such result need be anticipated.
The discretion granted to the executive
by the terms "unduly dlscrimlnatory" is
wide. In order that the maximum duty
shall be charged against the imports from
country, II is necessary that he shall
find on the part of that country not only
determinations in its laws or the practice
under them against the trade Of the
United States, but that the discrimina-
tions found shall be undue; that is with
out good and fair reason. l conceive that
this power was reposed in the president
with the hope that the maximum duties
might never be applied in any case, but
that the power to apply them would en-
able the president and the State depart
ment through friendly negotiation to Sc
cure the elimination from the laws and the
practice under them Of any foreign country
OF that which Is unduly discriminatory.
No one is seeking a tariff war or a con-
dition in which the spirit Of retaliation
shall be aroused.
Work of Tariff Commission.
The new tariff law enables me to ap-
point a tariff board to assist me in con-
nection with the Department Of State in
the administration of the minimum and
maximum clause of the act and also to
assist officers Of the government in the
administration Of the entire law An ex-
animation Of the law and an understanding
OF the nature Of the facts which should be
considered in dscharging the functions Inn
posed upon the executive show that have
the power to direct the tariff board to
make a comprehensive glossary and ency-
elopedia of the terms used and articles en-
braced in the tariff law, and to secure in
formation as to the cost Of production of
such goods in this country and the cost
Of their production in foreign countries
hava tberafora appoiptad "a III hoard
consisting Of three members and have di-
rected them to perform all the duties above
described. This work will perhaps take
two or three years, and I ask from con-
gress a continuing annual appropriation
equal to that already made for Its prosecu-
ton. 1 believe that the work Of this board
will be Of prime utility and importance
whenever congress shall deem It wise again
to readjust the customs duties.
Changes i'm the Army.
The secretary Of war calls attention
to a number Of needed changes in
the army in all Of which I concur, but
the point upon which I place most en-
phasis is the need for an elimination bill
providing a method by which the merits Of
officers shall have some effect upon their
advancement and by which the advance
ment Of all may be accelerated by the ef-
fective elimination of definite proportion
Of the least efficient. There are in every
army, and certainly in ours, a number Of
officers who do not violate their duty in
any such way as to give reason for a
court-martial or dismissal but who do not
show such aptitude and skill and character
for high command as to justify their re-
naming in the active service to be pro.
NOTED. Provision should be made by which
they may be retired on a certain proportion
Of their pay, increasing with their length
OF service at the time OF retirement. There
Is now a personnel law for the navy which
itself needs amendment ana to which
shall make further reference. Such a law
Is needed quite as much for the army.
Coast Defensss.
The coast dSfsnEss of the United States
proper are generally all that could be de-
sired, and in some respects they are rather
more elaborate than under present eondi-
tionS are needed to stop an ensmy's fleet
from entering the harbors defended. There
IT, however, one place where additional de-
Tense Is badly needed, and that is A. the
mouth Of Chesapeake bay, where II Is nro-
posed to make an artificial island for a
fort which shall prevent an enemy's fleet
from entering this most important strateEi
cal base OF operations on the whole At
lantio ana gulf coasts ] hope that an
propriate legislation will he adopted to Sc
cure the construction Of this defense.
The military and naval Joint board hav.
unanimously agreed that It would be un-
wise to make the large expenditures which
at one time were contemplated in the
establishment Of naval base ana station
IN the Philippine Islands and have ex-
pressed their judgment, in which l fully
eSneur' in fAVor Of making an extensive
HaVal base at Pearl HArbOr, near Honolulu.
ana not in the PHILIPPINES. This does not
dispense with the necessity for the Gem
pANtiVely small appropriations required
70 finish the proper coast dsfensss in the
philippines now under construction on the
Island Of CorreGidsr ana elsewhere or to
complete suitable repair station and coal
ing supply station az Olongapo, where Is
the floating dock Dewey" / hope that
this recommendation Of the joint board will
end the discussion as to the comparative
merits Of Manila bay and Olongapo as
naval stations, and will lead to prompt
measures for the proper equipment ana
I defense Of Pearl harbor
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