The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1909-12-17
MESSAGE.
President Taft Sends to Con-
0resS His Review Of Gov.
ePDmeDtal Affairs and His
Recommendations
Based Thereon.
HIGH COST OF LIY;NG DISCUSSED

WASHINGTON, D. c. President
Taft's first annual message to the
Congress is, in part, as follows:
To the Senate and the House of Rep
resentatives:
The relations of the United States
with all foreign governments nave
continued upon the normal basis OF
amity and good understanding and
are very generally satisfactory.
Pursuant to the provisions of the
general treaty of arbitration conclud-
ed between the United States and
Great Britain, April 4, 1908, a special
agreement was entered into between
the two countries on January ~,
1909, for the submission of questions
relating to the fisheries on the North
Atlantic coast to tribuna. to be
formed from members of the perma-
nent court of arbitration at The
Hague.
In accordance with the provisions
Of the special agreement the printed
case of each government was, on Oc-
tober last, submitted to the other
and to the arbitral tribunal at the
Hague, and the counter case of the
United States is now in course Of
preparation.
This, adds, the President. is the
first case involving such great inter
national questions which has been
submitted to the permanent court OF
arbitration at The Hague.
The President states that the treaty
between the United States and Great
Britain for the marking and defining
Of the boundary line between this
country and Canada in the waters OF
Passamaquoddy Bay makes it neces-
sary to submit the question to arbI-
tratfon.
The regulations for the protection
of food fishes in international bound
ary waters of the United States and
Canada compiled by the commission
under the convention of April IL,
1908, will be duly submitted to Con-
gress with view to the enactment
of such legislation as will be neces-
sary under the convention to put
them into operation.
Negotiations for an international
conference to reach an arrangement
providing for the preservation and
protection of the fur seals in the
North Pacific are in progress salts
factorily with the governments of
Great Britain, Japan and Russia.
The President then devotes a para
graph to the second peace conference
at The Hague and the question of an
international prize court. He speaks
of the conference held in London
from December 2, 1908, to February
26, 1909, as having resulted in an
eminently satisfactory codifcation OF
The international maritime law.
Reference is then made to. the sub
ject of reforms in the Congo. The
President says the attitude of the
United States is one of benevolent
encouragement.
Announcement is made that salts
factory patent convention with Ger
many is now in force and that efforts
for the making OF similar treaties
with other European governments are
now in progress.
The report of our commissioners
who went on friendly mission to
Liberia has just been completed and
is. now under examination by the De-
partment of State. 1t is hoped, re-
marks the Message, that there may
result some helpful measures, in
which case it may be my duty again
to invite your attention to this sub
ject.
After felicitating Turkey on her
quick transition of the government
from one of retrograde tendencies
to a constitutional government, the
Message turns to discussion of
Latin American affairs, observing
that one of the happiest events in
recent pan-American diplomacy was
the pacific, Independent settlement
by the governments of Bolivia and
Peru of a boundary difference be-
tween them, which. for some weeks
threatened to cause war.
The President continues:
The pan-American policy of this
Government has long been fixed in it's
principles and remains unchanged.
With the changed circumstances of
the United States and of the repub-
lies to the south of us, most of which
have great natural resources, stable
government and progressive ideals,
the apprehension which gave rise to
the Monroe doctrine may be said to
have nearly disappeared, and neither
the doctrine as it exists nor any other
doctrine of American policy should
be permitted to operate for the per-
petuation of irresponsible govern
ment, the escape of just obligations
or the isidious allegation of dominat-
ing ambitions on the part of the Uni
ted States
Mr.. Taft expresses his pleasure at
meeting President Diaz of Mexico, and
then remarks that all but one of the
cases which for so long vexed our re-
lations with Venezuela have been set
tied and provision has been made for
arbitration Of the remaining cases be-
fore The Hague tribunal.
The Panama government has
agreed to indemnify the relatives of
American officers and sailors who