Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-08

which was concluded in 1856 and Is
f6w, In respect to many Of ifs pro-
visions. out Of date. ss.a
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
earnestly recommend to the favor
able action Of the Congress the esti-
mates submitted by the Department
of State and most especially the legis-
lation suggested in the Secretary OF
States letter OF this date whereby 1t
win be possible to develop and make
permanent the reorganization Of the
Department upon modern lines In a
manner to make it a thoroughly eff
cfent instrument in the furtherance Of
our foreign trade and of American in
terests abroad. The plan to have
divisions of Latin American and Far
Eastern affairs and to institute a GER
tain specialization in business with
Europe and the Near East will at
once commend itself These politico-
geographical divisions and the detail
from the diplomatic or consular SER
vice to the department Of number
of men, who bring to the study Of
/
parts of the world practical knowl-
edge recently gained on the spot,
clearly is Of the greatest advantage to
the Secretary of State in foreseeing
conditions likely to arise and in con-
Quoting the great variety of COR
respondence and negotiations. It
should be remembered that such
facilities exist in the foreign offices of
all the leading commercial nations
and that to deny them to the Secre-
tary of State would be to place this
government at great disadvantage
in the rivalry of commercial COMPETE
ton.
The Consular service has been great
ly improved under the law of April S,
| 1906, and the Executive Order of June
a. 1906, and commend to pour consid-
Grafton the question of embodying in
a statute the principles Of the present
Executive Order upon which the eff
ficiency of our consular service is Who'll
ly dependent. +
In modern times political and COM
mercial interests are inter- related, and
| IN the negotiation of commercial
agreements, the keeping open of oppor-
| tunltles and the proper support of
American enterprises, our diplomatic
service is quite as important as, the
consular service to the business inter-
ests 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 degree of efficiency in the di-
plomatic service, I have signed an
Executive Order as the first step to-
ward this verv desirable result. It's
effect should be to place all secretaries
in the diplomatic service in much the
same position 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 appointment such posts OF the
grade Of ambassador or minister as
| it may be expedient to fill from without
the service. 1t is proposed also to
continue the practice instituted last
summer of giving to all newly appoint
ed secretaries at least one months
| thorough training in the Department of
States before they proceed to their
| posts. This has been done for some
time in regard to the consular SER
| vice with excellent results.
Under provision of the Act of Au-
gust 5. 1909, have appointed three off,
| Gals to- assist tile officers of the Gov
| 'ernment in collecting information
necessary to a wise administration of
the tariff act of August 5, 1909 AS to
| questions of customs Administrations
| they are cooperating 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 it's 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 hoped thus to co-ordin-
ate and bring to bear upon this most
important subject all the agencies of
the Government which can contribute
anything to its efficient handling.
AS consequence of Section of the
tariff act of August 5, 1909, it becomes
the duty of the Secretary of State to
conduct as diplomatic business all the
negotiations necessary to place him in
position to advise me as to whether
or not a particular country unduiy dis
eliminates against the United States in
the sense of the statute referred to. The
great scope and completely 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. e-..t = a-.'-'-.s t,- "a .
OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
I have thus in some detail described
the important transactions of the State
Department since the beginning of this
Administration for the reason that
there is no provision either by statute
or custom for formal report by the
Secretary of State to the President Or
to Congress, and Presidential mes
sage is the only means by which the
conditions of our foreign relations il
brought to the attention of Congress
and the public. ,ss '4 (
In dealing with the affairs Of the
other Departments. the heads. Of which
all submit annual reports, shall touch
only those matters that seem to me to
4 -.