The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-12-15
The Presidents Message.

No Tariff Revision Now. Should be One
Schedule at a Time When Undertaken.
Congress Asked not to Cut the Estimates,
Which Total $3.50, 449, Ol3 So, 1884,
SS7 Decrease. Self Sustaining P. 0.
Dept. Expected. Canal to be Finished
on Time at Estimated Cost.
[Boston transcripts Summary
President Taft's message to Congress
is a painstaking effort to present to
the national Legislature every detail
of the work of the executive branch OF
the Government. Its tremendous length
and lack of vigor in expression will make
it difficult reading. The President be-
gins with discussion Of foreign affairs.
Peace among the nations, he says, has
been advanced by the liberal use made
during the year Of The Hague Tribunal.
Most notable among the cases were the
Fisheries and Orinoco cases submitted
by the United States, the former ending
a century of diplomatic squabbllng.
Foreign Governments are accepting the
proposition of the United States to Wit
alize the International Prize Court by
separate treaties providing for an appeal
to the proposed court from the decisions
of national tribunals. They also are
showing favor to Americas efforts to
have the said court endowed with the
function of an Arbitral Court of JUS
tice. The open door and the preserva-
ton of the integrity of China are the
cardinal points of United States diplo-
macy in the Far East. America has a
sort of paternal interest in Latln-Amer-
lea which was exerted in several ways
during the year, most notably in Nlcara-
qua when it virtually drove the dictator
Zelaya from the country. President
Taft believes that the Mountaineering
mum tariff law has been powerful
factor in securing fal orable treatment
of our commerce by foreign nations.
Attention is called to the negotiations
with Canada, but no prediction is made
as to their outcome. Congress IS urged
to support the good work done by the
State Department in securing equal
opportunities for American enterprise
abroad. In connection with the effort to
increase foreign trade the President
asks for ship subsidy for the purpose
of strengthening our merchant marine
and creating seafaring population as
preliminary to taking our share of the
CARRYING trade of the world. A Federal
law to protect aliens and thereby fulfil
our treaty obligations is again advocat-
ed. A further extension of the Civil Ser
vice rules to the diplomatic and consular
service is favored, the excellent result
attending partial extension Of its rules
to the service being cited as an argument
in favor of such action, and once more
the plain business advantage of Govern
ment ownership of embassy and legation
buildings is pointed out Congress is IN
formed that the departmental estimates
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1912.
are cut to the bone and that any further
reduction would embarrass the executive
branch of the Government. These esti-
mates total $500, 494, 015. IL - S52, 1884,
SS7. sc less than was appropriated for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1911, and Sl6,-
SS3, 1853. Al less than the estimates submit
ted to Congress for the same year. The
estimated receipts are $3.50, Co., 900. I'M
portant reforms are being instituted in
the Treasury Department, resulting in
greater economy and efficiency. Anti
auated methods, particularly in the au
diting branch, are being discarded. The
subordination of the surveyor of the
port to the collector and the abolition of
the Naval officer is advocated. Also
there are too many customs districts and
customs officers, and fewer mints are
needed. Methods of authorizing and
constructing public buildings are CRITICS.
ed, and a settled policy is urged whereby
public structures suitable to the needs of
the place of location will be possible.
In regard to the tariff, the President
says that the Payne law is the best in
come producer ever enacted, but certain
schedules are open to criticism because
of undue discrimination. The solu
ton of the whole tariff question lies in
non-political revision, one schedule at
time. action to be based on data furnish
ed by the Tariff Board. He will recon-
mend no tariff legislation at the coming
session of Congress as the Tariff Board
is not ready to report. In regard to the
army, the Presidents chief concern is
over the lack of officers. Even in time
of peace the number of officers is far
below the actual needs. Though there
are enough to command the. troops now
enlisted, many competent men are need
ed for special and staff duties, and with
the virtual naturalization Of the militia
others should be loaned tc the different
States to help harmonic the service.
President Taft's idea is to provide a
skeleton organization so generously
differed that it could be quickly expand
ed in time Of war. The President ur-
gently asks Congress to pass the Volun-
teer bilKnow before it and to establish a
commission to determine policy for the
organization, mobilization and admins
tration of the regular army, the militia
and volunteer forces in case of war.
Peace and prosperity exist in the Philip
pine Islands, and also in Porto Rico.
Dealing with the Panama Canal tine
President says that the waterway will
be coz 1pleted on time-Jan. l, 1915-and
within the estimated cost-$375, 900, 900.
The land slides. while making more
work, will not delay the work on the lock
canal very much, but would have been
serious and costly handicap to sea level
waterway, because of the greater depth.
AS one of the chief purposes of the
Canal is military, the President insists
that it should be strongly fortified, and
urges Congress to take early action to
this end. The canal tolls should not be
fixed to insure full return on the in
vestment but, rather, to induce the
worlds trade to use it freely. Mr.. Taft
urges that the President be given au-
thority to fix rates at what seems to be
the commercial necessity. He further
that the Government operate a
drydock, repair shop facilities, and sell
coal, oil and ship supplies on the 18th
mus; this to prevent the granting of
special privilege of monopoly, and to
avoid cluttering up the terminal with