The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-12-09
NEED OF ECONOMY POINTED OUT
Has Little TO Say About the Tariff --Work on
Panama Canal Is Reviewed---No Change
in Anti Trust Laws---Interstate
Commerce Laws Are Discussed.

document Ol ltS hluu SFel Se4L W
congress, President Taft reviews at
length the business of the year in the
various departments of the national
government. The settlement of the
fishries dispute with England through
the Hague tribunal comes in for
considerable Share of the presidents
attention The history of the fisheries
dispute and the establishment of the
tribunal are comprehensively review
ed.
The president gives resume Of the
foreign relations of the government,
which are declared to be in a satisfac-
tory condition.
Tariff Negotiations.
Referring to the negotiation Of new
tariff agreements President Taft
says:
"The new tariff law, in Section 2,
respecting the maximum and mini
mum tariffs of the United States,
which provisions came into effect on
April /, 1910, imposed upon US re-
sponsibility Of determining prior to
that date whether any undue discrim-
ination existed against the United
States and it's products in any coun-
try of the world with which we sus-
tanned commercial relations.
I'm the case of several countries in
stances of apparent undue discrimina-
ton against American commerce were
found to exist. These determinations
were removed by negotiation. Prior
to April l, 1910, when the maximum
tariff was to come into operation with
respect to importations from all those
countries in whose favor no proclama-
ton applying the minimum tariff
should be issued by the president, one
hundred and thirty-four such procla-
nations were issued.
This series of proclamations en-
braCed the entire commercial world
and hence the minimum tariff OF the
United States has been given univer.
sal application. thus testifying to the
satisfactory character of our trade
relations with foreign countries.
\ Marked advantages to the COM
merce of the United States were OBJ
tanned through these tariff settle
ments
1.-THE policy Of broader and clos er
trade relations with the Dominion of
Canada which was initiated in the ad-
justment Of the maximum and mini
mum provisions of the tariff act Of
August, 1909, has proved mutually
beneficial. It justifes further efforts
for the readjustment of the CONNER
&ial relations of the two countries so
that their commerce may follow the
channels natural to contiguous coun-
tries and be commensurate with the
steady expansion of trade and indus.
try on both sides of the boundary
Nne."
I Ship Subsidy.
The president urges such action az
he believes will increase American
trade abroad, and says
Another instrumentality indispen.
sable to the unhamapered and natural
development of American commerce Is
merchant marine. All maritime and
commercial nations recognize the i'm
portance Of this factor. The greatest
commercial nations, our connections
jealousy foster their merchant ma
rine. Perhaps nowhere Is the need
FOR rapid and direct mail, passenger
and freight communication quite SC
urgent as between the United States
and Latin America. We can Secure
In no other quarter of the world sucl
immediate benefits in friendship anf
commerce as would flow from the es
adjustment of direct lines of com
munication with the countries O
Latin America adequate to meet tn,
requirements of a rapidly increasin,
appreciation Of the reciprocal Deepen
denee of the countries of the western
hemisphere upon each others prod
acts, sympathies and assistance.
II alluded to this most importan
subject in my last annual message;
has often been before you and l nee,
not recapitulate the reasons for it
recommendation. Unless prompt &C
ton be taken the completion Of tn
Panama canal will find this the onl
great commercial nation unable t
avail in international maritime bus
ness of this great contribution to tn
means of the worlds commercial In
tercourse.
Governmental Expense.
To no one subject does he devot
more space than to the expense Q
conducting the various government
departments and the urgent need 70
economy, and In this connection b
says: