Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-08
Resume of the Work Of the Various
Departments Of the Governments
Presented to Congress.
NEED OF ECONOMY POINTED OUT
Has Little to Say About the Tariff ---Work Oh
Panama Canal Is Reviewed---No Change
In Anti Trust Laws---Interstate
Commerce Laws Are Discussed.

Washington, Dec. 6.-In the longest
document of its kind ever sent to
congress, President Taft reviews at
length the business of the year in the
various departments Of the national
government. The settlement of the
fsbries dispute with England through
the Hague tribunal comes in for a
considerable share Of the presidents
attention The history of the fisheries
dispute and the establishment of the
tribunal are comprehensiYeIy 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 1, 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-
tion against American commerce were
found to exist. These determinations
were removed by negotiation. Prior
to April 1, 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.
The policy of broader and closer
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. 1t justifies further efforts
for the readjustment of the CONNER
cial 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
line"
Ship Subsidy.
The president urges such action as
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 competitors.
jealously foster their merchant ma
rtne. Perhaps nowhere is the need
for rapid and direct mail, passenger
and freight communication quite so
urgent as between the United States
and Latin America. We can secure
in no other quarter of the world such
immediate benefits in friendship and
commerce as would flow from the es-
tablishment of direct lines of com
munication with the countries of
Latin America adequate to meet the
requirements of a rapidly increasing
appreciation of the reciprocal depen-
denCe of the countries of the western
hemisphere upon each others prod
ucts, sympathies and assistance.
81 alluded to this most important
subject in my last annual message; it
has often been before you and need
not recapitulate the reasons for its
recommendation. Unless prompt &C
ton be taken the completion of the
Panama canal will find this the only
great commercial nation unable to
avail in international maritime bust
ness Of this great contribution to the
means Of the worlds commercial in
tercourse."
Governmental Expense.
To no one subject does he devote
more space than to the expense of
conducting the various government
departments and the urgent need for
economy. and in this connection he
says;
Every effort has been made by