Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-12-08

Washington, Dec. 6.-The presidrn,
sent the following message to congress.
today:
To the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentativeS
During the past year the foreign re.
lations OF the United States have cor.
tinued upon Il basis of friendship ana
good understanding.
The year has been notable as wit.
Messing the pacific settlement of two
important International controversies
before the permanent court of The
Hague.
The arbitration of the fisheries dis
pute between the United States and
Great Britain, which has been the
source of nearly continuous diplomatic
correspondence since the fisheries con.
vention of 1918, has given an award
which is satisfactory to both parties.
Peace Commission.
Appreciating these enlightened tend
encies of modern times, the congress
At its last session passed law provid
Ing for the appointment of a commits
sion OF five members Ito be appointed
by the president of the United States
to consider the expediency Of utilizing
existing international agencies for the
purpose of limiting the armaments of
the nations of the world by information.
al agreement and Of constituting the
combined navies of the world an inter
national force for the preservation of
universal peace and to consider and
report upon any other means to dimin.
tsh the expenditures of government for
military purposes and to lessen the
probabilities of war"
The work Of the international fish
cries commission appointed in 1905.
under the treaty of April IL, 1908, be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States, has resulted in the formula
ton and recommendation of uniform
regulations governing the fisheries of
the boundary waters of Canada and
the United States for the purpose of
protecting and increasing the supply
Of food fish in such waters.
The Far East.
The center of interest in far eastern
affairs during the past year has again
been China.
1t is gratifying to note that the ne
gotiations for loan to the Chinese
government for the construction Of the
trunk railway lines from Hankow
southward TO Canton and westward
through the Yangtse valley. known as
the Hukuang loan. were concluded by
the representatives of the various
financial groups in May last and the
results approved by their respective
governments.
Tariff Negotiations.
The new tariff law in section 2 re-
specting the maximum and minimum
tariffs Of the United States, which pro-
visions came into effect on April /,
1910 imposed upon the president the
responsibility of determining prior to
that date whether or not any undue
discrimination existed against the
United States and its products In any
country of the world with which we
sustained commercial relations.
The policy Of broader and closer !
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 ben
efcial. IL justifies further efforts for |
the readjustment Of the commercial |
relations of the two countries so that |
their commerce may follow the chan
nels natural to contiguous countries |
and be commensurate with the steady |
expansion of trade and industry on
both sides of the boundary line.
The Department of State.
All tariff negotiations, so vital to our
commerce and industry, and the duty |
OF jealousy guarding the equitable and |
just treatment Of our products, capital
and industry abroad devolve upon the
department Of state.
The efforts of that department to Sc
cure for citizens of the United States
equal opportunities in the markets OF
the world and to expand American
commerce have been most successful.
The volume Of business obtained IN
new fields of competition and upon
new lines is already very great, and
congress is urged to continue to sup
port the department of state in its en-
deavors for further trade expansion.
An instrumentality indispensable TO
the unhampered and natural develop
ment of American commerce Is mer-
chant marine. All maritime and COM