The Detroit times., 1911-12-08

terests to prevent their cooperation
In this reform; and. as a result OF col
lateral Investigations of the opium
question In this country, recommend
ed that the manufacture, sale. and
use OF opium In the United States
should be more vigorously controlled
by legislation.
Prior 10 that time and in continu
alton OF the policy OF this government
TO secure the cooperation OF the In
terested nations, the United States
proposed An international opium con
ference with full powers for the pur-
pose OF clothing with the force OF In
ternational law the resolutions adopt
ed by the aforementioned commits
sion. together with their essential
corollaries. The other powers con.
cerned cordially responded to the pro-
posal OF this government. and. am
glad 10 be able to announce, repre-
sentatives of all the powers assembled
In conference at The Hague on the
first OF this month.
Since the passage OF the opium
exclusion act. more than 20 states
have been animated TO modify their
pharmacy laws and bring them In &C.
cord with the spirit OF that act, thus
stamping out, to a measure, the In
trastate traffic in opium and other
habit-formlng drugs. But, although /
have urged on the congress the pass
age OF certain measures for federal
control OF the interstate and foreign
traffic In these drugs, no action has
yet been taken. In view OF the fact
that there is now sitting at The Hague
so important a conference, which has
under review the municipal laws or
the different nations for the mitiga-
ton of their opium and other allied
evils, conference which will GER
tainly deal with the international
aspects OF these evils, II seems to me
most essential that the congress
should take immediate action on the
anti-narcotic legislation to which I
have already called attention by a
special message.
I'm my last annual message I re-
ferred to the tariff negotiations of
the Department of State with foreign
in connection with the APP
by a series of proclamations
OF the minimum tariff OF the United
States to importations from the sew
eral countries, and / stated that, In
its general operation, Section 2 OF the
new tariff law had proved a guaranty
OF continued commercial peace, al
though there were, unfortunately, in
stances where foreign governments
dealt arbitrarily with American inter
ests within their Jurisdiction In a man
ner injurious and inequitable.
While the double tariff feature of
the tariff law OF 1909 has been amply
justified by the results achieved in
removing former and preventing new,
undue determinations against Am
erican commerce, IL is believed that
the time has come for the amendment
OF this feature OF the law In such way
as TO provide a graduated means OF
varying degrees of discrimin-
atory treatment OF American COM
merce In foreign countries as well as
to protect the financial interests
abroad OF American citizens against
arbitrary and Injurious treatment on
the part of foreign governments
through either legislative or admin
istrative measures.
1T would also seem desirable that
the maximum tariff of the United
States should embrace within its pur-
view the free fist, which Is not the
case at the present time, in order that
II might have reasonable significance
to the governments of those countries
from which the importations into the
United States are confined virtually
to articles on The free list"
BY direction of the state depart
men our ambassador to Russia has re-
Gently been having a series of con-
ference with the minister of foreign
affairs OF Russia with a view OF Sc
curing clearer understanding and
of the treaty Of 1892, be-
tween Russia and the United States,
and the modification OF any existing
regulations which may be
found to interfere in any way with
the full recognition of the rights OF
American citizens under this treaty.
believed that the government of
Russia Is addressing itself seriously to
the need of changing the present
practice under the treaty and that suf-
Accent progress has been made to
the continuance of those con-
ferences in the hope that they may
be removed and Qualifications of the
OF treaty violation now
prevalent in this country.
II expect that Immediately after
the Christmas recess, shall be able
to make a further communication to
congress on this subject"
DAN SHARK COLLECTS