The Chanute times., 1911-12-15

2e, 1909. of the rules OF international law
| to be recognized within the meaning OF
| article scveD of The Hague convention
! for the establishment of an international
| prize court.
Fur-SeaI Treaty.
The fur-seal controversy, which for
| nearly twenty-five years has been the
source OF serious friction between the
| United States and the powers bordering
| upon the north Pacific ocean, whose SUP
| 1ects have been permitted to engage IN
| pelagic sealing against the fur-seal herds
| having their breeding grounds within the
| jurisdiction of the United States, has AT
last been satisfactorily. adjusted by the
| conclusion of the North Pacific sealing
convention entered into between the
United States, Great Britain, Japan and
Russia on the seventh of July last.
The attention of congress Is especially
called to the necessity for legislation on
the part of the United States for the pur-
pose of fulfilling the obligations assumed
under this convention to which the sen
ate gave its advice and consent on the
tWenty-fourth day of July last
international Opium Commission.
In a special message transmitted to the
congress on the seventh of January l9ll'
In which l concurred in the recommenda-
tions made by the secretary OF state In
regard to certain needful legislation Tor
the control ofsour interstate and foreign
traffic in opium and other menacing
drugs, quoted from my annual mes
sage Of December Z, 1909, In which l an
nounced that the results of the lnterna-
tional Opium commission held at Shans-
hal In February, 1909 at the invitation OF
the United States. had been laid before
this government; that the report OF that
commission showed that China was max
Ing remarkable progress and admirable
efforts toward the eradication OF the
opium evil that the interested govern
ments had not permitted their CONNER
clal interests to prevent their co-opera-
ton In this reform; and, as result or
callateral Investigations of the opium
question in this country I recommended
that the manufacture. sale and use use OF or
opium In the United States should be
more vigorously controlled by legislation
Prior to that time and In continuation
OF the. policy OF this government to Sc,
cure the cooperation of the interested
international opium conference with tuil
powers for the purpose OF clothing with
the force Of International law the reso,
lutions adopted by the aforementioned
commission together with their essen
tial corolories. The other powers con-
cerned cordially responded to the pro,
posal of this government, and. / am glad
to he able to announce. representatives
of all the powers assembled In conference
at The Hague on the first of this month.
Foreign Trade Relations of the United
States.
In my last annual message I referred
to the tariff negotiations of the depart
ment OF state with foreign countries In
connection with the application, by Sc
ries of .proclamations, of the minimum
tariff Of the. United States to importa1
tions from the several countries, and l
stated that in its general operation sec,
tion of the new tariff law had proved
guaranty of continued commercial
peace. although there were. unfortunate
ly instances where foreign governments
dealt arbitrarily with American interests
within their jurisdiction In manner In
furious and inequitable. During the past
year some instances of discriminatory
treatment have been removed, but l re-
gret to say that there remain few
cases of differential treatment adverse 70
the commerce of the United States. While
none of these instances now appears TO
amount to undue discrimination In the
sense of section of the tariff law or
August s. 1909 they are all exceptions 10
that complete degree OF equality or tar
iff treatment that the department OF
state has consistently sought to obtain
for American commerce abroad.
While the double tariff feature OF the
tariff law of 1909 has been amply justi-
fed by the results achieved In removing
former and preventing new. undue dis
ordinations against American commerce
II is believed that the time has come Tor
the amendment of this feature Of the law
in such way as to provide graduated
means Of meeting varying degrees Of
discriminatory treatment OF American
commerce 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 leg
islative or administrative measures.
It would seem desirable that the maxi
mum tariff Of the United States should
embrace within its purview the free nst'
which Is not the case at the present tlrne,
tloA ,frrIt hoV rna
significance to the governments OF those
countries from which the importations
into the United States are confined Vir-
tually to articles on the free list.
The fiscal year ended June 30, 1871,
shows great progress in the development
Of American trade. It was noteworthy
as marking the highest record Of exports
OF American products to foreign coun-
tries, the valuation being in excess Of
50 900 cO0,0N0 These exports showed
gain over the preceding year of more
than s9OO.OO0OO0.
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
T. need hardly reterate the conviction
that there should speedily be built up an
American merchant marine. This is nee
essary to assure favorable transporta-
ton facilities to our great ocean-borne
commerce. as we'll as to supplement the
navy with an adequate reserve or ships
and men 1t would have the economic ad-
vantage or keeping at nome part OF tne
vast sums now paid foreign shipping for
carrying American goods; All the great
commercial nations pay heavy subsidies
to their merchant marine, so that II Is
obvious that without some wise aid from
the congress the United States must lag
behind in the matter of merchant marine
in It's present anomalous position.
Legislation to facilitate the extension
OF American banks to foreign countries is
another matter in which our foreign
troda moods assistance.
With these factors and the continuance
OF the foreign-service established depart
mental. diplomatic and consular) upon
the high plane where It has been placed
bv the recent reorganization this gov
ernment would be abreast of the times
in fostering the interests of its foreign
trade, and the rest must be left to the
energy and enterprise of our business
men.
Improvement of the Foreign Service.
The entire foreign-service organization
IA being improved and developed with
especial regard to the requirements OF
the commercial interests of the country.
The rapid growth of our foreign trade
makes 1t OF the utmost Importance that