Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-12-08

20, 1909, OF the rules OF international law
to be recognized within the meaning of
article seven 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 sub
Jects have been permitted to engage in
pelaglc sealing against the fur-seal herds
jurisdiction of the United States, has at
last been satisfactorily adjusted by the
conclusion of the North Pacific sealing
United States Great Britain e. japan and
russia on the seventh of July last
Inc attention of congress is especially
gained to the necessity for legislation on
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, 1911,
IN which | concurred in the recommends
tlons made by the secretary of state in
regard to certain needful legislation for
the control Of our interstate and foreign
trafhc In opium and other menacing
drugs, l quoted from my annual mes
sage of December Z, 1909, in which an
nounced that the results of the Interna-
Ilonal OPIUM commission held at Shang-
nal hai 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 a result OF
callateral Investigations of the opium
question in this country, I recommended
that the manufacture, sale and use of
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
nations. the United States proposed an
powers for the purpose of clothing with
the force Of international law the reso--
lutions adopted by the aforementioned
commission, together with their essen
cerned cordially responded to the pro
posal OF this government, and, / am glad
to be able to announce. representatives
or al the powers assem- bled 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
ries of proclamations, of the minimum
tariff of the United States to importa-
lions from the several countries and l
stated that, in it's general operation. sec
ton of the new tariff law had proved
guaranty of continued commercial
peace, although there were, unfortunate
lv. instances where foreign governments
dealt arbitrarily with American interests
within their jurisdiction in a manner In
furious and inequitable. During the past
year some instances of discriminatory
treatment have been removed, but re-
greet to say that there remain few
cases Of differential treatment adverse to
the commerce of the United States. While
none of these instances now appears to
sense of section Of the tariff law OF
August 8, 1909 they are all exceptions to
that complete degree of equality OF tar
if 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-
fled by the results achieved in removing
ordinations against American commerce,
it is believed that the time has come for
the amendment of this feature of the law
in such way as to provide a graduated
discriminatory treatment of American
commerce in foreign countries as we'll 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
1t would seem desirable that the maxi
mum tariff of the United States should
embrace within it's purview the free list,
which is not the case at the present time,
In order that IT might have reasonable
significance to the governments of those
countries from which the ilnportations
into the United States are confined vir-
tually to articles on the free list.
The fiscal year ended June go 1911.
shows great progress In the development
of American trade. 1t was noteworthy
as marking the highest record Of exports
of American products to foreign coun--
tries. the valuation being In excess of
gain over the preceding year Of more
than $500 900 600
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
I need hardly reiterate 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 well as to supplement the
navy with an adequate reserve Of ships
and men. 1t would have the economic ad-
vantage of keeping at home part of the
vast sums now paid foreign shipping for
carrying American goods. All the great
commercial nations pay heavy subsidies
to their merchant marine, so that it 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
trade needs 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
eminent 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
is 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 it of the utmost Importance that
governmental agencies through which
that trade is to be aided and protected
should possess a high degree of eff
cheney. Not only should the foreign rep
resentatives be maintained upon gen