The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-08
CONGRESS GETS
MESSAGEFROM
THE PRESIDENT
THE PRESIDENT DEALS BRIEFLY
WITH RELATIONS OF UNITED
STATES WITH FOREIGN RELA-
IONS DISCUSSES RUSSIAN sIuA-
TION AND EXPLAINS MOVE
MENT OF TROOPS TO THE
BORDER.
Bv Associated Press,


Washington, Dec. TN the second
one-topic message he has sent to con-
gress during the three days of the
present session, President Taft re-
viewed the relations of the United
States with foreign governments dur
ing the past year. In this message the
president gave the first official ex-
planation of the post haste movement
of twenty thousand federal troops to
Mexico nine months ago; urged the
United States senate to ratify the
general arbitration treaties with Great
Britain and France, and the conven-
tions with Nicaragua and Honduras
and suggested legislation that he de-
clared. would strengthen this nations
world trade and position among the
other powers. The message was read
in congress today.
On two subjects included under
foreign relations" the president spoke
only in brief fashion. He informed
congress of the conferences begun By
Ambassador Guild in St Petersburg in
regard to the passports in Russia for
American Jews and explained that af-
ter the Christmas holidays he expected
to send a special message on this
subject. Although not brought in the
message, it is understood that the brief
mention of arbitration treaties will
be followed by a special message to
IllC SCIdlS DS1OIc WHICH, IIlcy are peuu-
ing, urging at length their ratifica-
tion.
AS TO RUSSIA.
The presidents reference to the
passport question was added after the
other parts of the message had been
written.
by direction of the state depart
ment," it read, .'our ambassador to
Russia has recently, been having a
series of conferences with the minister
of foreign relations of Russia with d
view to securing a closer understand
ing and construction of the treaty of
1892 between Russia and the United
States and the modification of any
existing Russian regulations which
may be found to interfere in any way
with the full recognition of the rights
of American citizens under the treaty.
believe that this government of Rus
sia is addressing itself seriously to the
treaty and that sufficient progress has
been made to warrant the continuance
of these conferences, in the hope that
there may be soon removed any justi-
fication of the complaints of treaty
violation now prevalent in this coun-
try"
Aside from his review of the worlds
history for the past year in which the
United States particular figures, the
president recommends to congress the
following:
"The enactment of a law providing
for the fulfil1ment of obligations as
sumed by the United States in connec-
ton with the settlement of the fur seal
controversy; the passage of a law to
forbid the carriage of opium and other
"habit-forming'' drugs in interstate
commerce; the formation of a central
organization in the natures of a ma
ttonai chamber of commerce that
would keep all such organizations in
touch with commercial development
abroad, and the enactment into law of
executive regulations providing for an
advancement in the diplomatic and
consular service upon merit basis in
stead of through political preferment.
Suggestion was also made by the
president that the present tariff act
should be amended so that it's maxi
mum and minimum features, de-
signed against undue determinations
against American commerce, could be
graduated to meet varying degrees of
discrimination. such as have been en-
countered since the present law was
passed. s
FLExIBILITY OF TARIFF.
at is increasingly clear" said the
president in this connection, that TO
obtain and maintain that equity and
substantial equality of treatment es-
sentiaI to the fiourishing foreign trade,
which becomes year by year more I'M
portant to the industrial and COM
merce welfare Of the United States,
we should have a f1exibility of tariff
sufficient for the give -and-take of ne
gotiation by the department of state
on behalf of our commerce and in
dustry."
Outlining the idea of central
chamber of commerce" Mr.. Taft sug-
gested that such an organization must
be managed by a committee composed
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