The Glenwood post., 1911-12-16

y, 1soe. of the rules Of international law
to Be recognized within the meaning Of
for the establishment of an international
| prise court.
Fur-seal Treaty.
The fur-seal controversy. which for
neares os ha: been n:
upon the north Pacific ocean. whose sub
,ects have been permitted to engage in
sVns fesns tssr ssanst tn.
Jurisdiction of the United States has At
last been satisfactorily adjusted by the
conclusion conclusion. of the North Pacific sealing
Gffonvention ffItv s entered Into between the
| United States, Great Britain. Japan and
RUSSIA on the seventh of July last.
Inc attention of congress Is especially
called to tho necessity for legislation on
the part Of the United states for the pur-
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.
tions made by the secretary of state in
regard reg to certain needful legislation for
trse ths control n oDIo of our and foreign
sage of December I, 1908. in which 1 an
tional Opium commission held at Shang-
i nai IN FEBRUARY, 1909. at the invitation of
the thee. United States, had been laid before
thls government: that the report of that
commission showed that China was max
ing nr,. remarkable progress, and admirable
opium evil: that the Interested govern
ments had not permitted their CONNER
tiial interests to prevent their co-opera-.
callateral Investigations of the opium
question In this country, :! recommended
op1n na, the n Tsnufacturs tss sale and use Of
more vigorously controlled by legislation
Prior to that time and in continuation
cure ou ehs sbs pol,ey OF this to se
nations, the United States proposed an
International opium conference with full
the. force of international law the reso-
lutions adopted by the above mentioned
con tttom1missi0n. together with their essen
cerned cordially responded to the pro
posal of this government, and. am glad
Of ali the powers assembled esnes IN conference
at Ihe Hague on the arst of this month.
Foreign Trade Relations Of the United
In. my last annual message I referred
to the tariff negotiations of the depart
ment of state with foreign countries in
connection cor, ss with the application. by Sc
tariff of the United States to importa-
tons from the several countries. and I
ton of the new @ tariff law Wy had ,' proved wed
guaranty of continued commercial
peace. although there were. unfortunate
y. instances where foreign governments
dealt arbitrarily with American interests
within within their jurisdiction IN manner In
In ~ tr,,tv ofpr
treatment have been removed, but I re-
gret to say that there remain few
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 of
August s. 1909. they are all exceptions to
that complete degree of equality of tar
If treatment that the department of
for American commerce abroad
While the double tariff feature of the
fed by the results achieved in removing
former and preventing new. undue dis
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
means Of meeting VARYING degrees of
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.
1t would seem desirable that the maxi
mum tariff of the United States should
embrace within Its purview the free list
which is not the case At the present time,
significance to the governments of those
countries from which the 'mportations
into the United States are confined vir-
tually TO articles the free list.
The fiscal year ended June 80 1911
shows great progress in the development
of American trade. 1t was noteworthy
n mo rlf fr,ev Iytaa -. rt.n
of American products to foreign coun-
tries. the valuation being IN excess of
saM,o"p,oco. .,r These exports showed
than 5000. 600 900
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
need hardly reterate the conviction
that there should speedily be built up an
American merchant marine. This is nee
esaary TO assure favorable transpnrta
ton facilities to our great ocean borne
commerce as well as TO supplement the
navy with an ADEQUATE reserve of ships
and men.--It~~ould have the economic ad-
vantage OF keeping at home part of the
vasr sums now paid foreign shipping for
CARRYING American goods, All the great
commercial nations pay heavy subsidies
to their merchant marine. that 1t is
obvious that without some wise aid from
the congress the United States must lag
behind in the matter of merchant marine
in Its 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
rrutal. diplomatic and consular) upon
1e high plane where 1t has been placed
by 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
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 n high degree of eff
cheney. Not only should the foreign rep
..s.,. nnnl., In, 81 fnr % snlnIian