Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-01

Alaska. Henry 5. Graves became gov
eminent forester early in the year.
DIR. Joseph Holmes was appointed d.
rector of the new bureau OF mines. es-
| tahlished by Congress last spring and
the bureau has been well organized ard
lis work We'll started. W. +. Vernon.
register Of the Treasury, resigned in the
fail. and J. q. Napier Succeeded him.
Prof. {. g Clark was selected chief clerk
OF the department Of Agriculture TO sue
coed the late :. Il. Buroh. who had been
! chief clerk for seven wears.
| Maurice II. OConnel. solicitor OF the
| Treasury Department. resigned early in
the year. and w. I. Thompson filled the
vacancy
| Department during the past year I'm OK
! tending the commerce of the United
states and in improving the political
and industrial relations between the
United States and other governments OF
the world Among the notable achieve
ments of the year was the pacific set
tiement of two important international.
| CONTROVERSIES before tho permanent cour,
or The Hague. One of these was the
fisheries dispute between tn United States
and Great Britain. which had been a
source OF diplomatic contention for near
| ly l'n years. The award of the court
according TO official declarations. was sat
isfactory Ia both parties The other con-
troversfes satisfactorily settled by arbi-
tration related TO the claim Of the ORR
noco Steamship Company against Nen-
ezuela.
| During the year two important treaties
were negotiated with Great Britain. These
| related to the arbitration of pecuniarv
claims and the location Of the boundary
line between the United States and Can
ada in Passamaquoddy bay. Steps were
taken for the financial relief OF the re-
pubic of Liberia and a warship was sent
to that country to prevent foreign en-
| croachmentS.
| Negotiations were concluded for a loan
| TO the Chinese government for the con-
1 NJ Itly.s Il
! ress was made otherwise I'm introducing
| American capital into China. These acts
were designed to promote China's welfare
and material prosperity without preju-s
| dice To her Legitimate rights as an ln-
| dependent political power.
Two important international agreements
| relating TO Tar eastern affairs We're made
! during the year. One was the Russo
japanese agreement relating to Man.
| churla and the other was the treaty an
! neXing Korea TO the empire of Japan.
| Special embassies were sent from this
| country during the year to Argentina.
Chile and Mexico and the good offices or
| the United States We're successfully en-
| ployed in the prevention of war between
! Peru and Ecuador and the restoration OF
peace and order in the republics of Mica
| ragua and Honduras. Good progress was
| made In the negotiations for the exten-
| sion of our foreign trade, particularly
with reference to commercial reciprocity
| betWeen the United States and Canada.
! Joshua X. Clark, jr.. was appointed So
/, lcitor or the department in place OF
| James b. Scott, transferred To the Office
| of International arbitrations.
| The diplomatic representatives of three
| foreign governments died in this country
| during the year. Senior Nabuco, the Bra
| lillian ambassador, died in this city jan
| uary ID and his body was transported 10
| Rio de Janeiro on the l. s. S North
| Carolina. Owe Guide. Norwt gian minister
| to the United States. died a; White Sui
phur Springs July i last. His remains
- ~ tnd md
to his former home in Noway. Senior
Anibal Cruz. the Chilean minister died in
| this city December Is His body was
placed in vault in Oak Hill cemetery
| pending Its transfer to Chile on United
| States warship.
| The work OF the Department of Com
merce and Labor during the mast year
has been marked i'm it's Importance First.
perhaps, was the successful taking OF the
| census. upon which congressional repre-
| Sentauon Is based, the distribution of the
| population and its character is made
known and the general condition OF the
country in all its qualifications is dis
| closed. Also Of importance was the en-
tire reorganization of the lighthouse
service SO as to place il entirely under
| civilian control and make it more effec-
tive in all its branches by the abolish
lnent OF the dual control Of the army and
| navy. Another work of the year OF more
than ordinary Importance was the discop-
| tinuance of the contract system in the
management of the fur seal fisheries and
the taking over by the government of the
control OF the seal herd and the protec.
| ton of the natives on the Prihlof Is-
lands. AS a result, the catch of the year
| and the seal pelts derived therefrom in
| creased the revenues of the government
| from that source at least three-fold, ac-
| cordfng to Secretary Nagers report, be-
sides enabling the government to care
| more perfectly for the conservation Of the
herds than ever before
Of deep local interest was tho stand
taken by Secretary Nagel respecting the
employees of the Department of Commerce.
| and Labor. his adoption of the merit sys-
| tenn in selecting officers of his depart
| ment fer presidential appointment. for
| the promotion of clerks and the wedding
| out of inefficients and his Endorsement Of
| a plan of retirement for superannuated
] employees.
In the bureau of immigration and natu-
radiation important work was done in
restricting improper immigration. in sup
pressing what is known as the white
slave traffic and in relieving the hard
ships of deserving immigrants.
The bureau of corporations pursued it's
investigations In his annual report Sec
rotary Nagel states: THE publicity given
by the bureaus bureau of corporations
report on various industries has been
frequently marked by the diSa ppearance
of railway rebates, unfair methods OF
competition and divers forms OS business
oppression. Statements volunteered by
numerous small business concerns furnish
excellent evidence of this"
In the bureau OF labor the work of the
fiscal year included invest cations and tho
publication Of reports concerning tee-
phone companies, civil service retirement
in Great Britain and New Zealand. pen-
sion funds for municipal employees AMI
railroad pension systems i'm the United
States and the strike at the Bethlehem
steel works at South Bethlehem. Pa.
The bureau also published compilation
of laws relating to compensation for in
dustrial accidents in foreign countries
and part of a report on the condition OF
woman and child wage earners in the
United States. which covers the employ
ment in the manufacture of cotton tex
tiles in four New England and six SOUTH
ern states.
An important work of the bureau OF
manufactures was the compilation OF
world trade directory of the names OF
business houses in foreign countries han
ding imported merchandise, and OF trade
opportunities. and confidential bulletins
of value in fostering and extending COM
merce. Commercial agents Of the bureau
have been at work in Europe, Central and
South America and the West Indies gath
erng information of value concerning
trade and industrial conditions. Other
publications relating to tariffs Of other
countries have been prepared.
Important information concerning ex-
-, -,,~l..