The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-17
FOR MORE POWER.
Curtis Would Give President a
Right of Exclusion.
Introduces Bill Contemplating
Amendment OF Treaty.
TO EFFECT IMPORTS.
Motive of Kansan, UnQuestiOn-
ably for Discretionary Ability.
Measure Is Entirely Protective
in It's Character.
TO EFFECT IMPORTS.

Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Charles
Curtis of Kansas has introduced a bill
in the senate contemplating an amend
ment to an existing act, and which
amendment includes the following:
That whenever the president shall
be satisfied that any foreign state, in
violation of its treaty obligations to
the United States. shall seek by re-
pressive. discriminatory or confisca-
tory measures to jeopardize, impair or
destroy the capital of citizens of the
United States legitimately invested IN
such foreign state in accordance with
treaty provisos, he may direct that
such produce of such foreign state as
he may deem proper shall be excluded
from importation to the United States;
and therein name the time when such
direction against importation shall
take effect, and after such date the
importation of the articles named in
such proclamation shall be unlawful
The president may at any time revoke,
modify, terminate. or renew any such
direction as, in his opinion, the public
interest may require
The following article is quoted from
a treaty between the United States
and a foreign state, and is applicable
to the majority of international
treaties of amity and commerce:
There shall be between the terri
tories of the high contracting parties
II reciprocal llDGILy VI commence AAAN
navigation. The inhabitants of their
respective states shall mutually have
liberty to enter the ports, places and
rivers of the territories of each party,
wherever foreign commerce is permit
ted. They shall be at liberty to So
1ourn and reside in all parts whatso-
ever of said territories, in order to at
tend to their commercial affairs; and
they shall enjoy. to that effect, the
same security, protection and privileges
as natives of the country wherein they
reside, on condition of their submit
ting to the laws and ordinances there
prevailing"
The amendment introduced by SEN
ator Curtis evidently is intended TO
strengthen the president in dealing
with acute crises where American cap
ital invested in property or commerce
abroad. in accordance with treaty pro-
Visos, is menaced with confiscation, or
with repressiVe and discriminatory eX-
actions destructive of its industrial
permanency, through the arbitrary ac-
ton of a foreign state. and which ac-
ton, in the judgment OF the president
IS in clear contravention of treaty OBJ
legations.
At present, neither the president. de
partment of state, or any of the great
executive departments of the United
States have any authority to guard
American capital invested abroad un-
der treaty guarantees, .DeyOnu ulSIlIleu
diplomatic remonstrance.
It is unquestionably the motive of
Senator Curtis to delegate discretion
ary power to the executive, in these
acute cases, to threaten and enforce
retaliatory industrial policy. The eX-
ercise of this much needed discretion
airy power would be exceedingly rare.
while the mere possession of. it would
naturally be a most effective deter
rent to illegal and inequitable attacks
on American investments abroad.
The measure is entirely protective in
character an; in motive: is non
partisan, nonsectional and nonpolitical,
and should become a law in the near
future.
Congressman Dan r. Anthony has
introduced bill in the house authoriz-
ing and directing the secretary of the
treasury to pay to the treasurer of the
city of Topeka the sum of $4,63S.42, the
same being the amount of taxes, in
Guiding interest. assessed against the
lots owned by the government on
which is located the federal building
at Topeka, for paving during the years
1887, 1902 and 1906.