Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-12-14

ers. There were q number OF Important
questions involved in the treaty, includ-l
OF the customs tariff and the right or
Americans to hold real estate in JAPAN
The United States consented to waive ali
tec~hnlcalities and to enter at once upon
negotiations for a new treaty on the un-l
Outstanding that there should be a con-
tinuance throughout the life OF the treaty
Of the same effective measures for the
restriction Of immigration OF laborers to
American territory which had been In.
operation with entire satisfaction to both
governments since 1908. The Japanese
government accepted this basis OF nego-
tiation, and a new treaty was quickly
concluded. resulting IN a highly satisfac-
tory settlement Of the other questions re-
ferred to.
Europe and the Near East.
In Europe and the near east, during the,
past twelve-month. there has been at
times considerable political unrest. The
Moroccan question. which for some
months was the cause of great anxiety,
happily appears to have reached a stage
at which It need no longer be regarded
with concern. The Ottoman empire was
occupied for a period by strife in ALI
bania and is now at war with Italy. In,
Greece and the Balkan countries the
disQuieting potentialities of this situation
nave been more or less felt. Persia has
been the scene of a long Internal strug-f
gle. These conditions nave been the
0ddoG Va ~ 0Rt ,
macy, but thus far without direct politi-l
cal concern to the United States.
In the war which unhappily exists be-
tween Italy and Turkey this government
has no direct political interest, and Z
took occasion at the suitable time to is
sue a proclamation of neutrality in that
conflict, At the same time all necessary
steps have been taken to safeguard the
personal interests Of American citizens
and organizations in so far as affected
by the war.
Fur-Seal 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 nave been permitted to engage in
pelagic sealing against the fur-seai herds
having their breeding grounds within the
Jurisdiction of the United States, has at
last been satisfactorily adjusted by the
convention entered into between the
United States, Great Britain, Japan and
Russia on the seventh of July last.
The attention Of congress is. especially
called to the necessity for legislation ON
the part of the United States for the pur-
pose of fulfilling the obligations assumed
under this convention, to which the sem
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
tons made by the secretary Of state in
regard to certain needful legislation for
the control of our interstate and foreign
traffic in opium and other menacingl
drugs quoted from my annual mes!
sage Of December Z, 1909, in which I an
nounced that the results of the Interna-
tlonal Opium commission held at Shang--
nal IN February, 1903, at the invitation or
Tho .TTntfnda CNa41. Hal hoa~ MD haf0T4i
this government: that the report Of that
commission showed that China was max
ing remarkable progress and admlraple
eTorts toward the eradication OF the
opium evil; that the interested govern
ments had not permitted their CONNER
ga! interests to prevent their ~co-opera.
uon In this reform: and, as a result OF
callateral Investigations of the opium
question in this country, I recommended
opium in the United States should pc
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
international opium conference with full
powers for the purpose of clothing with
the force of international law the reso-
buttons adopted by the aforementioned
commission. together with their essen
tia corollories. The other powers con-
cerned cordially responded to the pro-
posal OF this government, and, l am glad
to be able to announce. representatives
of all the powers assembled 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
connection with the application, by a Sc
ries of proclamations, of the minimum
tariff Of the United States to importa-
tions from the several countries. and I
stated that. in its general operation, sec
ton 2 of the new tariff law had proved
a guaranty of continued commercial
~, 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 l re-
greet to say that there remain a few
cases Of differential treatment adverse to
the commerce of the United States. While
none of these instances now appears to
amount to undue discrimination in the
sense of section 2 of the tariff law Of
August 5, 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 abroad.
While the double tariff feature of the
tariff law of 1909 has been amply tlsti-
fed by the results achieved in removing
former and preventing new, undue dis
ordinations against American commerce,
1t 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
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
fcrafCn COynrpnopfc fhrOnph aifhar laR-
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.
In order that 1t might nave reasonable
significance to the governments of those
countries from which the im~portations
into the United States are confined vir-
tually to articles on the free list.
The fiscal year ended June 30. 1911,
shows great progress in the development
of American trade. 1t was noteworthy
as marking the highest record of exports
tries, the valuation being in excess Of
$4,000, 00,0co. These exports showed a
gain over the preceding year Of more
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
I need hardly reiterate the conviction
that there should speedily be built up an
American merchant marine. In1S Is nee
-essary to assure favorable t~ransporta-
ton facilities to our great ocean-borne
| as we'll as to supplement the
navy with an adequate reserve of ships
and men. 1t would have the economic adj
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 its present anomalous position.
Improvement Of the Foreign Service.
The entire foreign-service organization
Ia 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
| cheney. Not only should the foreign rep
| resentatives be maintained upon a gem
erous scale in so far as salaries and es-
| adjustments are concerned, but the Sc