Gilpin observer., 1911-12-14

%. 1903, of the rules of internationai Ia.
to be recognized withiI the meaning ,s.i o.
for the. establishment of international
prize court.
Fur-SeaI Treaty.
The fur-seal controversy which for
source source, Ct Ct serious friction between the
upon tho north Pacific ocean, whose sub
1ects have been permitted to engage IN
pelagic sealing against the fur-seal herds
jurisdiction Of % the United kusaa States. % ha. At
last been satisfactorily adjusted by the
conclusion Of the North Pacific sealin.
United States. Great Britain. Japan and
Russia on the seventh of July last.
called to the Necessity o dysfeS' for legislation on
the part of the United States for the pur-
pose Of fulfilling the obligations assumed
under this convention. to which the SEN
ate ate gave its advice and consent on the
twenty-fourth day Of July last
international Opium Commission.
In special message transmitted to the
congress on the seventh of January. 1911.
N which ! concurred in the recommended
lions made by the secretary of state In
regard to certain needful legislation for
tne control OF our interstate and foreign
drngs draiiic In opium opium and other me menacing
sage of December Z. 1909. in which I an
nounced that the results of the Interna-
nal hai In February. 1909 at the invitation of
the United States. had been laid before
thls government; that the report OF that
commission showed that China was maxi
Ing remarkable progress and admirable
enorts toward the eradication of the
opium evil: that the interested govern
ments had not permitted their CONNER
cial interests to prevent their co-opera-
tion non In this reform; and. as result OF
Gnat,n in'yyestigatlons 'y OF the oplnma daa
that the manufacture. sale and use Of
opium in the United States should be
more vigorously controlled by legislation.
Prior to that time and in continuation
or the. policy Of this government to Sc
cure the cooperation Of the interested
International opium conference with fuil
powers for the purpose of clothing with
the force of international law the reso,,
lutions adopted by the aforementioned
commission, together with their essen
tial corollories: The other powers con-
cerned cordially responded to the pro,
posal Of this government, and, am glad
to be able to announce. representatives
or al the powers assembled In conferences
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 fmporta-
tons from the several countries. and
stated that. in Its general operation. sec
tion Of the new tariff law had proved
peace, although there were. unfortunate
". 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 I re-
rat ~ hot fhar a 70 aur
cases of differential treatment adverse to
the commerce of the United States. While
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
IN treatment that the department of
state has consistently sought to obtain
for American commerce abroad.
While the double tariff feature of the
tariff law of 1909 has been amply just-
fled by the results achieved in removing
former and preventing new, undue dis
ordinations against American commerce.
II Is believed that the time has come for
the amendment Of this feature Of the law
in such way as to provide a graduated
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
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,
in order that " mirht have reasonable
Significance to the governments of those
th d fTm Ssn sata she canmes yir
tually to articles on the free list.
The fiscal year ended June 30. 1911.
SHOWS great progress G IN @ .ne deoeaopmehn, nthH
marking the highest record of exports
Of American products to foreign coun..
80 oorcooooo. These exports showed a
gain over the preceding year of more
than $500 mo 900.
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
I need hardly reiterate the conviction
that there should speedily be built up an
essary % to assure favorable transporta-
tion facilities to our great ocean-borne
commerce well to supplement the
and men. It would have the economic ad-
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.
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
rental. diplomatic and consular) upon
& q high plane where II has been placed
bv 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 II of the utmost Importance that
governmental agencies through which
| that trade Is to be aided and protected
should possess a high degree OF eff
| cheney. Not only should the foreign rep
resentatives he maintained upon n gem
| erous scale in so far as salaries and es-
| tnbllshments are concerned. but the Sc
| lection and advancement of officers
Ia.