Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-14
Fur-seal Treaty.
international Opium Commission,

III q special message transmitted 10 the
congress on the seventh of January. 1911
IN which 1 cOnCurred in the recommends
ions made By the secretary Of state In
regard 10 certain needful legislation for
the control of our interstate and foreign
trafhc in opium and other menacing
drugs quoted from my annual mes
sage OF December Z 1909 in which I an
uOunced that the results Of the Iuterna-
uonal Opium commission held at Shang-
mai IN February, 1893 at the invitation OF
lne United States. had been laid before
tnls government: that the report Of that
commission showed that China was max
ing remarkable progress and admirable
EFFORTS toward the eradication Of the
CDlum evil. that the interested govern
ments had not permitted their CONNER
claI lEterestS<tO prevent their cO-ODera-
uOn IN this reform; and, as result OF
callateral Investigations Of the opium
GueSuon IN this country, l recommended
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
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-
lutions adopted by the aforementioned
uaI coTollories. The other powers con
scerned cordially responded to the pro-
posal OF this government, and. am glad
to be 2 bic to announce representatives
of al the powers assembled in conference
at The Hague on the first of this month.
Foreign Trade Relations of the United
States.
In nay last annual message referred
to the tariff negotiations of the depart
ment Of state with foreign countries in
connection with TIE application, by Sc
ries of proclamations, of the minimum
tariff Of the United States to impOrta-
tons from the several countries. and
stated that in its general operation. sec
ton nf the new tariff law had proved
a guaranty of continued commercial
peace. although there were. unfortunate
" instances where foreign governments
dealt arbitrarily with American interests
furious and negotiable 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 ). 1909. they are all exceptions TO
that complete degree Of equality Of tar
if treatment that the denartment 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
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
in such way as to provide graduated
means Of meeting varying degrees OF
discriminatory treatment of American
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 administra tive 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 at the present time,
in order that If might have reasonable
significance to the governments of those
into the United States are confined viz
| tually to articles on the free list.
The fiscal year ended June 90. 1911.
shows great PROGRESS in the development
Of American trade. Tt was noteworthy
as marking the highest record Of exports
of American products to foreign coun-
tries. the valuation being in excess OF
50 coo, 900. These exports showed a
gain over the preceding year of more
than $500. 100000.
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
I need hardly refterate the conviction
| that there should speedily be built up an
! American merchant marine. This IS nee
! essary to assure favorable transporta-
| ton facilities to our great Ocean-bOrue
| commerce as well 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 subsi diea
/ to their merchant marine, so that II ~
obvious that without some wise ala 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 reign-serViCe established depart
| mental Diplomatic and COnSular) upon
| the high plane where it has been placed
| by the recent reorganization this gov
| eminent 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 toreign-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 1t 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 be maintained upon gen
! erous scale in so far as salaries and es-
/ adjustments are concerned, but the Sc
| lection and advancement of officers
| should be definitely and permanently reg
! ulated by law, so that the service shall
| rot fail to attract men Of high character
| and ability. The experience of the past
| few wears with a partial application OF
| civil service rules to the diplomatic and
| consular service leaves no doubt in my
| mind of the wisdom of wider and more
| Dermanent extension of those principles
| ia both branches of the foreign service.
| I therefore again commend to the IA
| vorable action of the congress the enact
ment of a law applying to the diplomatic
| and consular service the principles en-
bnSie5 in section 1853 Of the Revised Stat
/ utes of the United States, in the civil
| service act of January Is, 1888. and tbs
| executive orders of June q, 1905, and OF
| November %. 1909. In its consideration Of
| this important subject I desire to recall
to the attention of the congress the very
Favorable report made on the Lowder
bill for the Improvement OF the
| fnreisu service by the foreign
/ affairs committee of the house of repre-
| sents tives Available statistics show tina
the strictness with which the merit sys
| TEN has ben applied to the foreign serY
| ice during recent years and the absolute
non partisan selection of Consuls and
/ 5iDl0matiC service secretaries who indeed
| far from being selected with any view
| 70 political consideration have actually
been chosen 10 a disproportionate extern
| from states which would have been I'm
repres onted in the foreign service unde,
| the system which il is to be hoped is nov
| permanently obsolete Some Legislation
| for the perpetuation of the present sys
| tenn of examinations and promotions upol
merit and efficiency would be OF creates
| value TO our commercial and information
| al interests
Proof of II.