The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-12-14
international Opium Commission.

n Whlch cohcurred IN the reeonnlchon
| uons made by the secretary of state IN
| regard 10 certain needful Legislation Tor
the control OF our Interstate and foreign
| trRfnc In opium and other meunclns
sage Of December :. 1909. in which an
| nounced that the results OF the lnterna-
| tional Opium commission held nj Shang..
| hal in February. 1889 at the invitation OF
| the United States had been laid before
| this government: that the report OF thar
| commission showed that China was max
efforts toward the eradication of the
| opium ev,l. that the interested govern
ments had not permitted their CONNER
| cinl interests 10 prevent their co-opcra,
| tion In this reform; and, as result OF
| caltnteral Investigations OF the OPIUM
| question In this country, | recommended
that the manufacture, sale and use on
| opium in the United States should ne
more vigorously controlled by legislation
Prior to that time and In continuation
| Of the policy OF this government TO 90,
cure the COOPERATION of the interested
| nations. the United States proposed az
| international opium conference with tuil
/ powers for the purpose OF clothing WIN
| the force Of International law the reso,,
| lutions adopted nv the above mentioned
| commission. together with their essen
| tial corollorcs. The other powers CON
| cerned cordially responded TO the nro,
| posal OF this government md. | am gao
| to be able 10 announce representatives.
| ~ ell the powers assembled in conference
| NJ The Hague on the first OF this month.
Foreign Trade Relations Of the United
States.
In my last annual message referred
| to thc tariff negotiations OF the depart
| meut Of state with foreign countries IN
| connection with II" application, by sc
ries Of proclamAtions OF the minimum
| tarn ~ tho United States to impOrtn-
| tions from the several countries, ana
| stated that. In its general operation. sec.
| tior Of the new tariff law had proved
| Of continued commercial
| peace. although there were. unfortunate
| w Instances where foreign governments
dealt arbitrarily with American interests
within their jurisdiction in a manner In.
furious and ineQuitnhle. During the past
year some Instances Of discriminatory
treatment have been removed; but re
greet 10 say that there remain Few
cases ~ diIrrcntlal treatment adverse 20
tho commerce ~ the United States While
none OF these instances now appears 20
amount 10 undue discrimination In the
sense Of section Of the tnriN law or
August S. ian they are all exceptions 70
that complete degree OF equality OF tar,
| IN treatment That tho department or
state has consistently sought to obtain
for American commerce abroad
| while the double tnrlr feature or the
tarifl law Of 1909 has been amply just
Ned by the results achieved In removing
| former and preventing new. undue DIS
ordinations against American commerce
II r. believed that the time has come for
| the amendment Of this feature OF the law
| In such way na 10 provide graduated
means of meeting VARYING degrees or
discriminatory treatment OF American
| commerce In foreign countries ms well NJ
| to protect the financial interests abroad
~ American citizens against arbitrary
and Injurious treatment on the part OF
foreign governments through either leg
| iglatlvo or ndministrnti tive measures.
1t would seem desirable that the maxi
| mum tnrin ~ the United States should
which IL not the case nj the present time
In order that n might have reasonable
significance 10 IN" governments OF those
| countries from which the impNrta'iu"a
into the Un!tch Stntcs are confined vir
tualiy To articles on the free list.
The nscai wear ended June 20 1871
shows great progress In the development
OF American trade. II was noteworthy
| ms marking tho highest record NJ exports
| NJ American products 10 foreign roun.
| tries tho valuation being In excess of
gain over the preceding year OF more
than sJON 100 100
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
need hardly relterate the conviction
that there should speedily he built UP nm
American merchant marine. This is nee
essary 10 assure favorable transportn
ton facilities to our great ocean horn"
commerce as we'll as TO supplement IN"
navy with an adequate reserve OF ships
and men II would have the economic ad'
vantage Of keeping at home part OF the
| vast sums now ptlu foreign tNlpplUE l'i
carrying American goods. All the. great
commercial nations pay heavy subsidies
to their merchant marine, 20 that u IL
obvious that without some wise aid from
the congress- the United States must lag
| behind In the matter Of merchant marine
in it's present anomalous position
Legislation to facilitate the extension
! Of American banks to foreign countries Is
| another matter In whlch our foreign
} | trade needs assistance.
, with these factors and the continuance
Of the foreiGn-service estabHshed tdepbrt
mental. diplomatic and consular npo.
nv the recent renroEnn iZatlon this gov
eminent would be abreast Of the. times
in fostering the interests or its Foreign
I | energy and enterprise OF our business
men.
Improvement OF the Foreign serVIss
IN. entire foreign service organization
, &c being improved and developed wltI
I 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 lhul
= governmental agencies, through whlrf
: that trade Is to be aided and protected
I should possesB high degree OF en-
e cheney Not only should the foreign rep
resentatives bo maintained upon = gen
: erous scale In 30 far ms salaries and es
lection and advancement OF officer,
, should be definitely and permanently reg
= | uIated by law, so that the service shall
moi fall to attract men OF high character
and ability. The experience Of the pas
: few years with a partial application o
| civil service rules TO the Diplomats an'
y conaular service leaves no doubt In M
!, mind of the wisdom OF wider and mor'
y | nermanrnt extension OF those principle
: 10 both branches OF the foreign seryice,
therefore again commend 10 the IA
yorahle action of the congress the enact
. ment Of law applying TO the diplomats
! and consular service the principles EN-
!, bodied in section 1854 of the Revised Stat
y utes OF the United States, in the Clvi
service act of January IS, 1888. and tir
!. executive orders OF June n. 1905 and o
? November 20, 1909. In its consideration o
this Important subject desire to recall
10 the attention OF tho congress the YER
= favorable report made on the Lowdei
bill for the improvement OF tn
foreign service by the forelg
@ | affalrs committee of the house OF repre-
Il sentatives Available statistics SHOW tina
d | the strictness with which the merit sys
4 tenn has ben applied to the foreign sery
9 Ice during recent years and the absolut
l. non partisan selection Of consuls an
e diplomatic service secretaries who indee
Il far from being selected with any vic1
q to political coSsderation have actuall
Al been chosen to disproport!onatc eItcn
4 III haN hnE n