Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1911-12-15
international Opium Commission.


sage OF December Z, 1909, in which. an
nounced that the results of the Interna-
tionai Opium commission held at Shang.
hal in February. 1909. at the invitation OF
the United States, had been laid before
this government: that the report OF that
commission showed that China was MAX
ing remarkable progress and admirable
efforts toward the eradication OF the
ments had not permitted their CONNER
ciai interests to prevent their co-oPera.
eaiateraI i 81 the opium
question In this country, recommended
that the manufacture. sale and use or
opium in the United States should De
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 n
powers for the purpose Of clothing with
the force Of international law the reso,
lutions adopted by the above-mentioned
commission, together with their essen
tial corollories The other powers con-
cerned5 cordially responded to the pro-
posal ofsthis government and. l am glad
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
ment of state with foreign countries in
connection with the application, by Sc
ries Of proclamations, of the minimum
tariff of the United States to importa-
tons from the several countries and l
stated that. in It's general operation. sec,
ton of the new tariff law had PROVED
a guaranty OF continued commercial
peace. although there were, unfortunate
lv, instances where foreign governments
dealt arbitrarily with American interests
within their jurisdiction in a manner IN.
RI Nd itoh1 INV 10
year some instances of discriminatory
treatment have been removed, but | re-
gret to say that there remain 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
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 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
examinations 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
discriminatory treatment of American
commerce in foreign countries as Well as
to protect the financial interests abroad
and Injurious treatment on the part OF
foreign governments through either leg
islatiye or administrative measures
It 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 it might have reasonable
significance to the governments OF those
countries from which the importations
into the United States are confined vir-
tually to articles on the free list
The fiscal year ended June 90 l9ll
shows great progress in the development
of American trade It was noteworthy
as marking the highest record Of exports
OF American products to foreign coun.
81 COO, eco 0c0 These exports showed
gain over the preceding year OF more
than $500 100000.
Crying Need for American Merchant
Marine.
need hardly reiterate the conviction
that there should speedily be built up an
American merchant marine. This Is nee
essary to assure favorable n Transports ra.
commerce as well as to supplement the
navy with an adequate reserve of ships
and men. 1t would have the economic ad-
vantage Of keeping at home part or 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 it's 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
the high plane where 1t 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 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 it 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
resentasives 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
not fail to attract men of high character
and ability. The experience of the past
few years with partial application OF
civil service rules to the diplomatic and
consular service leaves doubt in my
mind of the wisdom of a wider and more
nermanent extension OF those principles
to both branches of the foreign service.
therefore again commend to the ia
vorable action Of the congress the enact
ment Of a law applying to the diplomat.
and consular service the principles en-
bodied in section 1853 of the Revised Stat
utes of the United States. In the civil
service act of January 16. 1883. and the
executive orders of June q, 1905, and of
November Is, 1863. In Its consideration o.
this important subject | desire to recall
70 the attention of the congress the very
favorable report made on the LoWden
bill for the improvement of the
foreign service by the foreign
affairs committee of the house of repre-
santatiyes Available statistics show that
the strictness with which the merit sys>
tenn has ben applied to the foreign serv
ice during recent years and the absolute
non-partisan selection of consuls and
.7inlomatic service secretaries who indeed
far from being selected with any view
"a nolitical consideration have actually
hean chosen to disproportionate extent
from states which would have been I'M
renresented in the foreign service under
the system which it is to be hoped rs 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
NJ interests