Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-12-07

an an American merchant marine 1his
IA necessary to assure favorable trans
| porfufion facilities TO our great ocean
horne m as well as to supple
ment the navy with an adequate re-
serve of ships and men. 1t wouio
have the economic advantage OF keep
ing aft home part of the vast sums now
! paid foreign shipping for carrying
American goods All the great co a.
merciai nations pay heavy subsidies 10
their merchant marine. so that IL Is
obvious that without some wise Ia
from the congress the United States
must lag behind in the liter Of mer-
chant marine In it's preseat anomalous
position.
Extension Of American Banking to For
eian Countries.
Legislation to facilitate the extension
of American banks TO foreign countries
Ia another matter In which U foreign
trade needs assistance
Improvement of the Foreign esrvles.
The entire foreign service organiza-
ton Is being improved and developed
with especial regard to the require
meuts of the commercial interests OF
the n The rapid growth OF u
foreign trade makes 1t of the utmost
Importance that governmental agen-
cies through which that trade Is to be
aided and protected should possess a
high degree OF efficiency. Not only
should the foreign representatives be
maintained upon a generous scale In
80 far as salaries and esta biishments
are concerned. but the selection and
advancement of officers should be def
nitely and permanently regulated By
law so that the service shall not fail
to attract men of high character
and ability. 1t IL my ear
nest conviction that the enactment
into law of the general principles of
the existing regulations cannot fail to
effect further improvement In both
branches Of the foreign service by pro-
viding greater inducement for young
men of character and ability to seek
a career abroad In the service of the
government and an incentive to those
already In the service to put forth
kItdACI CnOiL6 ~ hktdiB t1G utku
standards which the successful conduct
of our International relations and
commerce requires.
I therefore again commend to the
favorable action Of the congress the
enactment of a law applying to the
diplomatic and consular service the
principles embodied In section i753 OF
the revised statutes Of the United
States In the civil service act of Jan.
10. 1883. and the executive orders Of
June 27. 1905. and OF Nov. DC. 1909. In
it's consideration of this important sub
ject l desire TO recall to the attention
Of the congress the very favorable re-
port made on the Lowden bill for the
Improvement OF the foreign service by
the foreign affairs committee OF the
house OF representatives. Available
statistics show the strictness with
which the merit system has been aps
piled to the foreign service during re-
cent years and the absolute nonparti-
san selection Of consuls and diplomatic
service secretaries. who. indeed. far
from being selected with any view to
political consideration. have actually
been chosen to a disproportionate ex-
tent from states which would have
been unrepresented In the foreign serv-
Ice under the system which 1t is to be
hoped is now permanently obsolete.
Some legislation for the perpetuation
Of the present system OF exa limitations
and promotions upon merit and eff.
cheney would be OF greatest value to
our commercial and international inter-
esfs. VIM. 81. TAFT.
The White House. Dec. Z. 1911.