The Forrest City times., 1912-12-06

IOTeiEH tFdue. It ls ndturdl that competitive countries should view with some concern this steady expansion of our commerce. If in some instances the measure taken by them to meet it are not entirely equi- table, a remedy should be found In former messages I have described the negotiations of the department of state with foreign governments for the adjustment of the maximum and min mum tariff as provided in section 2 of the tariff law of 1909. The advan- tages secured by the adjustment of our trade relations under this law have continued during the last year. and some additional cases of discrim- inatory treatment of which we had reason 10 complain have been re- moved. The department of state has for the first time in the history of this country obtained substantial mostfayored-nation treatment from all the countries of the world. There are, however. other instances which, while apparently not constituting un- due discrimination in the sense of section .. are nevertheless exceptions to the complete equity of tariff treat ment for American products that the department of state consistently has sought to obtain for American com merce abroad.
 Necessity for Supplementary LeigsIa-
 lation.
 These developments confirm the opinion conveyed to you in my annual message of 1911. that while the max mum and minimum provision of the tariff law of 1909 has been fully jus tified by the success achieved in re- moving previously existing undue dis criminations against American prod ucts, yet experience has shown that this feature Of the law should be amended in such way as to prevent fully effective means of meeting the varying degrees of discriminatory treatment of American commerce in foreign countries still encountered. as well as 10 protect against injurious treatment on the part of foreign gov ernments, through either legislative of administrative measures. the finan- cial interests abroad of American cit iZeEs whose enterprises enlarge the market for American commodities.
 l can not too strongly recommend to congress the passage of some such enabling measure as the bill which was recommended by the secretary of state in his letter of December l3, 1911. The object of the proposed leg islation is, in brief. to en- able the executive to apply. as the case may require, to any or all commodities, whether or not on the free list from a country which discriminates against the United States. graduated scale of duties up to the maximum of % per cent. ad yalorem provided in the present law. Flat tariffs are out Of date N
 The message told what the govern ment has done in connection with the Balkan War and in placing the gov ernment of Liberia in position to pay it's debts. The new condition of af- fairs in China was set forth, and then our relations with Central and South American governments were set forth in more detail It concluded as follows:
 Congress should fully realize the conditions which obtain in the world as we find ourselves at the threshold of our middle age as a nation We have emerged full grown as a peer in the great concOurse of nations We have passed through various forma. tive periods We have been self-cen- tered in the struggle to develop our domestic resources and deal with our domestic questions. The nation is now too mature to continue in it's for eign relations those temporary expe- dients natural to a people to whom do- nestle affairs are the sole concern In the past our diplomacy has often consisted, in normal times, in a mere assertion Of the right to international existence We are now in a larger relation with broader rights of our own and obligations to others than ourselves. \ number of great guid ing principles were laid down early in the history of this government The recent task Of ol diplomacy has been 10 adjust those principles to the con ditions of today. to develop their eorol- laries. to find practical applications of the old principles expanded to meet new situations. Thus are being evolved bases upon which can rest the superstructure of policies which must grow with the destined progress of this nation. The successful con- duet of our foreign relations demands broad and a modern view. We can not meet new questions nor build for the future If We confine ourselves to outworn dogmas of the past and to the perspective appropriate at our emergence from colonial times and conditions. The opening of the Pana- ma canal will mark new era in our international life and create new and worldwide conditions which, with their vast correlations and cense- quences, will obtain for hundreds of