Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-12-07

pendent ana AAuepeuuEncG-fOFln
+ landowners, for a lack OF which ID
growth OF cite can compensate. Our
I farmers have been our mainstay In
times Of crisis, and in future 1t must
still largely b. upon their stability
and common sense that this demo
cracy must rely TO conserve its prin-
ciples Of selfgoyernment
+ The need Of capital which Ameri-
can farmers feel today had been ex-
+ perienced by the farmers OF Europe,
with their centuriesold farms, many
years ago The problem had been sue
# ceasfuIly solved in the Old World and
/ it was evident that the farmers OF this
country might profit by study of
their system. therefore ordered.
+ through the Department Of State, an
investigation to be made by the dip
I lomatic officers in Europe, and I have
I laid the results OF this investigation
/ before the governors OF the various
+ States with the hope that they will
be used to advantage in their forth
coming meeting.
Increase Of Foreign Trade.
I In my last annual message said
that the fiscal year ended June 80,
1911, was noteworthy as marking the
4 highest record Of exports OF American
products to foreign countries. The
/ fiscal year 1912 shows that this rate
Of advance has been maintained, the
/ total domestic exports having a valu
alton approximately of $2,200,O00,000
compared with fraction over ST.,
/ 900, 100000 the previous year It Is
also significant that manufactured
and partly manufactured articles
continue to be the chief commodities
/ forming the volume of our augmented
| exports, the demands OF our own peo-
! pie for consumption requiring that an
/ increasing proportion of our abundant
agricultural products be kept at home.
In the fiscal year 1911 the exports of
articles in the various stages of
manufacture, not including foodstuffs
partly or wholly manufactured,
amounted approximately to $780,, $780,
600 In the fiscal year 1912 the total
was nearly s1,022000 900, a gain of
$114,000, 900.
Advantage of Maximum and Minimum
Tariff Provision.
The Importance which our manufac-
lures have assumed in the commerce
of the world in competition with the
manufacturs of other countries again
draws attention to the duty of this
| Government TO use its utmost endeay-
ors to secure impartial treatment for
American products in all markets.
Healthy commercial rivalry in inter-
national intercourse is best assured
by the possession of proper means
| sor protecting and promoting our for
eign trade. 1t is natural that com
petitive countries should view with
some concern this steady expansion
of our commerce. If in some instan-
ces the measures taken by them TO
meet it are not entirely equitable,
remedy should be found. in former
messages | have described the nego-
tiations OF the Department of State
with foreign governments for the adj
Justmens of the maximum and mini
mum tariff as provided in section of
the tariff law of 1909. The advantages
secured by the adjustment OF our
trade relations under this law have
continued during the last year, and
some additional cases of discrimina-
tory treatment Of which we had rea-
son to complain have been removed. !
The Department of State has for the
first time in the history of this coun-
try obtained substantial most-favored !
nation treatment from all the coun-
tries of the world. There are, how
ever, other instances which, while APP
parently not constituting undue dis. |
elimination in the sense of section2, |
are nevertheless exceptions to the !
complete equity of tariff treatment for |
American products that the Depart |
ment of State consistently has sought /
to obtain for American commerce
abroad.
Necessity For Supplementary Lesisla-
ton.
These developments confirm the /
opinion conveyed TO you in my an
nual message OF 1911, that while the /
maximum and minimum provision of
the tariff law of 1909 has been fully I
justified by the success achieved in
removing previously existing undue /
determinations against American pro- \
ducts, yet experience has shown that
this feature of the law should be
amended in such Way as to provide a /
fully effective means of meeting the 1
varying degrees of discriminatory |
treatment OF American commerce in /
foreign countries still encountered, as
well as to protect against Injurious I
treatment on the part of foreign gov
ernments, through either legislative
or administrative measures, the fnan- /
cial interests abroad of American cit /
liens whose enterprises enlarge the (
market for American commodities.
10 pOt ton cfrppgly roccn,paud tf