The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-12-03

| 60 Aid Commerce. Turkish War and
Troubles In China.
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentativeS:
| The foreign relations Of the United
| States actually and potentially affect
| the state of the Union to a degree not
widely realized and hardly surpassed
4 by any other factor in the welfare of
| the whole nation. The position of the
/ United States in the moral inteIIec-
| tual and material relations of the fam
! lily OF nations should be matter of
/ vital interest TO every patriotic citi-
zen. The national prosperity and
| power impose upon US duties which
we cannot shirk If we are to be true
| to our ideals.
The tremendous growth Of the ex-
port trade of the United States has
already made that trade very real
/ factor in the industrial and CONNER
cial prosperity of the country. With
the development of our industries the
| foreign commerce Of the United
| States must rapidly become still
more essential factor in its economic
! welfare
The relations OF the United States
! with all foreign powers remain upon
/ sound basis of peace, harmony and
friendship. a greater insistence upon
justice to American citizens or inter
ests wherever it may have been denied
! and stronger emphasis of the need OF
mutually In commercial and other re-
| lations have only served to strengthen
! our friendship with foreign countries
| by placing those friendships upon a
| firm foundation of realities as well as
| aspirations.
Reorganization Of State Department.
At the beginning of the present adj
! ministration the United States, having
+, fully entered upon its position as a
| world power, with the responsibilities
| thrust upon it by the results Of the
Spanish-American war and already en-
| gagged in laying the groundwork Of a
vast foreign trade upon which it
should one day become more and more
dependent. found itself without the
machinery for giving thorough atten-
ton to and taking effective action
tai to American interests in every coun.
try in the world.
The department of state was an
archaic and inadequate machine, lack
ing most of the attributes of the for
eign Office of any great modern power.
With an appropriation made upon my
recommendation by the congress on
Aug. 5. 1909. the department Of state
was completely reorganiZed. There
were created divisions of Latin-Ameri-
can affairs and of far eastern, near
eastern and western European affairs.
: The law offices of the department
: were greatly strengthened. There were
added foreign trade advisers to coop
crate with the diplomatic and consular
bureaus and the poIitico- geographical
divisions in the innnnerable matters
, where commercial diplomacy or con-
, sular WORT. calls for such special
j knowledge. The same officers. together
: with the rest of the new organization
are able ut all times to give to Ameri-
can citizens accurate information as TO
conditions in foreign countries with
which they have business and likewise
to cooperate more effectively with the
congress and also with the other ex-
, eeutiye departments.
, Merit System In Consular and Diplo-
matte Corps.
EUpert knowledge and professional
fraf iy,,r ,-t ~,
of this reorganization. without train
ed faceign service there would not be
meu available for the work in the reor-
ganlzed department Of state President
Cleveland had taken the first step to
ward introducing the merit system In
the foreign service. That had been fol
: lowed by the application of the merii
: principle. with excellent results to the
q entire consular branch. Almost moth
n ing, however. had been done in this di
rectiO.r with regard to the diplomatic
service. In this age of commercial di
= piomaey II was evidently Of the frs,
G Importance to train an adequate per
e sonnet In that branch of the service
Il Therefore, on Nov &c, 1909, by ar
l.
\ service up TO the grade of secretary o.
/ embassy inclusive. upon exactly tn.
70 same strict nonpartisan basis Of tn,
q merit system, rigid examination for ap
in pointment and promotion only for eff
.. ciency,s as had been maintained with
out exception in the consular service
Merit and Nonpartisan Character o
NJ Appointments.
,e- How faithful to the merit system
err ana how nonpartisan has been the con
10 Duct of the diplomatic and consula
,r. services in the last four years may b
ce judged from the following: Three am
r.. Dassadors now serving held their pres
nc emf rank at the beginning Of NV ad
- minlstration. OF the ten ambassador
In Wfom ! nave appointed five were b
~ promotion from the rank Of ministe
Nine ministers now serving held tho
nc present rank mt the beginning of n,
ne administration. OF the thirty ministe,
! whom have appointed, eleven we;