The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-12-03


manufactures Of other countries again
draws attention to the duty of this
government to use its utmost endeav-
ors to secure impartial treatment for
American products in all markets.
Healthy commercial rivalry in interna-
tional intercourse Is best assured by
the possession Of proper means for
protecting and promoting our foreign
trade 1t Is natural that competitive
Germ this steady expansion Of our COM
merce. If in some instances the meas
ures taken by them to meet 1t are not
entirely equitable a remedy should be
found
In former messages l have described
the negotiations OF the department of
state with foreign governments for the
adjustment Of the maximum and mini
mum tariff as provided In section 2 OF
the tariff law of 1909. The advantages
secured by the adjustment Of our trade
relations under this law have contin
ued during the last year. and some ad-
ditional cases Of discriminatory treat
ment Of which We had reason to COM
plain have been removed. The depart
ment Of state has for the first time in
the history of this country obtained
substantial most-favored-nati ton treat
ment from all the countries of the
world.
There are. however, other instances
which. while apparently not constitut-
ing undue discrimination in the sense
of section 2. are nevertheless excep
| lions to the complete equity Of tariff
treatment for American products that
the department Of state consistently
has sought to obtain for American
commerce abroad.
Necessity For Supplementary LssisIa-
ton.
These developments confirm the opin-
ion conveyed to you in my annual mes
| sage of 1911, that while the maximum
and minimum provision of the tariff
law Of 1909 has been fully justified by
| the success achieved in removing pre-
| viously existing undue Determinations
| against American products, yet expert.
| ance has shown that this feature of
the law should be amended in such
way as to provide a fully effective
means of meeting the varying degrees
| of discriminatory treatment of Ameri
| can commerce in foreign countries still
| encountered. as well as to protect
| against injurious treatment on the part
| II foreign governments through either
legislative or administrative measures
| in q int O. nf ri
| AN citizens whose enterprises enlarge
| the market for American commodities.
| l cannot too strongly recommend to
the congress the passage of some such
| enabling measure as the bill which was
recommended by the secretary of state
in his letter of Dec. Is. 1911. The OBJ
| iect of the proposed legislation is. in
brief, to enable 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 discrim.
mates against the United States. a
| graduated scale Of duties up to the
maximum of % per cent ad valorem
provided in the present law.
| Flat tariffs are out Of date. Nations
no longer accord equal tariff treatment
to all other nations irrespective Of the
| treatment from them received. Such q
| flexible power at the command of the
executive would serve to moderate any
unfavorable tendencies on the part OF
those countries from which the impor
ia atoms into the United States are sub
stantially confined to articles on the
free list as well as Of the countries
| which find q lucrative market in the
United States for their products under
existing custom rates. 1t is very neces
sary that the American government
should be equipped with weapons OF
negotiation adopted to modern econom
ic conditions in order that we may al
all times be in a position to gain not
only technically just but actually equit
able treatment for our trade and also
| FOR American enterprises and vested in
| terests abroad.
Business Secured to Our Country by
Direct Official Effort.
AS illustrating the commercial bene
fits to the nation derived from the new
diplomacy and its effectiveness upon
the material as we'll as the more idea
| side, it may be remarked that through
direct official efforts alone there have
been obtained in the course of this
administration contracts from foreign
governments involving an expenditure
of S5O.OOO,OOO in the factories Of the
United States.
1t is germane to these observations to
remark that in the two years that have
elapsed since the successful negotia
ton OF our new treaty with Japan
which at the time seemed to present SC
many practical difficulties, our export
trade to that country has increased al
the rate OF over 100000 a month
Our exports to Japan for the year end
ed June 80. 1910 were S21, 959, $40
while for the year ended June 80. 1912
the exports were S53.47S.O46. q net in
crease in the sale of American prod
ucts OF nearly $50 per cent
The act adopted at the last session
Of congress to give effect to the fur
seal convention of July Z, 1e1 1. between
Great Britain. Japan. Russia and the
United States provided for the sus
pension OF all land killing Of seals or
the Pribilof islands for a period OF
Eve years, and an objection has now
been presented to this provision by the