The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-12-05
ACHIEVEMENTS OF
j. S. DIPLOMACY
LAUDED BY TAFT
Policy Described In
Message as Dollars
VS.. Bullets"
TRADE EXPANSION
Breaking all Records Also
q ed In President
Communication.
TRADE EXPANSION

warning to European powers which
by indirect means continue to dis
criminatc against American trade; a
strong appeal to the Congress TO up
lift the great foreign policies of Anl-
erica above nero questions OF parti-
aanship; n triumphant vindication of
the diplomacy of the administration,
which is characterized as that of
dollars versus bulletB'. Il masterful
pride in the enormous expansion OF
American trade as a result of the
foreign policies of his administra-
ton; and an arneS appeal for joint
action by Congress and the executive
10 open new markets for American
industrles-thcse are the more strik-
ing features OF President Taft's
fourth annual message to Congress
today.
The message is the first OF a series
of such communications which he
will make to Congress in the early
l days of the session, aud deals entirely
l with the foreign relations OF the Unit
I ed States. Beginning with the usual
{ reference to the existing good rela-
I tions with foreign powers the prcsi-
dent adds that these have been
= strengthened by "a greater insistence
: upon justice to American citizens, or
interests, wherever it may have been
G denied, and a stronger emphasis of
e the need OF mutuality i'll commerce
and other relations"
e Gets Tarin Favors.
e For the first time in its history,
says the president, the state depart
ment has obtained substantially the
most favored nation treatment from
g all of the countries of the world
Therefore, he says that it is only nat
e ural that competitive countries
should view with some concern the
%eXpension of our commerce. Hence
the warming, IF in some instances.
the measures taken by them to meet
it are not entirely equitable, Il REM
EDDY should be found
To this end, the president strongly
recommends the enactment of the
bill recommended by Secretary Knox
last December, permitting the gov
ernmcnt, instead of imposing the full
maximum rates of duty against dis
terminating countries, to apply a grad
uated scale of duties, up to that max
" imum of % per cent.
Flat tariffs are out of date" says
a the president. Nations no longer ac-
cord equal tariff treatment to al
other nations, irrespective of the
N treatment from them receiXed. s Is !
g 1t is very necessary that the Am
III erican government should be equip
ped with weapons of negotiation anc
~ adapted TO modern economic condi
TONS
Merit System Used.
The state department AN arclai,
ct aud Inadequate machine" at the be
es ginning of this administration. this
president says, has become a new or
AZ ganization, With highly specialized
bureaus and expert dealing with ev
cry phase of American trade and dip
lomacy. Holding that the essence o
this r~eorganiAed service is found il
the merit system, which Presiden
d. Cleveland is credited with having in
re %troduced, President Taft makes
es strong appeal to congress to max,
* ecutivc orders governing admission
to and promotion in the diplomats
)t this machine permanent, by Glvin'
the force of statutory law 10 the eX
n: and consular services.
y, To show that these appointment
II, arc already largely nonpartisan, tn
nd president points to the fact that three
of the present ambassadors are holt
I'd overs; that of the ten he has appoint
ed, five We're by promotion from thu
ey rank of minister; that of the thirt,
er ministers appointed, eleven We're pro
X motions; and that IN the consula
IN service no less than so ger cent o
the consuls appointed by him wer'
IN from the Southern states.
The diplomacy OF the present ad
ne ministration has sought to respond I,
d modern ideas of commercial inter
rs course says President TAFT. "Thi
st policy has been characterized as sub
C. stituting dollars for bullets. 1t IS on
that appeals alike to idealistic human
~itarian sentiments. to the dictates o
sound policy and strategy and to legi
innate commercial aims.
Not Materialistic Policy.
~ The president adds that "bccaus'
q modern diplomacy is commercial
l. there has been a disposition IN som
as quarters TO attribute to it none bu
as materialistic aims"
", "How s%trikingly erroneous is sucl
l., an impression may be seen from !
study of the results by which the dip
~ 1omacy OF the United states can b'
ry judged. says the president.
to He mentions the arbitration treat
Up les with France and Great Britain
IN which failed OF confirmation in thu
Senate, the successful tripartite med
iation of the Argentine Republic
Brazil aud the United States, between
Peru and Ecuador; the arbitration o
ID the ~Panama-Costa Rica boundary dis
~ pute: the intervention between Halt
C. and the Dominican Republic on thu
ne verge OF war, the suppression OF thu
e. Nicaraguan war, the .lalting of in
rs ternecine strife in Honduras, the ad
i'll justment of the celebrated Tacna
'rt Africa dispute between Peru an,
u Chile, and the adjustment of tn
C. Peruvian-E cuadorian boundary issue
mt In consequence of these things
N lsavs the president. there has been