The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-12-06
TAFT SENDS IN
FINAL MESSAGE
President Starts With Discussion
Of Foreign Relations.
WORK DONE BY DIPLOMATS.

Recognition of Merit System Has Been
Beneficial - Suggestions Regarding
Changes In the Tariff Laws Designed
10 Aid commeree-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
by any other factor in the welfare of
the whole nation. The position of the
United States in the moral, intellec-
tual and material relations of the fam
| lily of nations should be a 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 a 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 a still
more essential factor In its economic
welfare.
The relations Of the United States
with all foreign powers remain upon
q 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 a 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 ad-
ministration the United States. having
world power, with the responsibilities
thrust upon 1t by the results of the
Spanish American war and already en-
gagged in laying the groundwork Of 9
vast foreign trade upon which II
: should one day become more and more
: dependent, found itself without the
: machinery for giving thorough atten
ton to and taking effective action
upon a mass Of intricate business vi
tai to American interests In every coun
try in the world.
The department OF state was al
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 m.
recommendation by the congress oil
: Aug. 8, 1909, the department Of stat
n was completely reorganized. Their
e were created divisions Of Latin-Amer
e can affairs and of far eastern. nea
u u eastern and western European affairs.
. The law Offices of the department
were greatly strengthened. There wer,
4 added foreign trade advisers to coop
: crate with the diplomatic and consula
:, bureaus and the politieo- geographical
/ divisions In the innumerable matter
where commercial diplomacy or con
sular work calls for such specia
knowledge. The same onacers, togethe
with the rest of the new organization
are able at all times to give to Amer
o can citizens accurate information as
~ conditions in foreign countries wit
- which they have business and likewis
n to cooperate more effectively with tn
congress and also with the other el
o eeutive departmental
Merit System In Consular and Dlplo
- matte Corps.
n Expert knowledge and profession,
n training must evidently be the essenc
of this reorganization. without trail
20 ed foreign service there would not
ID men available for the work IN the REQ
~ ganiEed department Of state. PresideI
= Cleveland had taken the first step t
/. ward introducing the merit system
r the foreign service That had been 70
lowed by the application OF the mer
principle, with excellent results to II
entire consular branch. Almost not
2. ing, however, had been done in this
IN rection with regard to the diplomat
er service. In this age OF commercial q
IS, plomacy 1t was evidently Of the fir
Id Importance to train an adequate pc
OF sonnel In that branch OF the service.
o, Therefore, on Nov 26, 1909, by {
executive order placed the diplomat
rs, service up TO the grade Of secretary
al embassy. inclusive, upon exactly Il
IS; same strict nonpartisan basis OF Il
nd merit system, rigid examination for a
10, pointment and promotion only for ei
va cheney, as had been maintained wit
w out execution in the consular servics
Larger Provision Fer Embassies al
~ ~ Legations Recommended.
re- In connection with legislation for
amelioration OF the foreign service,
wish to invite attention to the adVii
bility Of placing the salary appropr