The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-12-07

competitive countries should view
with some concern this steady
expansion OF our commerce. II in
some instances the measure taken by
them to meet II are not entirely equi-
table, q remedy should be found. In
former messages ] have described the
negotiations OF .he department Of
state with foreign governments for the
adjustment OF the maximum and min
imum tariff as provided in section
O. the tariff law OF 1909. The advan-
tages secured by the adjustment Of
our trade relations under this law
have continued during the last year
and some additional cases OF dlscrIm-
natory treatment OF which We had
reason to complain have been re-
moved The department Of state has
for the first time in the history Of
this country obtained substantial
characterization treatment from
all the countries Of the world There
are. however. other instances which.
while apparently not constituting un-
due discrimination in the sense Of
section .. are nevertheless exceptions
TO the complete equity OF tariff treat
ment for American products that the
department OF state consistently has
sought to obtain for American com
merce abroad
Necessity for Supplementary leigsla-
lation.
These developments confirm the
opinion conveyed TO you in my annual
message of 1911. that while the max
imum and minimum provision of the
tari- law Of 1909 has been fully jus
tilted by the success achieved in re-
moving previously existing undue dis
examinations against American prod
ucts, yet experience has shown that
this feature OF the law should be
amended in such way as to prevent
a fully effective means OF meeting
the varying degrees Of discriminatory
treatment of American commerce in
foreign countries still encountered, as
we'll as to protect against injurious
treatment on the part OF foreign gov
arnmeuts, through either Legislative
OF administrative measures. the finan-
cial interests abroad OF American cit.
Izens whose enterprises enlarge the
market for American commodities
can not too strongly recommend
70 congress the passage Of some such
enabling measure as the bill which
vas recommended by the secretary
Of state in his letter OF December Il,
1911. The object OF the proposed leg
islstion is in brief, to en-
able 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
di7crimjnates against the United
States. graduated scale Of duties
up 10 the maximum of - per cent ad
yalorem provided in the present law
Flat tariffs are out Of date y.
The message told what the govern
menr has done in connection with the
Balkan war and in placing the gov
ernment OF Liberia in position to pay
its debts. The new condition of af-
fairs in China was set forth. and
then our relations with Central and
South American governments were
set forth in more detail 1t concluded
as follows
Congress should fully realize the
conditions which obtain in the world
as We find ourselves at the threshold
OF our middle age as a nation. We
have emerged full grown as peer in
the great conCourse of nations. We
have passed through various forma-
tive periods We have been self-cen-
tered In the struggle to develop our
domestic resources and deal with our
domestic questions The nation is
now too mature to continue in its for
eign relations those temporary expe-
dients natural to a people to whom do
nestle affairs are the sole concern.
In the past our diplomacy has often
consisted in normal times. in mere
assertion of the right to International
existence We are now in a larger
relation with broader rights OF our
own and obligations to others than
ourselves A number of great guild
ing principles were laid down early in
, the history Of this government. The
recent task Of our diplomacy has been
to adjust those principles to the CON
ditions of today, to develop their corol-
laries. to find practical applications OF
the old principles expanded to meet
new situations. Thus are being
evolved bases upon which can rest
the superstructure of policies which
must grow with the destined progress
Of this nation. The successful con-
duct of our foreign relations demands
broad and modern view. We can
not meet new questions nor build for
the future il we confine ourselves to
outworn dogmas OF the past and to
the perspective appropriate at our
emergence from colonial times and
I conditions The opening of the Pana-
ma canal will mark new era in oui
international life and create new and
world wide conditions which. with
their vast correlations and conse-
ouences. will obtain for hundreds OF
vears to come. We must not wait for