The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-12-06

ing for their secure administration and to
establish reliable banks.
Agricultural Credits.
A most important work. accomplished
in the past year BY the American dipio-
matte officers In Europe, IL the investiga-
tion Of the agricultural credit system In
the European countries. Both as a means
TO afford relief to the consumers OF this
country through a more thorough devei-
opment of agricultural resources and az
a means OF more sufficiently maintaining
the agricultural population. the project
to establish credit facilities for the farm
ers is a concern Of vital Importance 10 this
nation No evidence of prosperity among
well-established farmers should blind MS
to the fact that lack of capital Is pre-
venting development of the nations ag-
ricultura1 resources and an adequate IN
crease Of the land under cultivation; that
agricultural production Ia fast falling be-
hind the Increase In population: and that,
in fact, although these well-established
farmers are maintained in increasing
prosperity because of the natural Increase
in population we are not developing the
industry of agriculture.
The need of capital which American
farmers feel today had been experienced
turies-old farms, many years ago. The
problem had been successfully solved In
the old world and II was evident that the
farmers of this country might profit by
study of their systems. therefore order
ed through the department OF state. an
investigation to be made by the diplo-
matte officers in Europe, and I have laid
the results of this investigation before the
governors of the various states with the
hope that they will be used to advantage
in their forthcoming meeting.
Increase of Foreign Trade.
In my last annual message I said that
the fiscal year ended June 30. 1911. was
noteworthy as marking the highest record
OF exports of American products to foreign
countries. The fiscal year 1912 shows that
this rate OF advance has been maintained,
the total domestic exports having valu-
alton approximately of POO, 000, 000 as
compared with fraction over $1,000 900
the previous year 1t is also Significant
that manufactured and partly manufac-
tured articles continue to be the chief
commodities forming the volume. of our
augmented exports, the demands of our
own people for consumption requiring that
an increasing proportion of our abundant
agricultural products be kept at home.
In the fiscal year 1911 the exports OF arti-
Giles in the various stages of manufac-
ture. not including foodstufis partly or
wholly manufactured, amounted approx
mately to 1901, 100000. In the fiscal year
1912 the total was nearly s., 022, 100000.
gain of S114.000.0O0.
Advantage of Maximum and Minimum
Tariff Provision.
The Importance which our manufactures
have assumed In the commerce OF the
world in competition with the manufac-
lures of other countries again draws at
tention to the duty of this government to
use Its utmost endeavors to secure inn
partial treatment for American products
in all markets. Healthy commercial riv-
airy in international intercourse is best
assured by the possession of proper means
for protecting and promoting our foreign
trade. 1t is natural that competitive
countries should view with some concern
this steady expansion of our commerce.
If in some instance the measure taken
by them to meet 1t are not entirely equi-
table, remedy should be found. In for
mer messages have described the nego-
tations of the department of state with
foreign governments for the adjustment
of the maximum and minimum tariff as
provided in section of the tariff law of
1909. The advantages secured by the adj
justment of our trade relations under this
law have continued during the last year,
and some additional cases of discrimina-
tory treatment of which we had reason
to complain have been removed. The de-
partment of state has for the first time
in the history of this country obtained
substantial MISREPRESENTATION treatment
from all the countries of the world. There
are, however, other instances which, while
apparently not constituting undue dis
elimination in the sense of section 2, are
nevertheless exceptions to the complete
equity of tariff treatment for American
products that the department of state
consistently has sought to obtain for
American commerce abroad
These developments confirm the opin-
lon conveyed to you in my annual mes
sage of 1911, that while the maximum
and minimum provision of the tariff
law OF 1903 has been fully justified by
the success achieved in removing pre-
viously existing undue Determinations
against American products. yet expert
ence 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 dis
crim!natory treatment of American
commerce in foreign countries still
encountered. as well as to protect
against injurious treatment on the part
OF foreign governments, through either
legislative or administrative measures,
the financial interests abroad of Amer
lean citizens whose enterprises enlarge
the market for American commodities.
l cannot too strongly recommend to
congress the passage of some such
enabling measure as the bill which was
recommended by the secretary of state
in his letter of December 49, 1911. The
object 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 country which dis
eliminates against the United States, a
graduated scale of duties. up to the
maximum of 20 per cent. ad valorem
provided in the present law. Flat tar
iffs are out of date
Congress should fully realize the condi-
lions which obtain in the world as we
find ourselves at the threshold of our
middle age as nation. We have
emerged full grown as peer in the great
concourse OF nations. We have passed
through various formative periods. We
have been self-centered in the struggle to
develop our domestic resources and deal
with our domestic questions The nation
Is now too mature TO continue in it's for
eign relations those temporary expedients
natural to people to whom domestic az
fairs are the sole concern. In the past
our diplomacy has often consisted, in