Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-12-06

lies Taken Up.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-When Con
gross convened today the committees
from the House and Senate which
We're appointed yesterday to notify
the President that they were in ses-
sion and rady to receive any message
he had to communicate reported to
the respective bodies.
The Senate convened at II o'clock
in order that they might hear the
presidents message and be ready to
sit as court in the impeachment trial
OF judge Archibald which was set for
1890,
The message from President Taft
on the foreign relations of the
United States was received and
read in both the Senate and the
House. Following his established de-
parture from the usual all embracing
and cumbersome messages of former
occupants of the Whit House this
communication was comparatively
short and was limited to the discus
sion of one subject,
The President stated that the re
. lations Of the United Stat.s with all
foreign powers were at present main
tanned on a basis OF peace, harmony
and friendship" He plead d, however,
Tor an extension of the diplomatic
system, stating 's'that Congress should
fully realize the condition which OBJ
.f,,la in, . lf -. Il IN
threshold of our middle age as. a la
ton"
Many important suggestions were
made 10 Congress in the Presidents
message. Chief among these was his
espousal for a more elastic tariff mea-
sure for use in dealing with foreign
countries showing discrimination
against the products of American man
ufacturers.
President Taft stated that the ad-
justment of trade relations with for
eign governments under section , of
the tariff law of 1909 had conclusive
IL shown that their scope should be
widened So as to enable the EXecu-
tive to apply as the case may require,
to all commodities whether or not on
the free list from o country which
dlscriminates against the United
States. a graduated scale of duties up
to the maximum OF 25 per cent al
valorem provided by the present law.
The President stated that Hat tar
ills were out of date and could not
too strongly recommend this propos-
ed amendment TO the consideration OF
Congress. In this accommodation
the President said:
Nations no longer accord equal tar
if treatment to all other nations If
respective OF the treatment from them
received, and such a power as a gradu-
ated scale of duties in the hands OF
the Executive would serve to moder-
ate any unfavorable tendencies on the
part of those countries from which
the importations into the United
States are substantially confined to
articles on the free list as well as OF
the countries which find a lucrative
market in the United States for their
products under existing laws
Most OF the ffeslueht message was
devoted to the existing relations be
tween the United States and her sis
ter Republics of North and South
America. In this connection the
President dwelt upon his pet theme OF
dollar diplomacy, reiterating his oft
repeated statement that the means OF
invading the smaller autonomies OF
the Americas. not only worked great
benefit to both the American bankers
interested and the republics receiy
ing the loan, but strengthen the posi-
ton of the United States through the
elimination of large foreign loans
which might cause an international
discussion of the Monroe doctrine.
As a direct Sian at the enemies Of