Vfitf
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n
TIFT SENDS IN
MESSAGE ABOUT
FOREIGK AFFAIRS
President Informs Congress of
Our Relations With Other
Nations.
AMERICAN DIPLOMACY WINS
Its Success in Settling Central
American Troubles.
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE BETTER
Reorganization Has Done Much to In
crease Its Efficiency Adjustment
of the Sealing and Fisheries Dis
putes Interests of United 'States
In the Near and Far East.
Washington, Dec. 3. President Taftv,
submitted to congress today tho first
of Beveral messages. If was devoted
to our foreign relations and In pnrt
was as follows:
To tho Senate and House of Itcpro
ontatlvcs: Tho foreign relations of
the United States actually and poten
tially affect tho stnto of tho Union to
a degreo not widely realized and hard
ly surpassed by any other factor In
the welfare of tho wholo nation. Tho
position of the United States In the
moral, Intellectual, and material rela
tions lof tho family of nations should
bo a matter of vital Interest to every
patriotic citizen. Tho national pros
perity and power Impose upon us du
ties which wo can not shirk If wo aro
to bo true to our Ideals. Tho tremen
dous growth of tho export trade of tho
United States has already mado that
trado a very real factor In tho Indus
trial and commercial prosperity of the
country. With tho development of our
Industries tho foreign commerco of
tho United States must 'rapidly be
come a still moro essential factor in
its economic welfare. Whether we
have a far-seeing and wise diplomacy
nd aro not recklessly plunged Into
nnnecesnry wars, and whether our for
eign policies aro based upon an Intel
I gent graBp of present-day world con
Itions and a clear view of tho poten
tialities of tho future, or aro governed
by a temporary and timid expediency
or by narrow views befitting an in
fant nation, are questions in the al
ternative consideration of which must
convince any thoughtful citizen that
oo department of national polity of
fers greator opportunity for promoting
the interests of tho wholo people on
the one hand, or greater chance on
the other of permanent national in
jury, than that which deals with the
foreign relations of the United States.
The fundamental foreign policies of
tho United States should bo raised
high above the conflict of partisan
ship and wholly dissociated from dif
ferences as to domestic policy. In its
foreign affairs the United States
should present to tho world a united
front. The intellectual, financial and
Industrial interests of tho country and
the publicist, tho wage earner, the
farmer, and citizen of whatover occu
pation must co-operate in a spirit of
high patriotism to promoto that na
tional solidarity which is indispensable
to national efficiency and to the at
tainment of national ideals.
The relations of the United States
with all foreign powers remain upon
sound basis of peace, harmony and
friendship. A greater Insistence upon
Justice to American citizens or inter
ests wherever it may havo been de
nied and a stronger emphasis of the
need of mutuality in commercial and
other relations have only served to
strengthen our friendships with for
eign countries by placing those friend
ships upon a firm foundation of reali
ties as well as aspirations.
Before briefly reviewing the more
Important events of the last year In
, our foreign relations, which it is my
duty to do as charged with their con
duct and because diplomatic affairs
are not of a nature to make it ap
propriate that the secretary of state
make a formal annual report, I desire
to touch upon some of the essentials
to the safe management of the for
eign relations of the United States
and to endeavor,also, to define clearly
certain concrete policies which are
the logical modern corrollaries of the
undisputed and traditional fundamen
tals of the foreign policy of the
United States.
Reorganization of the 8Ute Depart
ment.
At the beginning of .the present ad
ministration the United States, having
fully entered upon its position as a
world power, with the responsibilities
thrust upon it by the results of tho
Spanish-American war, and already en
caged in laying the groundwork of a
rait foreign trade upon which it
lould one day become more and
tore dependent, found itself without
le machinery for giving thorough at
tention to, and taking effectivo action
' bpon, a mass of intricate business
Htal to American Interests in every
Country In the world.
i The department of state was an
Erchalc and Inadequate machine lack
ing most of the attributes of tho for
eign office of any great mQtavu poorer.
Kith on appropriation made upon my
commendation by the congress on
kiugust 13. 1909, the department of
Itato was completely reorganized.
There wcro croatci! divisions of Latin
Ameiicnn nffnlrs nnd o f:r eastern,
near eastern, nnd western European
affairs. To theso divisions wero called
from tho foreign service dlplomntlc
and consular officers possessing expe
rience nnd knowledge gained by act
ual sorvlcu In different parts of tho
world and thus familiar with political
nnd commercial conditions in the re
gions concerned. The work was high
ly specialized. Tho result Is that
where previously this government
from tlnio to tlmo would emphasize in
Its foreign relations one or another
policy, now American interests In ev
ery quarter of tho globo aro being
cultivated with equal assiduity.
Merit System In Concular and Diplo
matic Corps.
Expert knowledgo and professional
training must evidently bo tho cssenco
of this reorganization. Without a
trained foreign servlco thero would
not bo men avnilablo for tho work In
tho reorganized department of stale.
President Cleveland has tnken tho
first step toward introducing tho
merit system In tho foreign service.
That had been followed by tho appli
cation of the merit principle, with ex
cellent rcaultH, to tho entire consular
branch. Alnioat nothing, however, had
been dono In this direction with regard
to the diplomatic servlco. In this ago
of commercial diplomacy it was evi
dently of tho first importance to train
an adoqunto personnel in that branch
of tho service Therefore, on Novem
ber 2(!, 1909, by nn executive order I
placed tho diplomatic sorvlco up to
tho grade of secretary of embassy, in
clusive, upon exactly tho samo strict
non-partisan basis of the merit sys
tem, rigid examination for appoint
ment nnd promotion only for effi
ciency, as had been maintained without
exception In the consular service.
Statlstlco as to Merit and Nonpartisan
Character of Appointments.
How fnlthful to tho morlt system
and how nonpartisan has been the con-
'duct of the dlplomntlc and consular
services In tho last four years may bu
Judged from tho following: Three
ambassadors now serving hold their
present rnnk at tho beginning of the
administration. Of tho ten ambassa
dors whom I have nppolnted.'llvo wero
by promotion from tho rank of min
ister. Nino ministers now serving
hold their present rank nt the begin
ning of the administration. Of tho
thirty ministers whom I havo appoint
ed, olovon wero promoted from the
lower grades of tho foreign servlco or
from the department of state. Of tho
nineteen missions in Latin America,
whero our relations nro close and our
interest Is great, fifteen chiefs of mis
sion aro service men, three having
entered tho service during this admin
istration. Tho thirty-seven secreta
ries of embassy or legation who havo
received their inltlnl appointments
nfter passing successfully the required
examination were chosen for ascer
tained fitness, without regard to po
litical affiliations. A dearth of candi
dates from southern and western
states has alono made it imposslblo
thus far completely to equalize 'all
the states' representations in the for
eign servlco. In the effort to equalize
tho representation of tho various
states in tho consular service I have
mado sixteen of the twenty-nine now
appointments as consul which have
occurred during my administration
from tho southern states. This is 65
per cent. Every other' consular ap
pointment mado, including the promo
tion of eleven young men from the
consular assistant and student inter
preter corps, has been by promotion or
transfer, based solely upon efficiency
shown in the service.
In order to assure to the busin6sa
and other interests of the United
States a contlnuanco of the resulting
benefits of this reform, I earnestly re
new my previous recommendations of
legislation making it permanent along
some such lines as those of tho meas
ure now pending in congress.
Larger Provision for Embassies and
Legations and for Other Expenses
of Our Foreign Representa
tives Recommended.
In connection with legislation for
the amelioration of the foreign serv
ice, I wish to invito attention to the
advisability of placing the salary ap
propriations upon a better basais. I
believe that the best results would
be obtained by a moderate scale of
salaries, with adequate funds for the
expenses of proper representation,
based in each case upon the scalo and
cost of living at each post, controlled
by a system of accounting, and un
der tho general direction of the de
partment of state.
In line with the object which I have
Bought of placing our foreign service
on a basis of permanoncy, I have at
various times advocated provision by
congress for tho acquisition of government-owned
buildings for the resi
dence and offices of our diplomatic of
ficers, so as to place them more near
ly on an equality with similar officers
of other nations and to do away with
the discrimination which otherwise
must necessarily be made, In some
cases, In favor of men having large
private fortunes. The act of congress
which I approved on February 17, 1911,
was a right step in this direction.
The secretary of stato has already
made tho limited recommendations
permitted by tho act for any one year,
and it is my hopo that tho bill intro
duced in the houso of representatives
to carry out these recommendations
will bo favorably acted on by tho con
gress during its present session.
Dlplomancy a Handmaid of Commer
cial Intercourse and Peace.
Tho dlplomancy of tho present ad
ministration has sought to respond
to modern Ideas of commercial inter
course. This policy has been char
acterized as substituting dollars for
bullets. It Is one that appeals alike
to'ldenllstlc humanitarian sentiments,
to thr dictates of Bound policy and
rtrategy, nnd to legitimate commercial
alms. It is nn effort frankly directed
to tho increase of American trado up
on tho axiomatic prluciplo that
tho government of tho United
States shall extend nil proper
support to every legitimate and
boneilclnl Amorlcnn enterprlso abroad.
How grfcnt havo been tho rosults of
this diplomacy, coupled with tho max
imum nnd minimum provision of tho
tariff law, will bo seen by eomo con
sideration of tho wonderful increaso
in tho export trnde of tho United
States. Becauso modern diplomacy ia
commercial, thoro has been a disposi
tion in somo quarters to attribute to
It none but nmterlnllstlc nlms. How
ntrlkln-.'y erroneous Is Bitch an Im
pression may bo seen from a study of
tho results by which tho diplomacy
of tho United States can bo Judged.
Successful Efforts In Promotion of
Peace.
In tho field of work toward tho
Ideals of pcaco this government ne
gotiated, but to my regret wns unnblo
to consummate, two arbitration trea
ties which net tho highest mark of
tho aspiration of nations toward tho
substitution of arbitration and reasos
for war In tho settlement of interna
tional disputes. Through tho efforts
of American diplomacy several wars
havo baen prevented or ended. 1 re
fer to tho successful tripartite medi
ation of tho Argentine republic, lira
rll, and tho United States between
Peru and Ecuador; tho bringing of tho
boundnry dlsputo between Panama
and Costa ltlca to pouceful arbitra
tion; tho staying of warllko prepara
tions when Hayti and tho Dominican
republic wore on tho vorgo of hostlll
Urn; the stopping of a war In Nicarag
ua; tho halting of Internecine strlfo
In Honduras. Tho government of tho
United States was tlinnkcd for Its In
fluence toward tho restoration of nmlc
ablo relations between tho Argentlno
republic and Bolivia. Tho diplomacy
of tho United Stntes is tictlvo in seek
ing to assuage tho remnlnlng ill-feel-lug
between this country and tho Ho
public of Colombia. In tho recent Civ
il war In. China tho United States suc
cessfully Joined with tho other inter
ested powers in urging an early ces
sation of hostilities. . An ngroomont
has been reached between tho govern
ments of Chllo and Peru whereby tho
celebrated Tncnn-Arlca dlsputo, which
lias so long embittered International
relations on the west coast of South
America, has nt last boon adjusted.
Simultaneously camo tho news that
tho boundary dlBputo between Pom
and Ecuador had entered upon a stngo
of amicable settlement. Tho position
of tho United States in reference to
tho Tncna-Arlca dlsputo between
Chllo and Peru hnB been ono of non
intervention, but ono of friendly in
fluence and pacific counsel throughout
tho period during which tho dlsputo
in question has been tho subject of
Interchange of views between thlB
government and tho two governments
immediately concerned. In tho gen
eral easing of international tension on
tho west coast of South America the
tripartite mediation, to which I havo
referred, has been a most potent and
beneficent factor.
China.
In China tho policy of encouraging
financial Investment to enablo that
country to help itself has had the ro
Bult of- giving new llfo and practical
application to the open-door policy.
The consistent purpose of the present
administration has been to encourage
the use of American capital In tho
development of China by the promo
tion of those essential reforms to
which China Is pledged by treaties
with the United States and other pow.
era. The hypothecation to foreign
bankers In connection with certain in
dustrial enterprises, such as the Huku
ang railways, of the national reven
ues upon which these reforms depend
ed, led the department of state early
In the administration to demand for
.American citizens participation In
such enterprises, in order that the
United States might have equal rights
and an equal voice in all questions
pertaining to the disposition of the
public revenues concerned. The same
policy of promoting international ac
cord among the powers having similar
treaty rights as ourselves In the mat
ters of reform, which could not be
put Into practical effect without the
common consent of all, was likewise
adopted In the case of the loan de
sired by China for the reform of its
currency. The principle of Interna
tional co-operation In matters of com
mon Interest upon which our policy
had already been based in all of the
above Instances has admittedly been
a great factor In that concert of the
powers which has been so happily
conspicuous during the perilous period
of transition through which tho great
Chinese nation has been passing.
Central America Needs Our Help In
Debt Adjustment.
In Central America the aim has
been to help such countries as Nica
ragua and Honduras to help them
selves. They are the Immediate bene
ficiaries. The national benefit to the
United Stages is two-fold. First, it Is
obvious that the Monroe doctrine Is
more vital In the neighborhood of tho
Panama canal and the cone of the
Caribbean than anywhore else. Thoro,
too, the maintenance of that doctrine
falls most heavily upon the United
States. It is thcreforo essential that
the countries within that sphere shall
bo removed from tho jeopardy involv
ed by heavy foreign debt and chaotic
national finances and from the ever-
present dangor of international com
plications due to disorder at homo.
Hcnco tho United StatcB has been
glad to encourage and support Amer
ican bankers who wero willing to lend
a holplng band to tho financial re
habilitation of such coutrlcs becauBO
this financial rehabilitation and tho
protection of their custom houses from
being tho proy of would-bo dictators
would rcniovo nt ono stroke tho men
nco of foreign creditors and tho men
unco of revolutionary disorder.
Tho second ndvnntngo to tho Unit
ed States Is ono nffectlng chiefly all
tho southern nnd gulf ports and the
business and industry of tho south.
Tho republics of Centrnl America nnd
the Caribbean possess great natural
wealth. They need only a mensuro of
stability nnd tho means of flnnuelnl
regeneration to enter upon nn era of
peaco and prosperity, bringing profit
nnd hnpplucHS to themselves and nt
tho Bnmu tlmo creating , conditions
sura to lend to a flourishing In
terchange of trado with this country.
I wish to cull your espcclnl attention
to tho recent occurrences In Nica
ragua, for I believe tho terrible events
recorded thero during tho revolution
of tho past summer tho useless loss
of life, tho devastation of property,
tho bombardment of defenseless cities,
tho killing nnd wounding of women
and children, tho torturing of non
combatants to oxact contributions,
nnd tho suffering of thousands of hu
man bolngs might havo been avert
ed had the department of slate,
through approval of tho loan conven
tion by tho senate, been permitted to
carry out its now well-developed policy
of encouraging tho extending of fi
nancial aid to weak Central American
Btates with tho primary objects of
avoiding Just such revolutions by as
sisting thosa republics to rehabili
tate their finances, to establish tholr
currency on n stnblo basis, to remove
tho custom hourcB from tho danger
of revolutions by arranging for tholr
uccuro administration, and to estab
lish reliable banks.
During this last revolution In Nica
ragua, tho government of that repub
lic having admitted Its Inability to
protect American llfo nnd property
against nets of sheor lawlessness on
tho part of tho malcontents, nnd hav
ing requested this government to as
sume thnt offico, It became ncossary to
land over 2,000 mnrlncB nnd bluojuek
cts In Nicaragua. Owing to their
presonco tho constituted Government
of Nicaragua was free to dovoto Its
attention wholly to its internal trou
bles, and was thus enabled to stamp
out the rebellion in n short spaco of
tlmo. When tho lied Cross supplies
sent to Granatin had been exhausted.
8,000 persons having been given food
in ono day upon tho nrrlvul of tho
American forces, our men mippllcd
other unfortunate needy Nlcarnguans
from their own haversacks. I wish to
congrntulato tho olllcerB and men of
tho United States navy and marine
corps who took part in re-establishing
.order In Nicaragua upon tholr splen
did conduct, nnd to record with sor
row the death of seven American ma
rines nnd bluejackets. SInco the
ro-establlahmcnt of penco and order,
elections havo been held amid condi
tions of quiet and tranquility. Nearly
all tho American marines havo now
been withdrawn. Tho country should
soon be on tho road to recovery. Tho
only apparent danger now threatening
Nicaragua .arises from the shortage
of funds. Although American bankers
have already rendered assistance,
thoy may naturally be loath to ad
vance a loan adequate to set the coun
try upon its feet without the support
of some such convention ns that of
June, 1911, upon' which-the senato has
not yet acted.
.The president alluded briefly to the
enforcement of neutrality laws, to
Secretary Knox's visit to Central
America and to the unfortunate dis
turbances In Mexico. Continuing, tho
message said:
Agricultural Credits.
A "most Important work, accom
plished in the past year by the Ameri
can diplomatic officers1 in Europe, Is
the Investigation of the agricultural
credit system In the European coun
tries. Doth as a means to afford relief
to the consumers of this country
through a moro thorough develop
ment of agricultural resources and as
a means of more sufficiently maintain
ing the agricultural population, the
project to establish credit facilities for
the farmers is a concern of vital Im
portance to this nation. No evldenco
of prosperity among well-established
farmers should blind us to the fact
that lack of capital is preventing a
development of the nation's agricul
tural resources and an adequate In
crease of the land under cultivation;
that agricultural production is fast
falling behind the increase In popula
tion; and that, in fact, although these
well-established farmers are main
tained In Increasing prosperity be
cause of the natural increase In popu
lation, we are not developing the in
dustry of agriculture. We aro not
breeding in proportionate numbers a
race of independent and independence
loving land owners, for a lack of
which no growth of cities can com
pensate. Our farmers have been our
mainstay In times of crisis, and in
future It must still largely bo upon
their stability and common senso that
this democracy must rely to conserve
Its principles of self-government.
The need of capital which American
farmers feel today had been experi
enced by the farmers of Europe, with
ago. The problem had been success
their centuries-old farms, many years
fully solved in the old world nnd it
was evident that the farmers of this
country might profit by a study of
their systems. I thorcforo ordered,
through tho department of state, nn
investigation to bo mado by the diplo
matic officers in Europe, and I havo
laid tho results of this investigation
boforo tho governors of tho various
stateB with tho 'hope that thoy wlll
bo used to advantago in tholr forth
coming meeting.
Increase of Foreign Trade.
In my Inst annual message I said
that the fiscal year ended Juno 30,
1911, was notoworthy aB marking tho
highest record of exports of American
products to foreign countries. The
fiscal year 15)12 shows that this rato
of advance has been maintained, tho
total domestic exports having a valu
ation approximately of $2,200,000,000,
as compared with n fraction over
$2,000,(100,000 tho previous year. It
W also significant thnt manufactured
and partly manufactured articles con
tinue to bo tho chief commodities form
ing tho volumo of our augmented ex
ports, tho demnnds of our own peoplo
for consumption requiring thnt nn In
creasing proportion of our nbuhdnnt
agricultural products bo kept at homo,
In tho fiscal year 1911 tho exports of
articles In tho various stages of man
ufacture, not including foodstuffs pnrt
ly or wholly manufactured, nmounted
npproxlmntely to s907,GOO,000. In tho
fiscal year 1912 tho total was nearly
$1,022,000,000, a gain of $114,000,000.
Advantage of Maximum and Minimum
Tariff Provision.
The lmportnnco which 6ur manufac
tures havo assumed in tho commerco
of tho world in competition with tho
manufactures of other countries ngnln
draws attention to tho duty of this
government to uso lis utmost endeav
ors to secure Impartial treatment for
Amorlcnn products in nil markets.
Healthy commercial rivalry in inter
national intercourse Is best nssurcd
by tho possession of proper means
for protecting and promoting our
foreign trade. It Is natural that
competitive countries should view
with Homo concern this steady
expansion of our commerco. If In
somo Instances tho measuro taken by
them to meet it nro not entirely equi
table, n remedy Bhould bo found. In
former messages 1 havo described tho
negotiations of tho department of
stato with foreign governments for tho
adjustment of tho mnxlmum nnd min
imum tariff ns provided in Bcctlon 2
of tho tariff law of 1909. Tho advan
tages Bocured by tho adJuBtmont of
our trndo relation) under this law
hnvo continued during tho Inst year,
and somo additional cases of discrim
inatory treatment of which wo had
reason to complain havo boon re
moved. Tho department of stato hnB
for tho first tlmo in tho hUtory of
this country obtained substantial
most-fnvored-natlon treatment from
all tho countries of tho world. Thoro
arc, however, other Instances which,
while nppnrently not constituting un-
duo discrimination In tho senso of
section 2, aro novcrthclcsB cxcoptlonB
to tho complete equity of tariff treat
ment for Amorlcnn products that tho
department of stnto consistently hns
sought to obtain for American com
merco nbroad, .
Necessity for Supplementary Lelgela
lation. Theso developments confirm tho
opinion convoyed to you in my annual
message of 1911, that whllo tho max
imum and minimum provision of tho
tariff law of 1909 has boon fully Jus
tified by tho success achieved in re
moving previously existing unduo dis
criminations ngalnst American prod
ucts, yet experience has shown that
this feature of tho law Bhould bo
amended in such way as to prevent
a fully effectivo means of meeting
tho varying degrees of discriminatory
treatment of American commerco in
foreign countries still encountered, as
well aB to protect against injurious
treatment on tho part of foreign gov
ernments, through eithor legislative
of administrative measures, tho finan
cial interests abroad of American cit
izens whoso enterprises enlarge the
market for Amorican commoditlees.
I can not too strongly recommend
to congress tho passage of somo such
enabling measure as tho bill which
was recommended by the secretary
of stato in his letter of December 13,
1011. Tho object of the proposed leg
islation is, In brief, to en
able the executive to apply,
as tho caso may require, to any
or all commodities, whether or not on
the free list from a country which
discriminates against the United
States, a graduated scale of duties
up to the maximum of 25 per cent, ad
valorem provided In the present law.
Flat tariffs are out of date. Hi
Special Claims Arbitration With Great
Britain.
The special agreement entered Into
between tho United States and Great
Drltaln on August 18, 1910, for tho ar
bitration of outstanding pecuniary
claims, a schedule of claims and the
terms of submission have been agreed
upon by the two governments, and to
gether with the special agreement
were approved by tho senate on July
19, 1911, but in accordance with the
terms of the agreement they did not
go into effect until confirmed by the
two governments by an exchange of
notes, which was done on April 26
last. Negotiations are still in prog
ress for a supplemental schedule of
claims to be submitted to arbitration
under this agreement, and meanwhile
the necessary preparations for the ar
bitration of the claims Included imthe
first schedule have been undertaken
and are being carried on under the
authority of an appropriation made for
that purposo at the last session of
ccmgresB. It is anticipated that the
two governments will be prepared to
call upon tho arbitration tribunal, es
tablished under this agreement, to
meet at Washington early next year
to proceed with this arbitration.
Fur Seal Treaty and Need for Amend
ment 'of Our 8tatute.
Tho act adopted at tho last session
of Congress to give effect to tho fur
seal convention of July 1, 1911, be
tween Great Uritain, Japan, Russia
and' tho United States, provided for
tho suspension of all land killing of
seals on tho Prlbllof islands for a pe
riod of flvo years, and an objection
has now been presented to this pro
vision by tho other pnrtlcB in inter
est, which raises tho issuo as to
whether or not this prohibition of land
killing in inconsistent with tho spirit,
If not tho lotter, of tho treaty stipu
lations. Tho Justification for cstnb-
I llshiug this close soaHon depends, un
dor tho terms of tho ecflvcnilon, upon
how far, If at all, It is necessary for
protecting, and preserving tho Amori
mil fur-seal herd nnd for Increasing
Its number. This Is n quetftlon re
quiring examination of tho present
condition of tho herd nnd tho treat
ment which It needs In the tight of
actual experience and scientific inves
tigation. A careful examination of
tho subject Is now being mndo, and
this government will soon bo In pos
session of n conslderablci nmount of
now information about tho American
Beal herd, which has been secured
during tho past season nnd will bo ot
grcnt value In determining this ques
tion; nnd If It should appear that
thoro is any uncertainty aB to tho
real necessity for Imposing a closu
season at this tlmo, I shall tako
nn early opportunity to nddrcss
n special messngo to congress on this
subject, In tho belief that this govern-'
ment should yield on this point rather
than glvo tho slightest ground for the
charge that wo havo been in nny way
remiss In observing our treaty obliga
tions. Final Settlement of North Atlantlo
Fisheries Dispute.
On tho 20th of July Inst an agree
ment wns concluded bctwoon th
United States and Great Hrltnln
adopting, with certain modifica
tions, tho rulcB and. 'method of
procedure recommended In the
award rendered by tho North Atlantic
Coast FlBhorlcB Arbitration Tribunal
on September 7, 1910, for tho settle
ment hereafter, in nccordnnco with
tho principles laid down in tho award,
of questions arising with reforonco to
tho oxcrclso of tho Amorican fishing
liberties under Artlclo I of tho treaty
of October 20, 1818, between tho
United Stntes nnd (treat Drltaln. This
ngrcomont received tho approval of
tho Bcunto on August 1 and was for
mally ratified by tho two governments
on November 15 last. Tho rules nnd
a mothod of procedure embodied in
tho award provided for dotcrmfnlnr?
by nn impartial tribunal tho reason
ableness of nny now fishery regula
tions on tho trenty coasts of Now
foundlnnd and Canada before such
regulations could bw enforced against
American fishermen exercising tholr
treaty liberties on thoso coasts, and,
nlso for determining tho delimitation
of bays on such coasts moro than 10
mlloB wldo, in nccordanco with the
definition ndopted by tho tribunal of
tho meaning of tho word "baya" as
used In tho trenty. avMsTl
Imperial Valley and Mexico.
In order to mako posBlblo tho moro
effectivo performance of tho work nec
essary for tho confinement In their
prcBcnt channel of tho waters of the
lowor Colorado river, and Uiub to pro
tect tho peoplo of tho Imperial Val
ley, as well aB in order to reach with
tho government ot Mexico an under
standing regarding tho distribution of
tho waters of the Colorado river, in
which both governments are much,
interested, negotiations aro going for
ward with a view to the establish
ment of a preliminary Colorado river
commission, which shall havo the
powers necessary to enable it to do
tho needful work and with authority,
to study tho question of the equitable
distribution of the waters. There la
every reason to believe that an un
derstandlng upon this point will be
reached and that an agreement will
bo signed in the near future.
The messago told what the govern
ment has done in connection with the) -Balkan
war and in placing the gov
ernment of Liberia in position to pay
its debts. The now condition of at
fairs In China was set forth, 'and
then our relations with Central and
South American governments were
set forth in more detail. It concluded
aB follows:
Congress should fully realize the
conditions which obtalu in the world
as we find ourselves at the threshold
of our middle age as a nation. We
have emerged full grown as a peer la
the great concourse of nations. We
have passed through various forma
tive periods. We have been self-centered
in the struggle to develop our
domestic resources and deal with our
domestic questions. The nation It
now too mature to continue in its for
eign relations those temporary expe
dients natural to a peoplo to whom do
mestic affairs are the sole concern.
In the paBt our diplomacy has often
consisted, in normal times, in a mere
assertion of the right to international
existence. We aro now in a larger
relation with broader rights of our
own and obligations to others than
ourselves. A number of great guid
ing principles were laid down early in
tho history of this government. The
recent task ot our diplomacy has been
to adjust those principles to the con
dltlons 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 demand
a broad and a modern view. Wo can
not meet now questions nor build for
the future If we confine ourselves to
outworn dogmas of tho past and to
the perspective appropriate at our
emcrgenco from colonial tlmeB and
conditions. Tho opening of the Pana
ma canal will mark a new era In out
International llfo and create new and
world-wldo conditions which, with
their vast correlations and conse
quences, will obtain for hundreds of t
years to come. Wo must not wait for
events- to overtake us unawares. With
continuity of purpoBo we must deal
with tho problems of our external re
lations by a diplomacy modern, re
sourceful, magnanimous, nnd fittingly
cxprosslvo ot tho high ideals ot js
great uatlon. .
WH. H. TAFT-
Tho White House,
December 3, 1912. ,J
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