The Geary Bulletin. (Geary, Okla.), Vol. 14, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 19, 1912 Page: 2 of 8
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r'J*Tn'
WT SENDS IN
MESSAGE ABOUT
FOREIGN MS
ewrtil divisions of Lftft*
ul to Itfltlwtt commercial
President Informs Congress of
Our Relations With Other
Nations.
America* affaire aad of far oaator*.
lftr «MtorB. Ud ardtre European
affair* To thoo* divisions ware called
from the forvtgn service diplomatic
and consular officers possessing e*p^
rlence aad knowledge caiaed by act-
ual lerrlte In different part* of th*
world and thue familiar with political
and commercial condition* la the re-
done concerned The work wa. high
ly specialized The result I* that
where previously this government
from time to time would emphasise In
It* foreign relations on* or another
n to aa effort fraakly directed
of foreign creditors and the
In #v-
being
AMERICAN D1PLCMACY WINS
Its Success in Settling Central
American Troubles.
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE BETTER
wrganlaatlo* Mae Dene Much te Is
eraooe Ita Efficiency—Adjustment
of the Sealing and Fishsrtea DIs-
pwlee—Interest* of
la the Near end fit laat.
United State#
Washington Dec J.—President Taft
oobmltied to congress today the first
of several messages It waa devoted
to our foreign relation* and In part
waa a* foUowa:
To the Senate and Hone* of Ftepre
oeotaUves Th# foreign relations of
the United State# actually and poten-
tially affect th* state cf the Union to
a degree not widely realised and hard
|y surpassed by any other factor in
the welfare of the whole nation The
position of the United States tn the
moral Intellectual, and material rela
tic ns of th# family of nations should
Me a matter of vital Interest to every
patriotic eltlaen The national pros-
perity and power Impose upon us du-
ties which we can not shirk If we are
to be true to our ideals The tremen-
dous growth of th# export trade of the
United State# has already made that
trade a very real factor In the Indus-
trial and commercial prosperity of the
country With the development of our
industries the foreign commerce of
the United S’ates must rapidly be-
come a atlll more essential factor In
1 policy, now American interests
try quarter of the globe are
cultivated with equal assiduity
Merit ftystefw 1# Consular end Diplo-
matic Corps
Expert knowledge and professional
training muat evidently be the essence
of this reorganisation Without a
trained foreign service there would
not be men available for the work In
the roorganlxed department of etat#
President Cleveland ha# taken the
first step toward Introducing the
merit system In th# foreign service
That had been followed by the appli-
cation of th# merit principle, with ex-
cellent results, to the entire consular
branch Almost nothing however had
I been done In this direction with regard
to th# diplomatic service. In this age
of commercial diplomacy It was erl-
dently of the first Importance to train
an adequate personnel In that branch
of the service Therefore, on Novem
her 2*. 1K>* by an executive order I
placed the diplomatic service up
the grade of secretary of embassy In 1
elusive upon exactly the same strict j
non-partisan basis of the merit sys-
tem rigid examination for appoint-
ment and promotion only for effl- I
clency as had been maintained without ,
exception In the consular service
Statistics as to Merit and Nonpartisan
Character cf Appointment*.
How faithful to the merit system
and how nonpartiaan has been the con-
duct of the diplomatic and consular
service* In the last four year* may be
judged from the following Three
ambassador* now serving held their
present rank at the beginning of the
administration Of the ten ambasea
j dors whom 1 have appointed flTe were
by promotion from the rank of min-
ister Nine ministers now serving
held their present rank at the begln-
* nlng of the administration Of the
thirty minister* whom I have appolnt-
ed. eleven were promoted from the
lower grade* of the foreign service or
from the department of state Of the
Its economic welfare Whether we nineteen missions In Latin America.
have a far-seeing and arise diplomacy
and are not recklessly plunged Into
unnecesary wars, and whether our for
•lgn policies are based upon an intel-
ligent grasp of present-day world con-
ditions and a clear view of the poten-
tialities of the future, or are governed
where our relations are cloae and our
Interest Is great, fifteen chiefs of mis-
sion are service men. three having
entered the service during this admin-
istration. The thirty-seven secreta-
ries of embassy or legation who have
received their Initial appointments
U> the increase of American trade up-
on the axiomatic principle that
the government of the Untied
States shall extend all proper
support ur every legitimate and
beneficial American enterprise abroad
How great hare been the result* of
this diplomacy, coupled with the max-
imum and minimum provision of the
tariff law. will be seen by some con-
sideration of the
tn the export trade of the
gtatee Because modern diplomacy Is
commercial there has been a dispoel
lion In some quarters to attribute to
it none but materialistic alms How
strikingly erroneous Is such an im
preesion may be seen from a study of
the results by which th# diplomacy
of the United State# can be Judged
•ucceasful efforts In Promotion of
Peaco.
In th# field of work toward th#
Ideals of peace this government ne-
gotiated but to my regTet waa unable
to consummate, two arbitration tree
tie# which set the highest mark of
th# aspiration of nations toward the
substitution of arbitration and r*a*o3
for war tn the settlement of Interna-
tional dispute* Through th* effort*
of Amencar diplomacy several war*
have been prevented or ended. I re-
fer to the successful tripartite medi-
ation of the Argentine republic. Brn-
,11 and the United State# between
Peru and Ecuador, the bringing of the
boundary dispute between Panama
to | and Costa Rica to peaceful arbltra
tion: the staying of warlike prepara-
tions when Hajrti and the Dominican
republic were on the verge of hostlll
ties; the stopping of a war In Nicarag-
ua ; the halting of Internecine strife
In Honduras The government of the
United States was thanked for Its In-
fluence toward the restoration of amic
able relations between the Argentine
republic and Bolivia. The diplomacy
of the United States is active ip seek-
ing to assuage the remaining ill-feel
ing between this country and the Re
public of Colombia In the recent Civ-
il war in China the United States suc-
cessfully joined with the other Inter
ested powers in urging an early ces-
sation of hostilities. An agreement
has been reached between the govern-
ment* of Chile and Peru whereby the
celebrated Tacna Arte* dispute, which
has so long embittered international
relations on the west coast of South
America, has at last been adjusted
Simultaneously came the news that
the boundary dispute between Peru
and Ecuador had entered upon a stage
of amicable settlement. The position
reference to
anew of revolutionary disorder
| Th# second advantage to th# Unit-
ed State* Is one affecting chiefly nil
the southern and gulf port* and th#
business and Industry of th* sooth
The republics of Central America aad
the Caribbean posse*# great natural
wealth They need only a measure of
stability and the means of financial
______regeneration to enter upon an era of
"onde-rfwl increase peace and prosperity, bringing profit
United and happiness to themeelve# and at
till
ttat this fata
ha# been —Inisln-f the
iporta having a valu-
by a temporary and timid expediency after passing successfully the required
or by narrow view* befitting an In-
fant nation, are question* In the al-
ternative consideration of which must
convince any thoughtful dtlxen that
Bo department of national polity of-
fers greater opportunity for promoting
the Interest* of the whole people on
the one hand, or greater chance on
the other of permanent national tn- t
Jury, than that which deal* with the
foreign relation* of the United States
The fundamental foreign policies of ,
the United States should be raised
high above the conflict of partisan-
ship and wholly dissociated from dif-
ferences as to domestic policy. In Its
foreign affairs the United State#
should present to the world a united
front. The Intellectual financial and
Industrial Interests of the country and
the publicist, the wrage earner, the
farmer, and cltlxen of whatever occu- i
patlon muat cooperate In a aplrit of
high patriotism to promote that na-
tional solidarity which la Indispensable
to national efficiency and to the at-
tainment of national ideal*.
The relations of the United State*
with all foreign power* remain upon
B aound basis of peace, harmony and
friendship A greater Insistence upon
Justice to American cltlxen# or Inter-
ests wherever It may have 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 tt 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-
elgn relations of the United States
and to endeavor, also, to define clearly
certain concrete policies which are
the logical modern corrollarles of the
undisputed and traditional fundamen-
tals of the foreign policy of th#
United States
Reorganization of th# Stats 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 the
Spanish-American war. and already en-
' gaged In laying the groundwork of a
vast foreign trade upon which It
should one day become more and
more dependent, found Itself without
the machinery for giving thorough at
tention to. and taking effective action
upon, a mass of intricate business
vital tc American Interests In every
country In the world.
The department of state was an
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 my
recommendation by the congress on
August 6. 1809. the department of
•tats was completely reorganized
examination were chosen for ascer-
tained fitness, without regard to po-
litical affiliations. A dearth of candi-
dates from southern and western
states has alone made It Impossible
thus far completely to equalize all
the states’ representations In the for-
eign service. In the effort to equalize
the representation of the various
states In the consular service I have i
made sixteen of the twenty-nine new
appointments as consul which have
occurred during my administration
from the southern states This Is 55
per cent. Every other consular ap-
pointment made. Including the promo-
tion of eleven young men from the
I consular assistant and student inter
preter corps, has been by promotion or
transfer, based solely upon efficiency
shown In the service,
i in order to assure to the business
and other Interests of the United
States a continuance 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 the meas-
ure now pending la congress
Larger Provision for Embaaalea and
Legation* 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 Invite 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 scale and
cost of living at each post, controlled
by a system of accounting, and un-
der the general direction of the de-
partment of state.
In line with the object which I have
sought of placing our foreign service
on a basis of permanency, I have at
jarious times advocated provision by
congress for the acquisition of govern-
ment-owned buildings for the resi-
dence and offices of our diplomatic of-
ficer#. 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
csBta, In favor of men having large
private fortunes. The act of congress
which 1 approved on February 17.1911,
was a right step tn this direction.
The secretary of state has already
made the limited recommendations
permitted by the act for any one year,
and It is my hope that the bill Intro-
duced In the house of representatives
to carry out these recommendations
will be favorably acted on by the con-
gress during Its present session.
Diplomancy s Handmaid of Commer-
cial Intercourse and Pcaca.
The diplomancy of the present ad-
ministration has sought to respond
to modern idea* of commercial Inter-
course This policy has been char
aclertzed n« substituting dollars for
bullets. It Is one that appeals alike
of the United States In
the Tacna-Aric* dispute between
Chile and Peru has been one of non-
intervention. but one of friendly In
fiuence and pacific counael throughout
the period during which the dispute
In Question has been the subject o.
interchange of view* between this
government and the two government* been withdrawn
immediately concerned.
In the gen
the same time creating conditions
sure to lead to a flourishing In
ter change of trade with this country-
I wish to call your especial attention
to th* recent occurrence* in Nica-
ragua. for 1 believe the terrible events
recorded there during th# revolution
of th# past summer—th* useless loss
of lit*, the devastation of property,
th* bombardment of defenseless cities,
th* killing and wounding at women
aad children, the torturing of non
combatants to exact contribution**,
and tha Buffering of thousands of hu-
man being*—might have bean avert-
ed hed the department of state,
through approval of th# loan eonvsn
tlon by tha senate. been permitted to
carry out tts now well developed policy
of encouraging the extending of fi-
nancial aid to weak Central American
states with the primary object* of
avoiding Just such revolution* by a*
stating those republics to rehabili-
tate their finances, to establish their
currency on a stable basis, to remove
the custom house# from t^e danger
of revolutions by arranging for their
secure administration, and to estab-
lish reliable banks.
During this last revolution In Nica-
ragua. the government of that re pub
lie having admitted It* Inability to
protect American life and property
against acts of sheer lawlessness on
the part of the malcontent*, and hav-
ing requested this government to as
«ume that office. It became neessary to
land over 1.0^0 marines and bluejack
ets in Nicaragua Owing to their
presence the constituted government
of Nicaragua wm free to devote its
attention wholly to it* Internal trou
bles. and was thus enabled to stamp
out the rebellion In a short space ol
time. When the Red Cross supplies
sent to Granada had been exhausted
8.000 persons having been given food
In one day upon the arrival of the
American forces, our men supplied
other unfortunate, needy Nicaraguans
from their own haversacks. 1 wish to
congratulate the officers and m#n of
the United States navy and marine
corps who took part in re-establishing
order In Nicaragua upon their splen
did conduct, and to record with sor
row the death of seven American ma
rines and bluejacket*. Since the
re-establishment of peace and order,
elections have been held amid condl
tlons of quiet and tranquility. Nearly
all the American marines have now
The country should
soon be on the road to recovery- Th*
gwr the tarts* of th* »•*##(
how far. If at alj. « 1*
protecting and preserving the Ai
atloB approximately of
aw compared with a fraction over
$1.000.000.000 th* previous year It
la fi— significant that manufactured
aad partly manufactured article* con-
tinue to be th# chief oommodltios form-
ing the volume of our augmented ex-
ports, th* demands of our own poople
for consumption requiring that aa In-
creasing proportion of our abundant
agricultural product# be kept at home.
In th# fiscal year 1*11 ths exports of
article* in th# various stages of man-
ufacture. not Including foodstuffs part-
ly or wholly manufactured, amounted
approximately to 8907.fi00.000. In the
fiscal year ltll the total was Bsarly
fl.oil,000.000. a gain of $114,000,000.
Advantage of Maximum and Minimum
Tariff Provision.
Th# Importance which our manufac-
ture* have assumed In the commerce
of th# world la competition with the
manufactures of other counirlsa again
draws attention to ths duty of this
government to tn Its utmost endeav-
ors to secure Impartial treatment for
American products In all market*
Healthy commercial rivalry In Inter
national intercourse Is best assured
by th* possession of proper moans
for protecting aad promoting our
foreign trade It Is natural that
competitive countries should view
with soma concern this steady
expansion of our commerce- if
some Instances the measure taken by
them to meet It are not entirely equi-
table a remedy should be found In
former messages I have described the
negotiations of the department of
state with foreign government* for the
adjustment of the maximum and min-
imum tariff as provided In section 2
of 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 discrim-
inatory 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
most-favored-nation 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 2. 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 Lslgsta-
latlon.
These developments confirm the
opinion conveyed to you In my annual
message of 1911. that while the max-
imum and minimum provision of the
tariff law of 1909 has been fully Jus-
tified by the success achieved in re-
moving previously existing undue dis-
criminations against American prod-
ucts. yet experience has shown that
this feature of the law should be
Pral easing of international tension on only apparent danger now threatening amended ,n such way as to prevent
coal,t o* South America the Nicaragua arises from the shortag & fully effective means of meeting
tripartite mediation to which I have | of funds Although American bankers | ^ varylng deKrees of discriminatory
hlT^n'a moat potent and I have already rendered “■U’*nce
they may naturally be loath to
beneficent factor.
China.
In China the policy of encouraging
financial Investment to enable that
country to help itself has had the re-
sult of giving new life 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 the
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
er8 The hypothecation to foreign
bankers In connection with certain in-
dustrial enterprises, such as the Huku-
ang railway*, 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-
Bired by China for the reform of its
currency. The principle of interna-
tional co-operation la matters of com-
mon interest upon which our policy
had already been based In all of the
above Instances has admittedly been
In that concert of the
treatment of American commerce In
___ foreign countries still encountered, as
vance a loan adequate to set the coun- I wejj as to protect against Injurious
try upon its feet without the support treatrnent cn the part of foreign gov-
of some such convention as that of erninents, through either legislative
June. 1911. upon which the senate has admtniBtrative measures, the finan-
not yet acted eial Interests abroad of American clt-
The president alluded briefly to the j ,zen8 whose enterprises enlarge the
enforcement of neutrality laws.
Secretary Knox’s visit to Central
America and to the unfortunate dis-
turbances in Mexico Continuing, the
message said:
Agricultural Credits.
A most Important work, accom-
plished In the past year by the Ameri-
can diplomatic officers In Europe. Is
the Investigation of the agricultural
credit eyst* m in the European coun-
tries. Both as a means to afford relief
to the consumers of this country
through a more 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 evidence
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 ln-
bf the land under cultivation;
fast
a great factor
crease
that agricultural production Is
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 are not
breeding tn proportionate numbers a
nnwera which has been so happily ------- - -
conspicuous during the perilous period J rare of lnd_e^ndent^«d ind.^^entj
Transition through which the great | loving land owners, for a
of transition ------- I wh,ch no Kroirth of cmes can com
Chinese nation has been passing
Central America Need* Our Help
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 State# 1* two-fold. First. It is
obvious that the Monroe doctrine is
more vital In the neighborhood of the
Panama canal and the sone of the
Caribbean than anywhere else There,
too the maintenance of that doctrine
falls most heavily upon the United
States. It Is therefore essential that
pensate. Our farmers have been our
mainstay in times of crlsi*. and In
future It must still largely be upon
their stability and common sense 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
a,o. The problem had been success-
thelr centuries-old farms, many years
fully solved tn the old world and It
waa evident that the farmer* of this
country might profit by a study of
their systems. I therefore ordered.
* ----- an
^countries’ ^bln't'hat sphere shall I through the department of
£ removed from the Jeopardy involv- investigation to be made by U»« ^
.-■t by h..,y for-lRH deb. |
national finances and from the ever
present danger of International com
plications due to disorder at home.
Hence the United States has been
glad to encourage and support Atuer
lean banker* who were willing to lend
a helping hand to the financial re-
habilitation of such coutries because
this financial rehabilitation and the
laid the results
before the governors of the various
■tatea with the hope that they will
be used to advantage In their forth-
coming 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
to the
Haile namnimaruiu «*•***^lv‘vv‘,w” ^,,.4 4.-.*tfir« 1 roiluc’a to
dictates of sound policy and I being the prey of would be dictators trooucts u)
market for American commoditises.
I can not 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 IS.
1911. The object of the proposed leg-
islation 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
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.
Special Claims Arbitration With Great
• Britain.
The special agreement entered Into
between the United 9tates and Great
Britain on August 18. 1910. for the ar-
bitration of outstanding pecuniary
claims, a schedule of claims and the
terms of submission havs been agreed
upon by the two government#, and to-
gether with the special agreement
were approved by the 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 28
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 In the
first schedule have been undertaken
and are being carried on under the
authority of an appropriation made for
that purpose at the last session of
congress. It Is anticipated that the
two governments will be prepared to
call upon the 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 Statute.
The set adopted at the last session
of Congress to give effect to the fur-
seal convention of July 1, 1911, be-
tween Great Britain. Japan. Russia
and ths United States, provided for
the suspension of all land killing of
seals on the Pribllof Islands for a pe-
riod of five years, and an objection
has now been presented to this pro-
vision by the other parties in inter-
esL which raises the Issue as to
whether or not this prohibition of land
killing Is Inconsistent with the splrlL
If not the letter, of the treaty stipu-
lation* The Justification for estate
llshlng this close season depends, un
U1 fuoeeal hard and for Increasing
Us number. This la a question re-
quiring examination of ths present
condition of ths herd and ths treat-
ment which It needs In ths light of
tetua) experience and scientific Inves-
tigation A careful examination of
the subject Is now being made, aad
this government will soon be In pos
session of a considerable asaount of
new Information about ths America*
seal herd, which has been secured
during the past deason and will be of
[[■nit value tn determining this ques-
tion; and if It should appear that
there Is any uncertainty as to ths
real necessity for imposing a closs
season at this time. I shall taka
u early opportunity to address
a special message to congress on thin
subject, in th* belief that this govern-
ment should yield on this point rather
than give ths slightest ground for ths
charge that ws bav* been In any way
remiss tn observing our treaty obliga-
tions.
Final Mottlsmsat of Nerth Atlantis
Fisheries Dispute.
On tha 20th of July last aa agrsa-
ment waa concluded between tha
United States and Oreat Britain
adopting, with osrtaln modifica-
tions. ths rule# and method of
procedure recommended in th*
•ward rendered by the North Atlantic
Coast Fisheries Arbitration Tribunal
on September 7. 1*10. for the settle-
ment hereafter. In accordance with
the principles laid down In ths award,
of questions arising with reference to
the exercise of the American fishing
liberties under Article I of the treaty
of October 20. 1818. between the
United States and Oreat Britain. Thll
agreement received the approval of
the senate on August 1 and was for-
mallv ratified by the two governments
on November 15 last. Th* rules and
a method of procedure embodied In
the award provided for determining
by an Impartial tribunal the reason-
ableness of any new fishery regula-
tions on the treaty coasts of New-
foundland and Canada before such
regulations could be enforced against
American fishermen exercising their
treaty liberties on those coasts, and
also for determining the delimitation
of bays on such coasts more than 10
miles wide. In accordance with the
definition adopted by the tribunal of
the meaning of the word ’ bays’’ aa
used In the treaty. *’
Imperial Valley and Mexico.
In order to make possible the more
effective performance of the work nec-
essary for the confinement In their
present channel of the waters of the
lower Colorado river, and thus to pro-
tect the people of the Imperial Val-
ley. as well as In order to reach with
the government of Mexico an under-
standing regarding the distribution of
the waters of ths Colorado river, in
whtch both governments are much
Interested, negotiations are going for-
ward with a view to the establish-
ment of a preliminary Colorado river
commission, ‘which shall have th#
powers necessary to enable It to do
the needful work and with authority
to study the question of the equitable
distribution of the waters. There la
every reason to believe that an un-
derstanding upon this point will be
reached and that an agreement will
be signed tn the near future.
The message told what the govern-
ment has done In connection with th#
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. It concluded
as follows;
Congress should fully realise th#
conditions which obtain In the world
as we find ourselves at the threshold
of our middle age as a nation. W#
have emerged full grown a* a peer In
the great concourse of nations. Ws
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 ita for-
eign relations those temporary expe-
dients natural to a people to whom d<*
mestlc affairs are the sole concern.
In the past our diplomacy has often
consisted, in normal times. In a 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 guid-
ing principles were laid down early In
the history of this government Tha
recent task of our diplomacy has been
to adjust those principles to the con*
dltlons of today, to develop their coroF
larles. 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
a broad and a modern view. We can
not meet new questions nor build for
the future If we confine ourselves to
outworn dogmas of the past and to
the perspective appropriate at our
emergence from colonial times and
conditions. The opening of the Pana-
ma canal will mark a new era In our
International life and create new and
world-wide conditions which, with
their vast correlations and conse-
quences. will obtain for hundreds of
years to come. We must not wait for
events to overtake us unawares. With
continuity of purpose we must deal
with the problems of our external re-
lations by a diplomacy modern, re-
sourceful. magnanimous, and fittingly
expressive of the high ideals of a
great nation.
WH. H. TAFT.
Ths White House,
December t, lfilfi.
hx .
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Roff, Charles H. The Geary Bulletin. (Geary, Okla.), Vol. 14, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 19, 1912, newspaper, December 19, 1912; Geary, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1077805/m1/2/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.