on a more generous scale and whose preparations are in a state of much
greater forwardness than our own.

Where our artisans have the admitted capacity to excel, where our
inventive genius has initiated many of the grandest discoveries of these
later days of the century, and where the native resources of our land
are as limitless as they are valuable to supply the world's needs, it is
our province, as it should be our earnest care, to lead in the march of
human progress, and not rest content with any secondary place. Moreover,
if this be due to ourselves, it is no less due to the great French
nation whose guests we become, and which has in so many ways testified
its wish and hope that our participation shall befit the place the two
peoples have won in the field of universal development.

The commercial arrangement made with France on the 28th of May, 1898,
under the provisions of section 3 of the tariff act of 1897, went into
effect on the 1st day of June following. It has relieved a portion of
our export trade from serious embarrassment. Further negotiations
are now pending under section 4 of the same act with a view to the
increase of trade between the two countries to their mutual advantage.
Negotiations with other governments, in part interrupted by the war with
Spain, are in progress under both sections of the tariff act. I hope to
be able to announce some of the results of these negotiations during the
present session of Congress.

Negotiations to the same end with Germany have been set on foot.
Meanwhile no effort has been relaxed to convince the Imperial Government
of the thoroughness of our inspection of pork products for exportation,
and it is trusted that the efficient administration of this measure by
the Department of Agriculture will be recognized as a guaranty of the