Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-05
FIRST MESSAGE OF 81
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT

tContnueu iium second page.l
and upon this fact we congratulate them
and ourselves. Their material welfare
must be as carefully and jealousy cofsid-
cred as the welfare of any other portion
OF our country, We have given them tile
( great gift of free access for their products
10 the markets OF the United States. l ash
the attention of the congress to the need
of legislation concerning the public lands
OF Porto Rico.
Cuba and the Philippines.
In Cuba such progress has been made
toward putting the independent govern
inent of the island upon a firm footing
that before the present session of the
congress closes this will be an accomplish
ed fact Cuba will then start as her own
mistress. and to the beautiful Queen of
the Antilles as she unfolds this new page
OF her destiny we extend our heartiest
greetings ane good wishes, Elsewhere I
have discussed the question of reciproci-
n ~. In the case of Cuba. however. there
n are weighty reasons of morality and OF
= rational interest why the policy should bo
NJ held to have a peculiar application. and
n most earnestly ask your attention to the
wisdom. indeed to the vital need, of pro-
x vding for a substantial reduction In the
n tariff duties on Cuban imports into the
IN United States. Cuba has In her constitu-
'N tion affirmed what we desired. that she
N should stand in international matters In
fI tiuS1i anu ALOIt lIltnuly TeldllOnS Will US
y than with any other power, and we are
bound by every consideration of honor
land expediency to pass commercial meas
5ures IN the interest of her material well
" being
In the Philippines our problem is larger.
They are very rich tropical islands, inhab-
b tied by many varying tribes. representing
lwidely different stages of progress to-
" ward civilization Our earnest effort Is to
help these people upward along the stony
I'm
IA eminent. We hope to make our admin
istration OF the Islands honorable to our
E. nation by making It of the highest benefit
to the Filipinos themselves, and as an
y earnest of what we intend to do we point
u to what we have done. Already a greater
" measure of material prosperity and of
= governmental honesty and efficiency has
been attained in the Philippines than ever
before I'm their history.
H Treatment of Filipinos.
IA II is no light task. for nation to
VA achieve the temperamental qualities with
out which the institutions of free govern
N ment are but empty mockery. Our peo-
pie are now successfully governing them
selves because for more than thousand
"A years they have been slowly fitting them
NJ selves. sometimes consciously, sometimes
n unconsciou5ly. toward this end. What
81 has taken us thirty generations to achieve
we cannot expect to see another race &C.
q complish out of hand. especially when
n behind the point which our ancestors had
reached even thirty generations ago. In
dealing with the Philippine people We
must show both patience and strength,
forbearance and steadfast resolution. Our
aim is high. We do not desire to do for
the islanders merely what has elsewhere
been done for tropic peoples by even the
best foreign governments. We hope to do
for them what has never before been done
for any people Of the tropics-to make
them fit for self government after the
fashion of the really free nations
History may safely be challenged to
show single instance in which a MASTER
full race such as ours, having been forced
sion OF an alien land, has behaved to its
Inhabitants with the disinterested zeal for
their progress that our people have shown
in the Philippines. To leave the islands at
this time would mean that they would
fall into welter of murderous anarchy.
Such a desertion of duty on our part
would be crime against humanity. The
character Of Governor Taft and of his as
sociates and subordinates is proof, if
such be needed, of the sincerity of our
effort to give the Islanders a constantly
increasing measure OF self government
exactly as fast as they show themselves
Mt to exercise 1t. Since the civil govern
ment was established not an appointment
has been made in the islands with any
reference to considerations of political in
fuence or to aught else save the fitness
oI tne man ana tle neeuS OIL tne service.
Policy of Local Self Governments.
In our anxiety for the welfare and
progress of the Philippines 1t may be that
here and there we have gone too rapidly
in giving them local self government. It
Us on this side that our error, IL any,
has been committed. No competent OBJ
server sincerely DESTROYS of finding out
the facts and influenced only by a de-
sire for the welfare of the natives can
assert that we have not gone far enough.
We have gone to the very verge of safety
in fastening the process. To have taken
q single step farther or faster in advance
would have been folly and weakness and
might well have been crime. We are ex-
tremely anxious that the natives shall
show the power OF governing themselves
We are anxious first for their sakes and
next because 1t relieves us of a great bur-
den. There need not be the slightest fear
of our not continuing to give them all tho
liberty for which they are fit.
The only fear is lest in our overanxiety
we give them degree of independence
for which they are unfit. thereby inviting
reaction and disaster AS fast as there Is
any reasonable hope that in a given dis
trict the people can govern themselves
self government has been given in that
district. There is not a locality fitted for
self government which has not received
~. But 1t may well be that in certain
cnses 1t will have to be withdrawn be-
cause the inhabitants show themselves
unfit to exercise II. Such instances have
already occurred In other words. there
is not the slightest chance of our failing
to show sufficiently humanitarian spirit.
The danger comes in the opposite direc-
ton.
There are still troubles ahead in the Is
lands. The Instruction has become an
affair of local banditu and marauders,
who deserve no higher regard than the
brigands of portions OF the old world.
q Encouragement. direct or indirect to
these insurrectos stands on the same foot
Ing as encouragement to hostile Indians
in the days when we still had Indian
e wars Exactly as our aim is to give to
VA the Indian who remains peaceful the
& fullest and ampest consideration but to
va have II understood that we will show no
weakness IL he goes on the warpath. SO
We must make 1t evident. unless we are
N false to our own traditions and to the de-
M mands of civilization and humanity. that
M while we will do everything in our power
IN for the Filipino who is peaceful we will
t take the steruest measures with the Fill
WAY pino who follows the path of the insurrec-
h to and the ladrone.
t8 The heartiest praise is due to large
|4Y numbers Of the natives of the islands fol
VI their steadfast loyalty The Macabebes
have been conspicuous for their courage
' and devotion to the flag. i recommend
MI that the secretary of war be empowered
n to take some systematic action in the
way of aiding those of these men who
t are crippled In the service and the faml
lies of those who are killed.
M Philippine Legislation.
8 The time has come when there should
~. be additional legislation for the Philip