The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-17

no American industry will be
hurt, and many American indutries will
be benefited, by the proposed action.
It Is to our advantage as a nation that
the growing Cuban market should be
controlled by American producers. The
events following the war with Spain
and prospective building of the 18TH
milan canal render it certain thai we
must take in .ne future a far greater
interest than heretofore in what han
pens Throughout the West Indies. Gem
trial America and the adjacent coast
and waters: We expect, Cuba to treat
US on an exceptional footing politically.
n we should put her in the same ex-
ceptional position economically.
The proposed action is in line with
the course we have pursted as regards
all the islands with which We have been
brought into relations of varying init
macy by the Spanish war. Porto Rico
and Hawaii nave been included within
our tariff lines. to their great benefit as
well as ours, and WITHOUT any of the
feared deterinent to our own indus
fries. The Philippines, which stand in
a different relation, have been granted
substantial concessions.
Cuba Is an independent republic. but
q republic which has assumed certain
special obligations as regards her in
ternat1onal position in compliance with
our request. l ask for her certain spe-
c1al economic concessions in return,
these economic concessions to benefit
Us Is well as her.
There are Jew brighter pages in
American history than the page which
tells of our dealings with Cuba during
the past four years. On her behalf we
waged a war of which the handspring
was generous Indignation against OPP
preston; n we have kept faith abso-
lutely. 1t Is earnestly to be hoped that
we Will complete in the same spirit the
record so well begun, and show in our
dealing with Cuba that steady CONT
nuity of policy which it is essential for
our nation to establish in foreign af-
fairs if we desire to play we'll our part
as a world power.
We are a wealthy and powerful ma
ton; Cuba is a young republic, still
weak, who owes TO us her birth, whose
future, whose very life must depend on
our attitude towards her I ask that
we help her a5 she struggles upwards
along the painful and difficult road of
self-governing independence. I ask
this aid for he, because she is weak;
because she needs it: because we have
already aided her. I ask that open
handed help, OF a kind which a self
respected people can accept, be given to
Cuba, for the very reason that we have
given here her help in the past. Our
soldiers fought TO give her freedom,
and for three years our representatives,
civil and military, have toiled uneeas-
ingly, facing disease of a peculiarly
sinister and fatal type with patient and
accomplishing fortitude, to teach her
how to use aIight her new custom.
Never in history has any alien country
been thus administered with such high
integrity of purpose, such wise judg-
ment, n suCn a single-minded devo-
ton to the country's interests. Now I
ask that the Cubans be given all pos
sible space to use to the best advantage
the freedom Of which Americans have
such right to be proud, and for which
so nan American lives have been
sacrificed.
(SigneC.)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House, June Is, 1902.