The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-06-19
ROOSEVELT SENDS
MESSAGE ON CUBA
Reaffirms His Attitude on the
Duty Of the Republic
can Party.
SOME ACTION is NECESSARY

The Presidents Action Was Influenced
by tho Broad Question of the Duty of
the United States to Cuba and Of Fair
ness to the Republic.
Washington, June 14.-After talking
with number of the leaders in con-
gress regarding Cuban reciprocity,
President Roosevelt yesterday deter.
mined to send message to congress
readirming his attitude on the situa.
ton. The president has earnestly con.
sidered the matter for several days
am it is stated that the action Of the
ann-rectprocity republican senators
Thursday in deciding to hold out
against the policy advocated by the
majority of the party did not influ-
ence the president In the least in de.
Gliding to transmit his message to con-
gress yesterday.
The presidents action, 1t may be
stated from sources close to him, was
influenced by the broad question OF
the duty of the United States to Gu.
ba and Of fairness to the new republic.
It has been pointed out to the pres
ident that warmest political support is
In the section of the country where
there Is the greatest opposition to re-
c1procity, the west and northwest, and
That he should remain content with the
stand he has taken without accentuat-
Ing his views in a special message. It
Is known, however, that the president
mad no hesitancy In arriving at the con-
clusion that he would not let his polit-
ical prospects interfere with what he
regarded as his plain duty. It is fur
Their known that he told his friends
that 1t was source Of great regret to
him to take a position hostile to the
wishes OF his warmest supporters, but
that he felt 1t would be in keeping
with his own nature and his position
OF chief executive to remain longer ST.
lent and thus give opportunity for a
false speculation as to his attitude.
The president was further led to
conclude that the relations Of the Unit
ed States and Cuba must necessarily
grow closer. aid that the United
States should not at the outset, after
Its declared purposes toward the island
assume position contrary thereto and
thus arouse the suspicious of the Gu.
ban government as to our real inten.
tons toward it.
1t is stated that the presidents pos.
tive declaration in his message as
to the duty toward Cuba will tend to
settle the reciprocity question.
THE MESSAGE IN FULL.
The president sent the following
message to congress:
ITO the senate and house: deem It
important before the adjournment of
the present session OF congress to call
attention to the following expressions
IN the message which in the discharge
OF duty imposed upon me by the consti.
tuition, sent to congress on the first
Tuesday OF December last: 'Elswere l
nave discussed the question of recipro.
city. In the case Of Cuba, however,
there are weighty reasons of morality
and Of national interest why the poll.
cy should be held to have a peculiar
application and l most earnestly ask
your attention to the wisdom, indeed
to the vital need Of providing for a
substantial reduction in the tariff du-
Lies on Cuban imports into the United
States. Cuba has in her constitution
affirmed what we desired, that she
should stand, in international matters.
In closer and more friendly relations
with us than any other power; and we
are bound by every consideration of
honor and expediency to pass CONNER
cial measures in the interest of her
well-being."
This recommendation was merely
giving practical effect to President
Mck1nly's words, when, in his message
OF December 5, 1899, he wrote: 1T is
important that our relations with this
people (of. Cuba) shall be of the most
friendly character and our commercial
relations close and reciprocal. We
have accepted trust, the fulfillment
of which calls for the strongest in.
tegrity of purpose and the exercise of
the highest wisdom. The new Cuba
yet to arise from the ashes of the past
must needs be bound to us by ties of
singular intimacy and strength if its
enduring welfare is to be assured,
The greatest blessing which can come
to Cuba is the restoration of her agri.
cultural and industrial prosperity.
Yesterday, June IL, received by
cable from the American minister in
Cuba an earnest appeal from President
Palma for legislative action before
1T Is too late, and his country finan-
cially ruined The granting of reci-
procity with Cuba is a proposition
which stands entirely alone. The
reasons, for it outweigh those for
granting reciprocity with any other
nation, and are entirely consistent
with preserving intact the pro.
tective system under which this
country has thriven so marvellous
ly. The present tariff law was design.
&c to promote the adoption of such
reciprocity treaty, and provided for
reduction to exceed 20 per cent upon
goods coming from particular coun-
try, leaving the tariff rates on the same
articles unchanged as regards all other
countries. Objection has been made
to the granting of the reduction on
the ground that the substantial ben
eft would not go to the agricultural
producer Of sugar, but would inure to
Inc American sugar refners. In my
judgment. provision can, and should,
be made which will guarantee us
S.rS%%-~~~>rI~>>~>~~~~ ~>-~~~>~~~~~
VIM. H. Moody, the new secretary
OF the navy, is a smart and bright
man, but he thinks there are some