Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-14
Cocoa Puddin
SPECIAL MESSAGE,
CONTINUED from page IL

Welgh those for granting reciprocity with
anS olIer nation. and are entirely consis.
| tent with preserving intact the nrotec-
| 1--WE system under which this country has
| tnflVen so marVelousIy The present tor
III Jaw was designed to promote the adop-
! .Iol ol such a reciprocity treaty and eX-
pressly 10 provide for a reduction NOT IN
exceed ~ per cent. upon goods conin.,
rom Il particular country, leaving the
5iiiL rates on The same articles unchang-
eu as regards all other countries Obiec-
tion mas been made to the granting of
III me reuuctlon on the ground that the
a 9.,;a-Itlal benefit would not go to the
.iS!Icultufal producer of sugar but would
nJure the American sugar refiners In
my judgment provision can and shouId
De MADE which Will guarantee us against
~ tr,ia poSsIpllltE; without having recourse
10 measure of doubtful policy as much
as a bounty in the form of a rebate.
me question which as if any different
schedules of the tariff ought most nrnn.r
~ 70 De revised does not enter into tho
matter in any way or shane We ars
concerned with getting a friendly recfp
rocal arrangement with Cuba. This ar
rangement applies to all the articles mar
Cuba grows or produces Ii IL not IN n,,r
power to determine what these articles
snail be; and any discussion Of the tariT
as II affects special schedules or conn
tries other than Cuba, it is wholly aside
from the subject matter TO which | call
your attention.
Some Of our friends oppose the lower
ing Of the tariff on Cuban products lust 1
as three years ago they opposed the adj
mission Of the Hawaiian islands, lest free /
trade with them might ruin certain Of our /
interests here. In the actual event their
fears proved baseless as regards Hawo'i
and their apprehensions as 10 the damage II
70 any industry of our own because of n
me proposed measure of reciprocity with \
CuDa seems to me equally baseless IN
my Judgment no American industry will
be hurt. and many American industries
Viii be benefited by the proposed action.
IN nftNr ,+.,.y
the growing Cuban market should be con-
trolied by American producers.
The events following the war with
Spain, and the prospective building of |
the lsthmian canal, render it certain that
we must take in the future a far greater
interest than hitherto in what happens |
throughout the West Indies. Central
America and the adjacent coast and wa
tiers. We expect Cuba to treat us on an |
exceptional footing politically and we
should put her in the same exceptions!
ton is in line with the course we have
pursued as regards all the islands sgith
which We have been brought into reIa-
tons OF varying intimacy by the Spanish |
war. Porto Rico and Hawaii have been
included within our tariff lines, to their
great benefit as well as ours and with
out any, of the feared detriment to our
own industries: The philippines. which
stand in n different relation have been
granted substantial tariff concessions
Cuba is an Independent republic. but
republic which has assumed certain spec
lal obligations as regards her Internal ton
al position in compliance with our re-
quest. | ask for her certain special eco
nom!c concessions in return: these eco
nomic concessions to benefit US as well
as her.
There are few brighter pages in Amer
lean history than the pages which tell OF
our dealings with Cuba during the past
four years. On her behalf we waged q
war Of which the handspring was gener-
Gus Indignation against oppression. and |
we have kept faith absolutely. It is earn
4stly to be hoped that we will complete :
n the same spirit the record so well be |
gun and show in our dealings with Cuba
hat steady continuity of policy which il
IS essential for our nation to establish |
in foreign affairs if we desire to play :
well our part as world power.
We are wealthy and powerful nation: | \
cuba is a young republic. still weak who |
owes to US her birth; whose whole future, ,
whose very life, must depend on our at
-itude towards her / ask that we help
her as she struggles upwards along thu (
painful and difficult road of self govern
ng independence. | ask this aid for her.
because she is weak. because she needs
t, because we have already aided her. [
ask that open handed help of kind
which "A self-respecting people can ac-
,ept be given to Cuba. for the very reason |,
hat we have given her such help in the
past.
Our soldiers fought to give her freedom;
and for three years our representatives.
civil and military have toiled unceasing-
" facing disease OF a peculiarly sinister
and fatal type with patient and uncom-
fortitude, to teach her how to s
use Alright her new freedom. Never in 2
history has any alien country been thus
with such high integrity of
purpose. such wise management and such
, single-handed devotion to the country's
interest Now / ask that the Cubans be
given all possible chance to use to the =
best advantage the freedom of which
Americans have such right to be proud.
md for which SO many American lives
lave been sacrificed.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT. |
White House, June Is, 1902.