The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-06-20
President Roosevelt Urges Congress
to Keep Faith with Cuban
Republic.
QUOTES FROM HIS DECEMBER MESSAGE
Also Recalls word. Of Mckinley In
His Messages to Congress-Refers
to Appeal from Palma for Relief
Before 1t Is Too Late-Asks That
Special Concessions Be Granted.
Washington, June 1.-THE president
Friday sent the following message to

-
ITO the Senate and House Of Representa-
lives: l deem it important before the adj
5ournment of the present session of congress
to call attention to the following express
:sions in the message which in the discharge
of the duty imposed upon me by the consti-
tuition l sent to congress on the first Tues
day of December last:
ELSEWHERE I have discussed the ques-
ton of reciprocity. In the case OF Cuba,
however, there are weighty reasons of
morality and of national interest why the
policy should be held to have a peculiar APP
plication, and I most earnestly ask your
attention to the wisdom, indeed to the vital
need, of providing for a substantial reduc-
ton in the tariff duties on Cuban imports
Into the United States. uba has in her
constitution affirmed what we desired, that
she should stand, in international matters,
in closer and more friendly relations with
us nan with any other power: and We are
pound by every consideration of honor and
expectancy to pass commercial measures
IN the interest of her material we'll
being"
Voiced McKinley's Sentiments.
This recommendation was merely CIV
Ing practical effect to President McKin-
ley's words, when, in his messages of De-
-cember 5. 1898. and 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 CONNER
'cial relations close and reciprocal. We
have accepted a trust, the fulfllment Of
which calls for the s%ternest integrity 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 init.
macy and strength if its enduring well
fare is to be assured. The greatest bless
ing which on nm fn r,,Ga 10 tho roS.
toration of her agricultural and industrial
prosperity
Appeal from Palma.
Yesterday, June u, I received, by
cable, from the American minister in
Cuba, a most earnest appeal from Presi-
dent Palma for Legislative relief before
1t is too late and (his) country financial
ly ruined"
The granting of reciprocity with Cuba
Is a proposition which stands entirely
alone. The reasons for it far outweigh
those for granting reciprocity with any
other nation. and are entirely consistent
with preserving intact the protective sys-
tenn under which this country has thriven
SO marvelously. The present tariff law
was designed to promote the adoption Of
such a reciprocity treaty, and expressly
provided for a reduction not to exceed
20 per cent. upon goods coming from
"a particular country, leaving the tariff
~ VII Xix ooAAAO oAN4SASo o5
regards all other countries. Objection
has been made to the granting of the re-
.duction on the ground that the substan-
tial benefit would not go to the agricul-
tural producer of sugar, but would In
ure to the American sugar refiners. In
my judgment provision can, and should
be. made which will guarantee us against
this possibility; without having recourse
to a measure of doubtful policy. such as
"a bounty in the form of q rebate.
The Real Issue.
1.-THE question as to which If any of the
different schedules of the tariff ought
most properly to be revised does not Ell.
ter into this matter in n way or shape.
We are concerned with getting a friend
ly reciprocal arrangement with Cuba.
This arrangement applies to all the arti-
-cles that Cuba grows or produces. 1t
is not in our power to determine what
these articles shall be; and any discus
sion of the tariff as it affects special
schedules, or countries other than Cuba.
is wholly aside from the subject matter
to which l call your attention.
Groundlesn Apprehensions.
Some of our citizens oppose the low
ering of the tariff OF Cuban products,
just as three years ago they opposed the
admission 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
Hawaii. and their apprehensions as to
the damage to any industry of our W
because of the proposed measure OF reel
procity with Cuba seem to me equally
baseless. In my Judgment no American
industry will be hurt, and many Amerl-
can industries will be benefited, by the
proposed action. 1t is to our advantage
as a nation that the growing Cuban mar
ket should be controlled by American
producers.
An Equitable Arrangement.
1.-THE events following the war with
Spain, and the prospective building of the
isthmian canal, render 1t certain that we
must take in the future a far greater inter-
est than hitherto in what happens through
out the West Indies, Central America and
the adjacent coasts and waters. We expect
Cuba to treat us on an exceptional footing
politically, and We should put her in the
same exceptional position economically.
The proposed action is in line with the
course we have pursued as regards all the
islands with which we have been brought
into relations of varying m by the
Spanish war. Porto Rico and Hawaii have
been included within our tariff lines, to
their great benefit as we'll as ours, and with
out any of the feared detriment to our own
industries. The Philippines, which stand in
a different relation, lave been granted sub
.stantial tariff concessions.
Asks for Special Concessions.
'Cuba is an independent republic, but a
republic which has ssumed certain special
obligations as regards herinternational po-
sition In compliance with our request. 1 ask
for her certain special economic conces-
,sions in return: these economic concessions
to benefit US as well as her. There are few
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 main
spring was generous indignation against
oppression and we nave kept faith absolute
ly. 1t is earnestly to be hoped that we will
complete in the same spirit the record so
we'll begun, and show in our dealings with
Cuba that steady continuity of policy which
1t Is essential for our nation to establish
in foreign affairs If We desire to play we'll
our part as a worlG-power.
feed.
The Strong Should Help the Weak.
w are a wealthy and powerful ma
ton; Cuba is a young repubIic, still
weak, who yves to US her birth, whose
whole future, whose very life must de-
pend on our attitude towards her. 1 ask
that we help her as she struggles up
wards along the painful and difficult
road OF self-governing independence.
ask this aid for her, because she Is weak,
because she needs it, because we have
already aided her. I ask that open-hand-