Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-14
aoosEyELrs OFFICIAL GRAFTON.

| The message of President Roosevelt
I to congress regarding Cuban conces-
sions is as characteristic of the man as
his other official acts. He has coaxed,
and plead and threatened until all pa
tience has been exhausted and he finally
goes before the American people with
| his plea for American honor which
reads like an orators appeal rather
| than an executive document. II op-
posing senators and representatives
reading 1t do not feel like thirty cents"
they certainly appear fully as diminu-
tive in the eyes of their countrymen.
| President Roosevelt has been right on
the Cuban question as was Mckinley
before him. He has the almost united
support of the country behind him as
represented in the republican press
and in the platform expressions of vari-
Gus state conventions. In almost every
case senators or representatives oppos-
ing him. have been found acting from
some beet sugar local sentiment or are
tied up to some special interest. A few
only are actuated by life-long preju-
dices for protective tariff. All of these
objections to any reciprocity conces-
sions to Cuba the president very ef-
fectually demolishes. He says that in
his Judgment provision could and
should be made which will guarantee
us against this possibility; without
having recourse to measure of doubt
full policy, such as is found in the form
of the rebate" to those who fear any
move in the direction of free trade the
president cites the fears that We're so
effectually exploded in the cases of
Hawaii, and Porto Rico. The president
explains the greater interest which this
country must take in the affairs of the
West Indies and Central America when
the isthmian canal is built and very
tritely says that 1--WE expect Cuba to
treat us on an exceptional footing and
we should put her in the same excep-
tonal position His appeal for honesty
and fair dealing on the part of the
United States government should stir
the blood of every American patriot.
The moral lecture so forcefully read
the members of congress in the presi-
dents Cuban message will undoubtedly
be resented by many of the old veterans
have noticed considerable jealousy of
the vigorous young man in the white
house by these statesmen because of the
apparent favor with which Dame For
tune has attended his career. The older
heads are sensitive about accepting
leadership from a younger man, even
tho he be president, and the younger
members are more or less piqued that
they, whose abilities, in their own
minds, are fully commensurate with
those of one named Roosevelt, should
be compelled to see another lifted to |
higher fields of fame. Roosevelt has al |
ways had this foolish jealousy to con-
tend with and many a man who now
sees the error of his contention would
be glad to change front If 1t were not
for the fancied humiliation of giving |
in to Roosevelt. However, the presi-
dent can not afford to desert the right
and is not the kind of man to be
scared. He knows that national honor
should be upheld in conceding recip-
rocity to Cuba and if selfish interests
in congress are to prevent the fulillment
Of national duty he intends at least
that the responsibility for dishonor
shall rest where it belongs. If congress