The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-23
LUZ0N A STEPPING STONE
He Justjfies the Means Employed to
Hold It.
POINTING TO WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED
through Golden 6Iamor He Views the Ad.
minislration of Our Island Possessions
and Find il in All Respects
Excellent.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Hartford, Aug 22.-President Roosevelt
delivered an address here tonight on the
questions of the day. He spoke as fol-
lows:
From the days of Monroe, Clay and
the younger Adams. we, as people,
have always looked with interest upon
the West Indies and the Isthmus con-
Meeting the two Americas feeling that
anything happening in those regions
must be of concern to our welfare There
is now ampler reason than ever before
for this feeling. The outcome of the
Spanish War put us in possession of
Porto Rico and brought us into peculiarly
close touch with Cuba, while the sue
cessful negotiation of the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty at last cleared the way for
the construction of the isthmian canal.
Porto Rico, it is pleasure to say, may
now serve as an example of the best
methods of administering our insular
possessions. So excellent have been the
effects of our administration and legis-
lation concerning this island that their
very excellence has resulted in their be-
ing almost forgotten by those at home.
There is hardly ripple of failure on the
stream OF our success. and so, as is apt
to be our way, we do not think of it all.
First and foremost in Porto Rico we have
consistently striven to get the very best
men to administer the affairs of the is
land. In making appointments to the
ilsular service it is necessary to disre-
gard any question of mere party expe-
Giency and to look at the matter solely
from the standpoint of the honor of our
own nation and of the welfare of the
island itself. This has been the stand
point adhered to in selecting the men
who represent our government in Porto
Rico-governor, treasurer, attorney gem
eral, judges, superintendent of education
every one In consequence all Ameri-
cans should feel a real pride in the way
in which their compatriots who are re-
sponsible for the government of the is
land, have administered it.
''In Cuba the problem was larger. more
complicated and more difficult. Here
again we kept our promise absolutely.
For over three years we administered it
on plane higher than it had ever reach
ed before during the four centuries since
the Spaniard first landed upon its shores.
We brought moral and physical cleanli-
ness into the government We stamped
out yellow fever-in itself an inestimable
service, both to the Cuban people and to
the people of our own southern cities.
We established a school system. We
made life and property secure, so that
industry could again begin to thrive.
Then. when we hal laid deep and broad
fhn dot
and national independence must rest, we
turned the island owed to the hands of
those whom the people had chosen as
the founders of the new republic. Cuba
must always be related to us in inter.
national politics. She must in inter
national affairs be to a degree a part of
our political system. We expect her to
accept political attitude toward us
which we think wisest both for her and
us. In retur We must be prepared to
put her in an economic position as re-
CARDS our tariff system which will give
her some measure of the prosperity
which we enjoy. believe that it only
matter of time-and / trust. only a
matter of very short time-before We
enter into reciprocal trade relations with
Cuba.
''The Isthmian Canal represents what
is probably to be the greatest engineer
ing feat-the greatest feat of it's kind
of the twentieth century. eBfore VIC
start upon the construction of the canal.
certain questions of retail and of our re-
lations with the people owning the soil
have to be settled. When this has been
done, the first question will come upon
choosing the commission which is TO
supervise the building of the canal.
Here, again, we have to deal with an en-
terprise so vast and so far reaching in its
effects that but one thought is pe4nis-
sible-how to get the very best men in
the nation, the men Of the highest engi-
neering and business and administrative
skill, who will consent to undertake the
work. If possible, I should like to see
those men represent different sections and
different political parties. But these
questions are secondary The primary
aim must be to get men who, though able
to control much greater salaries, than the
nation is able to pay, nevertheless, pos
sess the patriotism and the healthy am
bition which will make them willing to
put their talents at the governments ser
vice.
''The Spanish War itself was an easy
task. but it left us certain other tasks
which were much more difficult One
of these tasks was that of dealing with