The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-11-14
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
CHIEF EXECUTIVES REASON FOR
CALLING SPECIAL SESSION.
Declares Legislation to Carry Out
Terms Of Commercial Treaty With
Cuba Is Demanded by Our Inter
est as Well as by Our Honor.

President Roosevelt's message, pre-
scented to the senate and house Of rep
resentative on Tuesday, Is as follows:
To the Senate and House of Represen.
| tatives:
have convened the congress that
It may consider the legislation neces.
sary to put into operation the CONNER
cial treaty with Cuba, which was rati
| fed by the senate at it's last session
and subsequently by the Cuban gov.
eminent. | deem such legislation de.
manded not only by our interest but
by our honor We cannot with pro.
prlety abandon the course upon which
we have Wisely embarked. When the
acceptance Of the Plat amendment
was required from Cuba by the &C.
ton OF the congress OF the United
States, this government thereby def
nitely committed itself to the policy
of treating Cuba as occupying a unique
position as regards this country. II
was provided that when the island
became free and Independent re-
public, she should stand in such close
relations with us as in certain re-
spects to come within our system OF
international policy; and 1t necessar.
lily followed that she must also to a
certain degree become included with.
In the lines of our economic policy.
Situated as Cuba is, 1t would not be
wise for this country to permit the
stragetic abuse of the island by any
foreign military power. II is for this
hat .tpt, tatt hnu
been imposed upon her financial pol
icy, and that naval stations have been
conceded by her to the United States
The negotiations as to the details Of
these naval stations are on the eve OF
completion. They are so situated as
to prevent any idea that there Is the
intention ever to use them against
Cuba or otherwise than for the pro.
lection of Cuba from the assaults of
foreign foes, and for the better safe
guarding of American interests in the
waters south of us.
These interests have been largely
increased by the consequences of the
war with Spain and will be still fur.
Their increased by the building of the
isthmian canal. They are both mill
tary and economic. The granting to
us by Cuba of the naval stations above
alluded to Is of the utmost importance
from a military standpoint, and Is
proof of the good faith with which
Cuba Is treating us. Cuba has made
great progress since her independence
was established She has advanced
steadily in every way She already
stands high among her sister repub-
lies of the new world. She Is Loyalty
observing her obligations to us; and
she Is entitled to like treatment by us.
The treaty submitted to you for APP
proval secures to the United States
economic advantages as great as these
given to Cuba. Not an American in
terest Is sacrificed by the treaty--a
large Cuban market Is secured to our
producers. It Is market which lies
at our doors which is already large,
which is capable of great expansion,
and which is especially important to
the development of our export trade.
II would be indeed shortsighted for
us to refuse to take advantage OF such
opportunity and to force Cuba into
making arrangements with other coun-
tries to our disadvantage.
This reciprocity treaty stands by
itself. It' is demanded on considera.
ton of broad national policy as well
as by our economic interest. 1t is In
the interest of our people as whole,
both because of its Importance from
the broad standpoint of international
policy and because economically 1t in
timately concerns us to develop and
secure the rich Cuban market for our
farmers, artisans, merchants and man
ufacturers. Finally, II Is desirable as
a guaranty of the good faith of our
nation toward our young sister repub'
lie, whose welfare must ever be close
ly bound with ours. We gave her
liberty. We are knit to her by the
memories of the blood and the cour.
age of our soldiers who fought for her
in war; by the memories of the wis.
dom and integrity of our administra
tors who saved her in peace and who
started her so we'll on the difficult
path of self.government. We must
help her onward and upward; and In
helping her we shall help ourselves.
The foregoing considerations caused
the negotiation of the treaty with
Cuba and its ratification by the sen
ate. They now with equal force sup.
port the legislation by the congress
which by the terms of the treaty Ia
necessary to render II operative, as
failure to enact such legislation would
come perilously near n Reputation OF
the pledged faith of the nation.
| transmit herewith the treaty as
amended by the senate and ratified
by the Cuban government.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House, Nov. 10, 1908.
Conference Held at White House on