Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-04-22

Free Trade NO lure FOR trust Evils.
Following is the full text of the Pres
dents Minneapolis speech:
MY Fellow Citizens: At the special
session OF the Senate held in March the
Cuban reciprocity treaty was ratified.
When this treaty goes into effect it will
confer substantial economic benefits alike
upon Cuba because of the widening of
her market in che United States and upon
the United States because of the equal
widening and the progressive control it
will give TO our people in the Cuban
market.
This treaty is beneficial to both par
ties and justifies itself on several grounds.
In the first place we offer to Cuba her
natural market We can confer upon
her benefit which no other nation can
confer; and for the very reason thar We
have started her as an independent re-
public aud that we are rich. prosperous
and powerful, it hehooves us to stretch
out a helping hahd to our feebler young
er sister.
In the next place it widens the mar
ket for our products, both the products
Of the farm and certain of our manufac-
lures, and it is therefore in the interest
of our farmers, manufacturers, mer-
chants and wageworkers.
Finally the treaty was not merely
warranted. but demanded. apart from all
other considerations, by the enlightened
consideration of our foreign policy. More
aud more in the future We must occupy
preponderant position in the waters
and along the coasts il, the region south
of us; not a position of control over the
republics of the South, but of control Of
the military situation so as to avoid any
possible complications in the future.
Under the Platt amendment Cuba
agreed to give us certain naval stations
on her coast. The Navy Department de-
cided that we needed but two and we
have specified where these two are TO
be. President Palma has concluded an
agreement giving them to us--an agree
ment which the Cuban legislative body
will doubtless soon ratify. In other words,
the republic Of Cuba has assumed spe-
cial relation to our international political
system, under which she gives us out
posts of defense aud we are morally
bound to extend to her in degree the
benefit of our own economic system.
From every standpoint of wise and
enlightened home and foreign policy the
ratification of the Cuban treaty marked a
step of substantial progress in the growth
of our nation toward greatness at home
and abroad
Equally important was the action on
the tariff upon products of the Philip
phines. We gave them reduction of %
per cent and would have given them &
Of .
been for the opposition in the hurried
closing days of the last session Of certain
gentlemen who. by the way, have been
representing themselves both as pecu-
liary solicitous for the interests of the
Philippine people and as special cham,
pions of the lowering of tariff duties
There is distinctly humorous side to
the fact that the reduction of duties
which would benefit Cuba and the Phil.
ippines as well as ourselves was antag.
onized chiefly by those who in theory
have been fond of proclaiming them
selves the advanced guardians of the
oppressed nationalities in the islands af
fected and the ardent advocates of the
reduction of duties generally. but who
instantly took violent ground against the
PRACTICAL steps TO accomplish either pur
pose.
Moreover, law was enacted putting
anthracite ON the free list and completely
removing the duties on all other kinds OF
coal for one year.
I'VE are now in a condition of pros
perity unparalleled. not merely in our
own history but In the history of any
other nation. This prosperity is deeT
rooted and stands on firm basis be
cause it is due to the fact that the aver
age American has in him the stuff cut
of which victors are made in the great
industrial contests of the present day
just as in the great military contests OF
the past, and because he is now able IL
use and develop his qualities to best al
vantage under onr well-established eco
nomic system. We are winning head
ship among the nations of the world be
cause our people are able to keep thei
high average of individual citizenship
and to show their mastery in the hard
complex, pushing life Of the age.
There will he fluctuations from time
to time N our prosperity. hut it will
continue to grow just so long as we keel
up this high average of individual citi
zenship and permit it to work out its
own salvation under proper economic leg
islation.