Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-09-27

independence Of tae republic is to prevent
the necessity of outside interference by
rescuing it from the anarchy of civil war.
l earnestly hope that this word of ad
Duration Of mine, given in the name of the
American people, the staunchest friends
and well-wishers Of Cuba that there are
in all the worls, will be taken as it is
meant, will be seriously considered and
will be acted upon and if so acted upon
Cuba's permanent independence, her per
manent success as a republic, are as
sured.
Under the treaty with your government
I, as President of the United States, have
a duty in this matter which 1 cannot
shirk. The third article Of that treaty
explicitly confers upon the United States
the right to intervene for the maintenance
IN Cuba of a government adequate for the
protection of life, property and individual
liberty. The treaty comforting this right
is the supreme law of the land and fur
nishes ne with the right and the means of
fulfilling the obligation that l am under to
protect American interests.
The information at hand shows that the
social bonds throughout the island have
been so relaxed that life, property and in
dlvldual liberty are no longer safe. I
have received authentic information of
injury to and destruction of American
property. 1t is in ny judgment impera-
tive for the sake of Cuba that there shall
be an immediate cessation of hostilities
and some arrangements which will secure
the permanent pacifcation of the island.
Imnon6iafnIr- Of h.; e
the action of this government Presi-
dent Palma issued an order for the sus-
pension of hOstilities between the gov
eminent forces and the insurgents and
negotiations have since been under way
looking toward the establishment of
peace. If the opposing factions agree
upon a mutually satisfactory basis,
there will not be much for the Taft
commission to do beside lending its I'M
pressiveness and authority to the per-
manency of the agreement If there is
shown a disposition to haggle over the
situation the commission will boldly
grapple with the difficulties along the
lines of the Presidents letter and COM
| pei peace under threat of intervention
| for the protection of life and property.
Uncle Sam Ready to Act.
This government is fully prepared to
intervene should necessity arise. Be
side the Denver and the Des Moines,
which has taken Secretaries Taft and
Bacon to Havana, there are several
vessels either in Cuban waters or ready
| to proceed to them. These are the
Marietta, Dixie, Tacoma, Cleveland,
Newark and Minneapolis. The Newark,
carrying a force of marines, is at Ha-
vana and the Minneapolis, with 100
marines, is also in Cuban waters. The
battleships Louisiana and Virginia and
the bAttleship New Jersey are at Ha-
vana. From each of the battleships
| 500 men can be landed, and these with
| the marines from other vessels would
be able to dominate the situation. The
| general movement of naval forces to
| Cuba means more than the protection
| Of American interests. 1t means that
the navy is being so disposed that a
Gordon of warships may be thrown
around the island republic, impOrtatiOns
Of arms and munitions effectually
stopped and the revolution thus check
ed pending adjustment of Cuban af-
fairs. This was done by the United
States in Santo Domingo at the re-
quest of President Morales of that
country. If President Roosevelt de-
| sires to go further the navy will lie
ready to act.
The President, however, does not
want annexation. 1t is believed that
| the people who started the present re-
volt did so with the intention that as
a result the United States would annex
| the island. The present intention OF
| the United States government, how.
ever, is not to annex Cuba, but to re-
store peace and leave Cuba in the ell
| joyment of her independence. All will
depend, however, upon the disposition
the Cubans show to enter into a sincere
and permanent peace.