Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-04
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT
Chief Executive Tells Why he Refuses
Offers of Foreign Donations
HAD NO AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT TENDERS
Expresses Thanks for sympathy of
world for san Francisco and
states Position of the
Government.

WASHINGTON, May "A special mes
sage was sent to congress by President
Roosevelt in which he explained the atti-
tude of this government regarding the
offer of contributions to the san Fran
cisco fire and earthquake sufferers from
foreign countries. He says that where
the contributions were made to this gov.
eminent he did not feel warranted i'm ac-
cepting them, but where they were made
to the citizens relief committee no action
was or could be taken In regard to them.
The message indicates that the govern
ments Of the civilized world promptly re-
sponded in messages of sympathy, and
many Of them with contributions or offers
of contributions,
Text OF Message
The text of the message is in part as
follows.
10 the Senate and the House of Repre-
aentatves: Immediately, after the disaster
1T San Francisco many offers OF assistance
IN the shape of contributions were ten
dered by foreign individuals corporations,
governments and municipalities. The Cana
dian government. with an. instant gener-
osity peculiarly pleasant as a proof of the
close and friendly ties which knit us to
cur nelghDors of the north, offered to pass
a resolution appropriating 500 600 for the
relief of the sufferers by earthquake and
hre. With generosity equally marked
and equally appreciated the Republic of
Mexico, our nearest neighbor to the south,
voted TO appropriate $4,000, and the Re
Eublc of Guateuala SoEed TO appropriat .
$4,000 for the same purpose. The empress
Ut China, in addition to sending money
TO be- used for the Chinese VINO suffered
In San Francisco, offered to send more
than double as much to be L5ed for the
inha bitants generally. The japanese gov
eminent Immediately wanted TO send
across the ocean one of its beautifully
equipped. hospital ships to be used in any
way for the sufferers and also offered 200
NlNar Naaf NV1NfN 20 In ~
to 100000 yen sent by Japanese subjects.
The government of far-distant New Zea-
land voted $500 ooo The ne government OF
ipality Of Edmunton, Canada, 81 900. Many
municipalities, corporations and individ-
uals In England, Germany, France, Japan,
Cuba and other countries Immediately
proffered aid. ...
Thankful for Aid.
Where these proffers of aid are made
TO the government relief committees, or
ganlzed to deal with the distress in San
Francisco, l have no official action to take
concerning them Where they were ten
dered to me in my official capacity, did
not feel warranted I'm accepting them. But
am certain / give utterance to the feel
ings of all our countrymen when | eX-
press my very lively appreciation of the
warm-hearted generosity and eagerness to
help us in the time OF our affection. shown
by the governments, the municipalities. the
corporations and the individuals mentioned
above. We are very grateful TO them and
we are deeply grateful for the way in
which they showed, In such practical fash
ion, the growth of the spirit of brother
hood among the nations.
The message here gives a list of almost
every country on the globe which sent
messages of sympathy, and continues:
Appropriate expressions of gratitude 10
all these friends have been returned by
the State department or by myself, bur
Il seems to. me that the real depth OF
grateful feeling awakened in our people
by all these evidences of genuine SYM
patty and friendship should be expressed
also by formal action, of the suprenJ
| legislative power of the nation.
| recommend the passage by congress
of an appropriate resolution to that end
(Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT
The White, House. May 3. 1906.