Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-15
ROOSEVELT WARNS ISLE
FIGHTING MUST CEASE

condition of affairs that now obtains,
is an enemy of Cuba and doubly heavy
| is the responsibility of the man who,
affecting to be the especial champion
of Cuban independence, takes any step
which will jeopardize that independ-
| ence. For there is just one way in
which Cuban independence can be Sc
cured. and that is for the Cuban people
to show their ability to continue in
their path of peaceful and orderly
progress.
This nation asks nothing of Cuba
save that it shall continue to develop
as il has developed during the past
seven years; that it shall know and
practice orderly liberty which will as
suredly bring an ever increasing meas
ure of peace and prosperity to the
beautiful Queen of the Antilles. Our
intervention in Cuban affairs will only
come if Cuba herself shows she has
fallen into the insurrectionary habit,
that she lacks the selfrestraint neces-
sary to peaceful self-government and
that her contending factions have
plunged the country into anarchy.
should Assume Responsibility.
II solemnly adjure all Cuban patriots
to band together, to sink all differences
and personal ambitions, and to remem-
Der that the only way they can pre-
serve the independence of the republic
is to prevent the necessity of outside
interference by rescuing it from an
archy of civil war. l earnestly hope
this word of adjuration of mine, given
in the name of the American people.
the stanchest friends and well wishers
of Cuba that there are in all the world,
will be taken as it is meant. will be
seriously considered and be acted
upon; and if so acted upon, Cuba's per-
manent independence, her permanent
success as a republic, are assured.
Right of Intervention.
Under treaty with your government, |
l, as president of the United States. |
have a duty in this matter which /
cannot shirk The third article in that
treaty explicitly confers upon the Unit |
ed States the right to intervene for |
the maintenance in Cuba of a govern |
ment adequate for the protection of
life. property and individual liberty.
The treaty comforting this right is the
supreme law of the land and furnishes
me with the right and means of full
filling the obligations / am under to
protect American interests.
Information at hand shows that So
cial bonds throughout the island have
been SO relaxed that life, property and
Individual liberty are no longer safe |
have received authentic information of
injury to and destruction of American
property.
1T is in my judgment imperative for
the sake of Cuba that there shall be
cessation of hostilities and
some arrangement which will secure
the permanent pacifcation of the is
land.
Sending Aid.
Il am sending to Havana Secretary
of War Taft and Assistant Secretary
of State Bacon as special representa-
tives of this government, who will rem
der such aid as is possible toward these
ends. l had hoped that Mr.. Root, Sec
rotary of state. could have stopped in
Havana on his return home from South
America, but the seeming imminence
of the crisis forbids further delay.
Through you. desire in this way to
with the Cuban govern
ment and with the Cuban people, and,
accordingly, l am sending you a copy
of this letter to be presented to PresI-
dent Palma, and have also directed it's
immediate publication