Show EiNTS MESSAGE CHIEF executives REASON FOR CALLING SPECIAL SESSION declares legislation to carry out terms of commercial treaty with cuba Is if demanded by our interest as well as by our honor president Roosevel ts message pro tented to the senate and house housa of 0 rep on tuesday Is as follows to the senate and house ot of representatives ta tives I 1 have convened the congress that thai it may consider the legislation necessary to put into operation the commercial treaty with cuba which was rail fled by the senate at its list last session and subsequently by the cuban government ern ment I 1 deem such legislation demanded not only by our interest but by our honor we cannot with propriety abandon the course upon which i wo we have wisely embarked when the acceptance of the platt amendment was required from cuba by the ac tion 0 of the congress of 0 the united states this government thereby definitely committed itself to the policy of 0 treating cuba as occupying a unique position as regards this country it was wa s provided that when tho the island became a free and independent republic she should stand in such close relations with us as in n certain respects to come within our system ot of international policy and it necessarily followed that she must mist also to a certain degree degneo become included with in the lines of our economic po poley lcy situated as cuba Is it would not be wise for this country to permit the stra getic abuse of the island by any foreign military power it Is tor for this reason that certain limitations have bava been imposed upon her financial policy and an d that naval stations have been conceded ly 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 EO situated as to prevent aty any idea that there Is the intention ever to use rise them against cuba or otherwise than for the protection of cuba from the assaults of 0 foreign toes foes and for the better safeguarding of american interests in the waters south of us its these interests have been largely increased by the consequences of the war with spain ard ad will be still fur ther increased I 1 ly y the building of the tha isthmian canal they are both military 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 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 republics ol of the new world she la Is loyally observing lier her obligations to us and she Is entitled to like treatment by us the treaty submitted to you for approval secures to the united states economic advantages as great as these thesa given to cuba not an american interest is sacrificed by the treaty a large cuban market Is secured to our producers it is a 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 it would be indeed shortsighted for asto refuse to take advantage of 0 such opportunity and to force cuba into making arrangements with ether countries to our disadvantage this reciprocity treaty stands sta ads by itself it itis Is demanded on consideration of broad national policy as well as by our economic interest it Is in the interest of our people as a whole both because of its importance fron from the broad standpoint of international policy and because beca use economically it intimately ti concerns us to develop and secure the rich cuban market tor for our i farmers artisans merchants and manufacturers finally it is desirable as a guaranty of the good faith of our nation cation toward our young sister republic whose welfare must ever be closely bound with ours we wa gave her liberty we are knit to her by the memories of the blood and the cour age of our soldiers who fought tor for her in war by the memories ot of the tha wisdom and integrity of our adminis tra tors who ho saved her in peace and who started her so well on the difficult path of self government we must help her onward and upward and in ill helping her wo we shall help ourselves the tha foregoing considerations caused the negotiation of the treaty with cuba and its ratification by the sen sell ate they now with equal force sup port the legislation by the con congress grese which by the terms of the treaty la Is necessary to render it operative as failure to enact such legislation would come perilously near a repudiation ol of the pledged faith of the nation I 1 transmit herewith the treaty as amended by the senate and ratified by the cuban government THEODORE ROOSEVELT white house nov 10 1903 |