Show PRESIDENT S MESSAGE CHIEF executives REASON FOR CALLING SPECIAL SESSION declares leg slat on to carry out terms of commercial treaty with cuba Is demanded by our inter est as well as by our honor president roosevelt s message pre scented to the senate and house of rep on tuesday Is as follows to the senate and house of represent Re presen natives I 1 have convened the congress that it may consider the legislation feces sary to put into operation the commer cial treaty with cuba which was rati fled by the senate at its last session and subsequently by the cuban gov eminent I 1 deem such legislation demanded not only by our interest but by our honor we cannot with propriety abandon the course upon which we have wise y embarked when the 11 acceptance of the platt amendment was required from cuba by the ac tion of the congress of the united states this government thereby bitely committed itself to the policy of treating cuba as occupying a unique position as regards this country it was provided that when the island became a tree free and independent re c she should stand in such close relations with us as in certain re aspects to come within our system ot of international pol cy and it lly fly followed that she must also to a certain degree become included with in the ines 1 nes of our economic po icy situated as cuba is it would not be wise for this country to permit the stra getic abuse of the island by any foreign mil tary power it is for this reason that certain limitations have been imposed upon her financial pol icy and that caal nations tat ions have been conceded her to the united states the negotiations as to the details of these naval stations are on the eve of completion they are so situated as to any idea that there Is the intention ever to use them against cuba or otherwise than for the pro lection of cuba from the assaults of foreign foes and for the better safe guarding of american interests in the waters south of us these interests have been largely increased by the consequences of the war with spain and will nill be still fur ther increased by the building of the isthmian canal they are both mill tary and economic the granting to us by cuba of the naval stations above alluded to Is of the utmost importance Import anca from a military standpoint and Is 13 proof of the good faith with which cuba la Is treating us cuba has made great progress since her independence was established she has advanced steadily in wery eiery way she already stands high among her sister lies of the new m giorid orld she Is loyally observing her obligations to us and she Is entitled to I 1 ke treatment by us the treaty submitted to you for sp ap 0 fe ic a au vantages ta s as gi great eat as steesa lies given to cuba not an american in oy by a large cuban market Is secured to our producers it Is a market which lies iles 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 us to refuse to take advantage 1 ot f such opportunity and to force cuba into making arrangements with other coun tries to our disadvantage this reciprocity treaty stands by itself it Is demanded on considers cons con sidera tion 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 from frond the broad standpoint of international policy and because economically it in ti concerns us to develop and secure the rich cuban market for our farmers artisans merchants and man finally it Is desirable as a guaranty of the good faith of our nation toward our young sister lie lic whose welfare must ever be close ly bound with ours we 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 of the wis dom doin and integrity of our adminis tra tors who nho 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 helping her we shall help ourselves the foregoing considerations caused the negotiation of the treaty with cuba and its ratification by the sen son ate they now with equal force sup port the legislation by the congles con gres which by the terms of the treaty la is necessary to render it operative a failure to enact such legislation would come per bously near a repudiation ol 01 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 |