State of the Union AddressesTaft, William H. (William Howard)
History
State of the Union Addresses
Taft, William H. (William Howard)
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
Mindful of its treaty relations, and owing to the position of the
Government of the United States as mediator between the Dominican Republic
and Haiti in their boundary dispute, and because of the further fact that
the revolutionary activities on the Haitian-Dominican frontier had become
so active as practically to obliterate the line of demarcation that had
been heretofore recognized pending the definitive settlement of the
boundary in controversy, it was found necessary to indicate to the two
island Governments a provisional de facto boundary line. This was done
without prejudice to the rights or obligations of either country in a final
settlement to be reached by arbitration. The tentative line chosen was one
which, under the circumstances brought to the knowledge of this Government,
seemed to conform to the best interests of the disputants. The border
patrol which it had been found necessary to reestablish for customs
purposes between the two countries was instructed provisionally to observe
this line.
The Republic of Cuba last May was in the throes of a lawless uprising that
for a time threatened the destruction of a great deal of valuable
property-much of it owned by Americans and other foreigners-as well as the
existence of the Government itself. The armed forces of Cuba being
inadequate to guard property from attack and at the same time properly to
operate against the rebels, a force of American marines was dispatched from
our naval station at Guantanamo into the Province of Oriente for the
protection of American and other foreign life and property. The Cuban
Government was thus able to use all its forces in putting down the
outbreak, which it succeeded in doing in a period of six weeks. The
presence of two American warships in the harbor of Habana during the most
critical period of this disturbance contributed in great measure to allay
the fears of the inhabitants, including a large foreign colony.
There has been under discussion with the Government of Cuba for some time
the question of the release by this Government of its leasehold rights at
Bahia Honda, on the northern coast of Cuba, and the enlargement, in
exchange therefor, of the naval station which has been established at
Guantanamo Bay, on the south. As the result of the negotiations thus
carried on an agreement has been reached between the two Governments
providing for the suitable enlargement of the Guantanamo Bay station upon
terms which are entirely fair and equitable to all parties concerned.
At the request alike of the Government and both political parties in
Panama, an American commission undertook supervision of the recent
presidential election in that Republic, where our treaty relations, and,
indeed, every geographical consideration, make the maintenance of order and
satisfactory conditions of peculiar interest to the Government of the
United States. The elections passed without disorder, and the new
administration has entered upon its functions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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