Address of President Roosevelt at banquet given by Spanish War veterans

In a foreign policy speech given in Detroit, Michigan, President Roosevelt first praises the veterans in the crowd, giving special praise to the Michigan naval militia who served with distinction during the Spanish-American War, a conflict that pointed out the “fundamental unity of our country.” On behalf of all who served there, Roosevelt expresses the hope that they shared the spirit of those who fought in the Civil War and notes that “a good deed done by any American is put down to the credit of all Americans.” Turning to post-war challenges, Roosevelt says Puerto Rico prospers and that the Filipinos are happier and freer than ever before; he praises the United States for the amount of “self-government and personal freedom” that it has already given to the Filipino people. He discusses Congressional plans to undertake a census, create a legislative assembly, and install telegraph cables in the Philippines. He also explains how matters in Cuba are different than in the Philippines. With Cuban independence, Roosevelt sees a need for economic reciprocity between the island nation and the United States. He concludes by delivering what he calls “the gospel of hope”: the belief that with optimism and hard work the United States will become the greatest nation in world history.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-09-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Publication Date

2018-08-09

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)

Original Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Papers

Repository

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Page Count

8

Production Method

Typed

Record Type

Multi-image

Resource Type

Speech

Rights

These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.

Citation