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Two Irish men play poker at a social club or union hall. Caption: Mike (teaching Pat poker) — Well, what hov yez got? / Pat — Four trowels and a black shamrock!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1902-10-08
President Roosevelt puts a rescue boat labeled “National Honor” to sea, carrying lifesaving equipment and an oar labeled “Reciprocity.” Out to sea a ship labeled “Cuba” flounders, or perhaps founders. Roosevelt looks back toward shore at the “Republican Congressional Station” where several men wearing foul-weather clothing await the wreck of the ship and the flotsam to wash ashore.
A portion of Congressional inaction over the disparate choices to deal with Cuba’s situation subsequent to the Spanish-American War was indeed the variety of proposals and therefore conflicting ways to proceed. In the United States Senate, the Teller Amendment was a compact proposal of seven provisions leading to Cuban independence. American financial interests, particularly the Sugar Trust, applied pressure, especially to Republican Party, their traditional ally. The Cuban political elements and societal infrastructure — more sophisticated than in other acquired territories — asserted itself. President Roosevelt, characteristically, fashioned compromises and set a course, to Puck‘s approval at least for the fact that he acted. The Teller Amendment largely was adopted, Guantanamo was leased, and America assumed a somewhat paternalist position for a time.