296 Presidential Addresses 



economic system. From every standpoint of wise 

 and enlightened home and foreign policy the ratifi 

 cation of the Cuban treaty marked a step of substan 

 tial progress in the growth of our nation toward 

 greatness at home and abroad. 



Equally important was the action on the tariff 

 upon products of the Philippines. We gave them a 

 reduction of twenty-five per cent, and would have 

 given them a reduction of twenty-five per cent more 

 had it not been for the opposition, in the hurried 

 closing days of the last session, of certain gentle 

 men who, by the way, have been representing them 

 selves both as peculiarly solicitous for the in 

 terests of the Philippine people and as special 

 champions of the lowering of tariff duties. There 

 is a distinctly humorous side to the fact that 

 the reduction of duties which would benefit Cuba 

 and the Philippines as well as ourselves was antago 

 nized chiefly by those who in theory have been fond 

 of proclaiming themselves the advanced guardians 

 of the oppressed nationalities in the islands affected 

 and the ardent advocates of the reduction of duties 

 generally, but who instantly took violent ground 

 against the practical steps to accomplish either pur 

 pose. 



Moreover, a law was enacted putting anthracite 

 on the free list and completely removing the duties 

 on all other kinds of coal for one year. 



We are now in a condition of prosperity unparal 

 leled not merely in our own history but in the his 

 tory of any other nation. This prosperity is deep 



