Theodore Roosevelt’s Letter on Cuba (1907)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Personal.

January 22, 1907

My dear Mr. Secretary:

In reference to Magoons two letters of the 13th and 16th, which are returned herewith, I need hardly add to what I said this morning. There can be no talk of a protectorate by us. Our business is to establish peace and order on a satisfactory basis, start the new government, and then leave the Island; the Cuban Government taking the reins into its own hands; tho of course it might be advisable for some little time that some of our troops should stay in the Islands to steady things. I will not even consider the plan of a protectorate, or any plan which would imply our breaking our explicit promise because of which we were able to prevent a war of devastation last fall. The good faith of the United States is a mighty valuable asset and must not be impaired.

Sincerely yours,

Theodore Roosevelt

Hon. Wm. H. Taft,
Secretary of War.
Enclosures.