The United States of America
President Roosevelt's Address to a Joint Session of Congress
Friends, Americans, we are at a turning point for our nation. One which we must choose between maintaining or freedoms or one in which we must choose other factors with which to replace it. I believe that America is fundamentally a free nation, where the only actions of the government should be to protect the people from exploitation and protecting the interests of Americans.
The United States is glad to invite Armenia and the Central American Republic to the international community. However, to the later, we will broker no claims on territory that is a part of our nation. To the disaffected Panamanians, with the support of Congress, we can take the steps to make Panama and incorporated territory of the United States of America!
However, we are perturbed by the continued non-response from the Chinese Court regarding the Treaty of Shanghai. We desire a prompt response be made to the treaty.
On the matter of question put before Congress, and specifically the House of Representatives, I instruct them to decide upon the next president of the United States. I propose that the House determine the top candidates by each caucus selecting their first and second choice candidates. Then elect the next President of these United States.
On the candidates, I would like to reiterate my previous statements. Morgan, La Follette, and Wilson are all good men, each with their own particular characteristics that make them invaluable to our nation, each in their own right. However, the primary threat to our nation's well being at this time is economic, an area that Mr. Morgan has wealth of experience in this field, hence the reason for my support. I believe Mr. La Follette will carry forward the torch of progressivism, however, it would be imprudent to charge blindly forward. As though the intentions are assuredly noble, is it not better for a man to work and earn his "square deal" than to languish because all the places of work are shuddered? Mr. Wilson has his qualities, principally his scholarship and calm decision making. Yet now is a time for action, not scholar debate, particularly the greatest economic minds of the world have just conceived a new roadmap for development during the recent New York Economic Conference. With these considerations in mind, I believe Mr. Morgan to be the man best equipped to lead our nation in this time of crisis.
Now is a time for America to grow and prosper! May our nation always embrace science, industry, and entrepreneurship! America will soon grow again and the nation return to an even keel.
~President Theodore Roosevelt.