The American troops were then withdrawn and the Cubans reestablished in complete possession of their own beautiful island, and they are in possession of it now.

There are plenty of occasions in our history when we have shown weakness or inefficiency, and some occasions when we have not been as scrupulous as we should have been as regards the rights of others.

But I know of no action by any other government in relation to a weaker power which showed such disinterested efficiency in rendering service as was true in connection with our intervention in Cuba.
In Cuba, as in the Philippines and as in Porto Rico, Santo Domingo, and later in Panama, no small part of our success was due to the fact that we put in the highest grade of men as public officials.

This practice was inaugurated under President McKinley.

I found admirable men in office, and I continued them and appointed men like them as their successors.