To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith a report by the Secretary of State setting out reasons why the invitation extended by the Government of Italy to that of the United States to participate in two international expositions which, in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Kingdom of Italy, will be held at Rome and Turin, respectively, in 1911, should be accepted and provision made by Congress to enable the United States fittingly to take part in the expositions.
Deeming international expositions of the comprehensive character of those it is intended to hold in Italy next year to be instructive agencies of the industrial development of the world and important instrumentalities in the advancement of trade relations, I give my cordial approval to the recommendation made by the Secretary of State and urge upon Congress timely provision in accordance therewith.
WILLIAM H. TAFT
Note: The letter from the Secretary of State recommended that, in view of the Italian Government's cordial invitation; the unanimity of other Powers in accepting same; the Italian Government's appropriation of $170,000 for representation in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition; the material consideration of commercial benefits to be derived; the fact that of Italy's $923,000,000 world trade the United States received in 1907 only twelve per cent; the increasing volume of commerce between the two countries, and the excellent transportation facilities already existing to carry American goods, an appropriation of $130,000 be authorized by Congress to enable the United States fittingly to participate in the two expositions at Rome and Turin.
William Howard Taft, Special Message Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/207276