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TJIE RED CLOUD CHIEF.
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FOR WAR!
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
ON CUBAN QUESTION,
FOR ARMED INTERVENTION
Tito tvholo f.itnil nml Nun lriirr of (tie
tJiiltrd Mutes to lit INml. ir Ncoei-
mtry- Tlit Ciitisrim IIn th
rronlitent Mm Authority
Uso It lit III I'Hrrctloti.
If It Hlvns (tin I'rrstilisnt Authority,
1'ipootinl, Wnr Witt huroly lollow
Komi The Moiiiku Snut tit Com-
inlttrns on ForolRii Affairs
Iniliirillittoly After
IIoIiik Komi.
Washington, April II. The Pres
ident to-tiny sunt the following mes
sage to tho Congress of tho United
States:
Obedient to tli.it precept of th- constitu
tion which t-oniiiiaiits the I'lt'sldcnt to
Hive from time to time tin- (' nisi est Infor
mation of the state of the union ami to ice
oiiiiuciiit to their consldera.lon such meas
ures as he shall Judyc ncresiary and cxpe
illcnt. It heroines my duty now t athlrest
your body wliii regard o the grave crisis
that has arls-n til the relations of thy
United States toSpaln liy reason ot the war
fare that for more than thteu years has
raged In thenelKhli .-l ig Isl mil ot Cuba
A Duty to tlio Country's Traditions.
Ido so because of the Intimate oiiiiiv
tl'Mi of the Cuban question with the state of
our own union and the r.ive relation tit
course vthlrli is now itirtiinhcnt upon the
nation to adop must needs bear to the tra
ditional policy of our government, It Ills
to accord with the prccepti laid down by
the found 'is of the republic and religiously
olucrved by suicejdlui; geueratloas to tin;
present day.
Fifty Yrnrs of Insiirrrcllon.
The present revolution 1 1 but tlu surres.
r.orof other similar Insurrections which
have occurred In Cuba against tin domin
ion of Spain, extending over a period of
nearly half a century, each of which, dur
ing Its progress has subjected llio Tutted
St ites to great effort and expensj In en
forcing 1U neutrality laws, caused enor
mous losses to the Amerlcin trade and
commerce, caused Irritailon, annoyance
and disturbance among our iitlz--iis and.
by the exercise of cruel, hirhirious and
uncivall..'d pracl cesof warlare, shocked
thes-uslb litles and offended tho human
sympathies of our jieopt.'.
Devastation nt Our Throihold.
S nee the prosrnt revolution begin In
February. Ism, thin conn ry his s.-enthe
fertile doma u at our t restto d ravaged bv
lire and sword In the course ot a struggle
uneipialed In thu history of tlu Maud and
raid- paralleled as to the numb: r ot the
combatants and the bl tcrncss o thu con
test by any revolution i f mo lent times
where a dependent people, striving to be
trej. have boon opposed by the power of the
hovetelgu state.
Our people have blielil a once prosperous
community reduced to comparative want.
Its commerce ilrtti.tllr p.italy.i'tl, Its ex
ceptional proluctiveliess diminished, Its
ileitis laid waste. Its mills In ruins and lu
people perishing by the tens of thousands
irom hunger and destitution
Tlio Cult to Ainnrle.v
We have fo.mil ourselves constrained. In
the obicrvuuc of that strict neutrality
which our laws enjoin and which the law
of nations c Minna ds, to pdicc our ow.i
waters and wateli our own seaports In pre
vcntlnn of any unlawful act In aid of the
Cabins
Our trade ha suffered, the cipltil tit.
ves'.el by our cltUcus In Cuba has been
I argel los: and the temper and forbear
aicj of our p;ople have been so sorely tried
a. to beget a perilous unrest ainoni; out
own citizens, which has Inevitably found
Itscxpres.ion from tlm totlniMn the na
tlonal leg. stature, so that Issues whrllv x
tcrnal to our ov.ii body politic engross ,it
tcnt on an 1 stand li the way of that i lo.i
tlovotloi to domestic advi .ceineit that be
comes a Mlf-tontenlnl commonwealth
whose primal iit.wtiu has been the avoid
auco ot all lorelgn ent inglementi.
All this must needs awaken and has, In
deed, arojsed the utmost concern on the
part ot this government, a, well during tnv
predecessor s as my w n.
hp.ilu Itornsml Mr. t'livp.itur Onr.
In April, IM90. the evil trom which our
country suffered tlirom-li the Cuban war be
came sooneious thai mv jiredecessor made
an cifnrt to bruit; about a peace through
the mediation of this gouTunicut In any
way that mlyh tend to an honorable ad
justment ot the coitest between hp.il.j and
her revolted colony, on the basis of some
ofrectlvo Hellenic- of n If-mmr intent f r
Cuba under the lt.i and hovereignty ot
(Spain's nr thirrntoiiiiblf.
It fall (!. through the refusal of the Spin.
Ish government hen In pnv.-r to consider
any form of mediation or Indeed any nl in
of uttlement that ill 1 not be .In with the
actual submission of the insurgents to thu
Wither cou itry, and tint oily )m such
terms as Spain net -ell mleht see lit to
Kraut. Thu war contlnu d un.iUiteit The
resistance ot the ttisur,;unis was In nowise
diminished
Woylur'M (Hinpiilsn of Horror.
Tli; efforts of Spal i were Increased both
by the d span h ot fro. It levle to vxn, ,m
by .he addlilou to the ho to s of the strife
of a new and inhuman phase happii un
precedent il 1 1 the modern hist jyot nV.
1 l.ed Chr.stliu jieople-. The policy f
t astatlon ami cone n ration, Inaugurated
by th.'capt mi general', band.) of Octuli.-r
21, isno, ta thu provinco of Pluar del ltui
was l.iencu ext aded to umlir tej all of the
Island to whclt the power of ihe Spanlh
nruiles was able to teach by occupation or
by military operation'.
A Country l.nbl Wastn.
The peasantry Including all dwelling In
tin; open agricultural Interl r, were driven
Into the garrisons towns or isolated placci
by troops. The raising and movement of
provisions of all klnJs were Interdicted.
The llelds were laid waste, dwellings un
roofed and llreil, mills destroyed anil in
short, everything that could desolate the
land and tender It unlit for Human habita
tion or fcupport was commanded by one or
tni other of the contending parties, and
executed by all the powers at ihelntlsposal.
Mmlu :i)0,0()l Dnilllllti)
Ily the time the present administration
tookonicua year ago. reconcuutratloti-so.
called-had been made elfu tlvo over thu
wetter part of the four e ttral and we.s urn
lirovtn cs, Sa.tiOiara, Matanzis, Havana
n.J I'luar del Hlo. The agricultural pop ,
lyion, to the estimated number of aoo.oj .
r.intue, was lieratdUulii .tlm town aud
llijlr Immediate vicinage, Ueprlvca ot the
tii'aus of mtppiii! reit lei I dis'ltute of
Micltei", left poorly li I a 1 1 vxputcit to ttie
most tins iiiltary condi loat.
A Mnry of Mlmrjr itml Dentil.
As the s-Mivlty of food lni're.as,l with
devastatl.il of the depopi'.atlo i areas of
prodtftloii de tltutlon .'rid want bcamc
mlseiy and starvatio't. Tne monthly death
rite Increased In an alarming tatio lly
March Ih 17. according to conservative
estimate! from official Spanish sources, the
mot t.illty among the reroncenlradoi Irotn
star vat I hi and the d s.msui thrret'i Inci
dent, exece led fiO per e titum of their to.
tal number N'o practical relief was ac
corded to thcilestliutu
Theovjrbur.l'nel t w is a'r.'.t ly stiiT'r
ln from tic g ii.mmI dearth c-o.ild give no
aid.
Si-called zones of cultivation rstibllslied
within the Immediate area of uffect ve mil
itary control about the cities and torMiled
camtis proved lllutory ai a rcuwl, for tho
Miff ci lag
Uncivilly nit Wnrf.iro
The unfortunate, l lug for tin mo t part
women a-td children with age I and h-lp-less
men, enfeebled by dls-sts and hunger,
could not havo tilled thu soil without tool,
seed or shelter, for their own support or
for III j sup ily of thee tie i. ltecoiicontra
tloil, adop ul avowedly ai a war iil"aure,
In order to cut off the resjurces of the In
students, worked Us predestined r.'iult.
As I s.i 111 In mi- iiii'is.i n if Inw ll.ml.,t
It was uncivilized wu f no. It wis cxtirnf
nation The onU peace it lould beget was
that of thu wililerii.vss ami the grave.
Insitr-piiH ut lliivitnn's Willis.
M.m i while th ml Itary sltintlot In the
Island In i undergo le a uotlc.-ablc change.
The extraordinary activity that i h.iractcr
l.?tl tlu s-coad ycir of the war. wh.'ii the
lusurnents Invaded even the lititict'i tin
hartnctl Melds of I'lnarilcl itlo and carried
havoc and destitution up to the walls of tho
city of Havana Itself, hat rciaped lilt i a
dogged slrugglj In the central and eastern
provinces The Spanish arms rcualncd a
measuteor c.iut'ol In l'tnar del Hlo and
ptrts of Havana, but, under ths existing
conditions ol the rural country, without
litinie.ll it- luip'ovemcnt of their product.
lve sltuat on. Hven thus partially restrict
ed, the rutoltitloulsts held their own and
their Mbtn sston put lorward by Spain as
uiu esenuai ami sole uasis ot peace,
kveincil as far d.sMnt as at thu outsst,
t'onfroiitnil li Duty.
In lli.s state of arfalrs my administration
fontiii its-. cDiifronte.l with tlu grave
problem of Itsiluty. My message of last Da
ceiiilur reviewed tc situation and deta led
the steps taken with a Mew of relieving Its
acilteness and opening Hie wa to some
form of h norablusettleinent Theass.lssl
uatloa ot the pnuie minister C.uiovas. led
to a change ot government in Sp-iiu
A l.lhcrnl fulilneCs llfd;ei.
The form i almlmstr.itl'in. ple;el to
the siibjug itiua with nit cni-essiou gave
place to th it of a more liberal party, coni
ni.ttetl long in mlvaiuu to a po.lcy of re
form Involving the wider prlnelp'.u nt home
rule for Cuba and I'uer.o Klco. Thu over
tures of this government, in tde through
it new envy. (Jcneral Woidford, and
looking to an Immediate and effei live ante
Ilor.itlon ot theco'ul lion of the Island at
though not accepted to the extent of ad
mltted nieill itlon In any .sh ipe, were met
by as.urauesthat home rule. In an a 1
viliciil phase won il be forthwith olfeied
to Cub i without wailing for the war to end.
and that more humane methods should
thenceforth preva 1 In t le con luct of hot
tltltl.s.
Iteln.tsn of Amirlniri I'rlsoniTS.
Incidentally with thesj ile:lar.ttloiis the
new government of Spain cout.iiuel and
completed the policy already begun bv Its
t redeiessor of testify nir tr.en liy regard
foi this int. on by rel-aslng American cltl
ens held under on charge or another con
nected with the Itisiiifctloii so that, by
the end of Novcmb-r not a single pursuit
entitled In any way to our n ill. m il prote.
tlon, reiualueil la a spinlsh prison.
Ainnrleik's Work of Iti'llof.
While these iiegottatiotiswereln iroi;rcs
the Increailng destitution of the tintortun.
atereconcentradoian t thu ai inning mor
tality among them claimed earnest atteu
lloi. The success which had attended the
limited measure of relief ete,ided to tho
suif-iliig American cttl.Mis among them
by the Judicious cxpenillturo through the
coii-.ul.ir agpii, les of the innnev apio
priated expressly for their sm cor liy the
Joint resolution, approved May a I. 1H1I7,
prompted the humane extens on of a similar
scheme ol aid t- the great b Ivof sulferers.
DTuo message then recites thu relief wort
done by this country and i ontlmies: Thu
necessity for a i. hangs in the rond tlon of
tne tcconc-jiitrados Is leojnlz il by thu
SpinKh goeinmeul. Wltliln a lew days
past the orders of tienrr.it Wey.er have
been rcMtkid the recoicentrados arc, It l
saltl. to io permit ted to return to their
honus anil aided to resume Mo self-suji-por.ng
pur.iiiti of pear j public worKs
h.nubu-n oiileiedto give them eniitoy-in-nt
and a sum of Mil 1 00 ) has bce.i ap
proprlatud for their iv:iif.
Vlntory far .Nuithor lit Sljtit.
The war In Cuba li of xm It a n uuro that
short ot stibjugilloi or extt inlnatl.m a
llnat nililiarv tory for either side seems
imprac.lcaiile. The allernativo lies In the
plliskal exhuistlon of the one or the other
pary. or perhaps both a condition whUli
Inelfectend il the Ten Year.' war by thu
triuuof . inkon. The proipect of such a
protraction an l conclusion ot the present
strife Is a contingency hardly to be conteiu
patedw.th itpian.mlty by the cMllz'tt
world, aud least of all by the United 1 1 ites,
affectetl and Injured as we are. deeply and
Intimately by Its very exl.te.ic .
Ills Armistice 1'riipoiltln'i.
ItealMng th.s, It appsar.-d to be my itutv.
In a sjilr.l of true lrliMul.liiMs.no less to
Spun than ti t p Cubam win have so
much to lose by the prolongation of the
Ntrug.'le to seek to b Ins about an Imme.
diate termlii iiloii of th,. w..- 'p.. i.i. r
submitted to the 7th ultimo, as a tesult if
much representitioi and rorruspoudence'
througli the United Status minister at Mad
nil, propositions to the Spanish government
looking to an arm.stlce until October 1st
for the negotiation of peace with the rood
olllces of the President. '
In aJdilloi I ask the immediate revoca
tion of thu order of concentration to as to
permit the people tn i eturn to their farms
and the neeuv to be redeved with provis
ions and supplies from t le United Statc.s,
c. -op.-rating win the Spanlth authorities
soak to alfinl fill relief.
'Ill" Iteply of Hputn
Tho reply of the Spinlsh ciblnet was
received outh- night of thu list ultimo.
It relets as t the means to bri ig
about peace In Cuba, to conilne
the prepa-atlmis thereof to the In.
sui.ir depai tinetit, Itiasiuuch as the
coticiirrenri. of ilui ii.i. i.n
-.. ... j ...iuiii iiu iieLe.s-
tary to reach a ll.iat result, it lelng how-ee-.
unil islo d that the powers reserved
by the constitution to the central govern,
mentare not lessened or dlliilnlshed. As Hie
i uu in pirllatuent does not meet until the
-ltliolM.lv next, thu Spanish guwr.iment
woul I not object for Its part, to ac ept at
once a suspension of hostilities, If asked for
by tin Insurgents rom the general In ch.et.
to whom it would iiertaln, In such ase to
ilctcrmlnu the duration and condition of
till; ui minuet.
r pain's l'lirlllcxtlon I'lnns.
Tho proposition submitted by acnr-ral
Woodford and thu reply of the Spanish gov
crument were both in tho form ot brief
memoranda, the U Ms of which arn before
me and areHUbstantialiy in tuc languate
above given. The function of the Cuban
parliament in the matter of "preparing"
pence, anil the manner of its doing bo are
not expresseil In the Spanish memorandum,
but from General Woodtori'H explanatory
reiorUof p ellmlnary ills ussoai prccej.
lug tlie llnal rnnference, it is understood
tnat the Spanish government stand ready
to give the Insular consrt-iis tull powern ti
hultlo tho.teruu of. peace with the Insur
gents, whether by direct negotiation or la-
dlieclly by means of legislation doct not
appear,
With this last overture In thcdlruetloti of
Immediate pence .mil Its illsippolnting re
ception by Spiln.the cxecutlvu was brought
to the, end ol his ulfort.
In my annual uiesstge of December last
I said.
"Of the untried measures there remain:
He ognltlon of the Insurgents as belllg-r-enl
lecognltlon of In lependence of Cubi
neutral liiti-rveullon to end the war by lm
posing a rational compromise b.'twecn the
contc.taiits and lutervetitlo-i In favor of
on-or the other patlv I speak not of
lorclble annexation ior that cannot be
thought of. That, by our code of moralltv,
would be crimlii it aggression
I'reililfint (IrnnCs Action.
TIici-iik)ii I vlowi-tl these al ernat vei tn
the light of President Oram's measured
words, uttered tn lai.'j when, after seven
years of sanguinary, des ructlvc ami cm I
b.u-baltic!. In Cuba, h reached the con
clusion tint Ihi'ivciMti'tlou of the In lepen
dence of Cub i was impra-ticable anil lit. Ic
len.it le. and that the lecigul ion of bel
llgeren.c was not warra it-il bv the farts
according 1 1 ihe lusts of publ.c 'law. Icom
inented espci illy uprn the latter aspect of
the iiiestion, pilutlng out thu liuonteu-b-nc
and poslllw d uiKersof a recognition
of b-lllgercitce which, while a lillnj to the
already uio-imm burdens of neutrality
within our own jurlsllctloi, umld not In
any wax extend our Inllu-iic! or effective
ofiii.es In thu terrlt rv of hoi llltlei
N ithtng has since ocurre I to change mv
lew In this icgard, and I recognle as
fully now-as then tint Ihe Issuance of a
prod mi itlon ol neutrality, bv which pro
cuts the so-called rerogult' nt of belllger
em.c Is published, -oilil, or itielf and un
attended by other action, ace impllsh lioth
lug toward the one en I lor which we lalrir,
the Instant iiaclllcatlou of Cuba and thu
cessation ot the misery that aftllcls the
Island.
Turning to the iiucitlou of rc-ognlr.lig at
this time the iuil.-peuilencu of the present
insurgent government In i ub.i, wu lindsafe
precedents In our history frmi an early
day. Thev are w.-ll suminuil up In Presi
deut.l.irksoa'H message to CougriMs, !
cember Ul, I Hid. on the subject ot the rec
ognition of the Independence of Texas.
J.i.kson saltl: -1 i an the contests that
have arls-n oit ot the revolutions of
Trance, out of the disputes relating to the
crews of Portugal atid Spain, out ot tie
separation of the American possessions
of both from thu Haropeai governments,
and out of the nuiner uu ami toa
stantly n-currlug struggles for domin
ion In .'Spanish America, so wisely
(insistent will our Just prliiclpcs. has
been thu actio i of our government that we
hive under the most critlcalclrcituist.ini es
avoided all censure ami enc miitcred no
other ill than that produced by a tran
s cut le-estiangemetit ol goo 1 will In those
ag.i lis. wiioiu we u.ive bee i by force ot ev
idence com pelted l- decl le.
Aiiir-rlcu's Position.
'It hat thus made Known to the world
that the uultorin jKillcy.uiit prat-tln- of the
Culled Stales Is to at.ld all interf -rcuce in
disputes whit h merely relate to the inter
nal government of other nations and event
ually to recognl.e the .minority of the
prevailing party, without reference to our
particular interests ant v.ews or to the
merits of the original controversy
Hut In tins .h oi ecry o.hcr occasion
safety is to bu found In a rigid a llicr.ucu
to principle.
1'rovoil Their Imli-peiidonca.
'Tlie conti st between Spain and t!ie re
volted colonies wo s'iiii I aloot and waited,
not only until the ability of the new states
to protect themselves was fully cstabllseed,
but u.ittt thu danger of their being again
Mibjugited had entirely passed away. Then
ami not nut 1 then weie thev reciMiil.ed.
Such was our course to regard to Mexico
hcrse.f
It Is trim that with regard ti Total tic
civil autiiorltj of Mexico has been expelled,
Its Invading army defeated, thechlet of Mie
republic hlmseit raptured and all present
power to control the newly organized gv
ernuieiitof Texas aiinllillated within its
conilnes. Hut, on the other hand, there Is,
in appearance at least, an Immense ills,
parity of p iyslc.it loroe on the side of
Texas The Mexican republic, under an
executive, is ratltlng Hi forces under a
new-leader and menacing a fresh invasion
to recover its lost dotn ilu.
.Iitrlison AVits ( onsrrv.ttlvo.
' 1'pou the Issue of Its threatened lnva
slon the liidependeucc of Texas may be con
sidered as suspended, and, w.re ther.- noth
ing peculiar In tlio situatlo I of the l.'ultd
St.it--s.ind Tex it, our aritnowleilgment of
Its lii-lt-iiendenr; at sin II a crisis could
scan ely be r .-garde I asronsUtent with that
prudent tftiive with wh.chwehatu hith.
ertoheli tui-seltu. bound to treat ail stmi
lar tiuestlons."
'Iliereuion Andnw Jackson prorreJed to
cons tier the risk Cut there mlchtbc lin
puled to the United States motives of self
ish Interests In view of the fot mer claim on
our par. to th- territory ol Texas and of
the avowed purpos-of .he Tex.ins In seek
ing recognition of Independence as an Inci
dent to tne Incorporation ot Tex.i In thu
Union, c including thus:
Prudence, therefore, sceim to dictate
that wu should still stand aloot and lnalu
t il .1 our prcs.-nt attitude. It not until Mex
ico hcrselt or one of the great foreign pow
ers khall tec gill.; tho Independent- of the
now government, at least until tho lapsj of
time oi the course of even's shall have
proied beyond cavil or disput-e the ability
of thu people of that country to maintain
their sepirati! sovereignty audio uphold
the government constituted by them.
'Neither of the contend ng parties can
Justly complain of this nurse. Ily pursu
ing It we are but cariylngout thu long
established pillcy of our governmeiit-a
pjbcv which li is secured t- us respect and
Influence abro.ul anil Inspired coutUeiKc at
homo "
tVluit Itrrognltlon Dcni.inds.
Those are the words of the resolute and
p.itlio;lc.lac.tsou Thev are evidence that
the UultedS ates, In a Idltl n to the test
imposed by public law as the condition of
the recogul ion of Independehce by a neu
t.al state, to-wlt, that tno revolted statu
shall "constitutu lu fact a body po.ttlc, hav
ing a government lu substance as well as in
name, piss-sied of thu elements of s abil
ity." and forming def cto, 'if left to Itself,
a stat- among thu nations, rcas mbly capa
ble of discharging the duties of a state."
has Imposed for Its own gover-.tice, In deal
ing with cases like these, the further condi
tion that recognlilo t of lndcpcndt-nt state
hood Is not tin j to a r.-vilted dependency
until thu danger of Its b-lng again subju
gate I by the parent state has entirety
pissed ,iwi v. This extreme test wa lu fact
applied lu the cass of Texas
Itufoictiltlim Not IVItn.
Nor from the standpoint of expedience
do I think It would be wise or prudent for
thls:oeinmcnt tore nalzent the present
time the Independence of the so-called
Cuban rcpabllc Smli recognition is not
necessary In order to enable the United
States to Intervene, and pacify the Island.
To commit this Kovernni.-nt now to the
recognition of any pirticular government
In Cuba might subject us to embarrassing
conditions of International obligation to
wards thu orga:il.it on so rccncnlzed. In
case of inteiveutloi our conduct would bo
subject to the approval or disipproval of
such government, wo would lu ien.uired to
sunilt tolls direction and to assume to It
the m to relation of a friendly ally. When
It shall a, pear hureaffr that thcro Is
within the island a i.ovoruineiit capiblc of
iwrtoriuiu-; thu duties and discharging tho
function of a separate n.tlon and having
as a nutter of fact Uiu proper tonus and
attributes of natl main such government
can lu promptly and readily recognized,
and the relations and Interests of tho
United States with such nation aJJusted.
'I wo M(i,tim of Iiitervniitloii.
There remain the attentat ve forms of In
tervention to end the war, either ai art-tm'-paitlat
neutral, by Imposing a rational
comp omUu between the vj.itei'.antj, us
wsimui .jimumti j'tm ',n.''jijsr"f m
the a. live ally of the one party or the
other.
A-ito the Hist. It Is not to be forgotten
th t during the last few months, the rela
tion of the flitted States has real y been
one of trieidl.- I.iterventlon in manvways,
each not of Its If conclusive, but all tending
to the t'xt-rilnii of a potential Influence
tow.tr I :m tilt niiitu paclllc result, Just and
honorab e to all Interests ron erned. The
spirit or all our acts hitherto has been an
earnest tmselllsh desire forpeace and p-os-ler.ty
In Culi .untarnished bv dlffcreiies
betw en us and Sp iln an 1 ti ist.ilned by the
blood of Amerlcin cltl.eui to end the war
oy imposine, a rational compromise between
the contest tuts and Intencntlon lu favor of
oae or the other pirtv. I speak not of for
cible annex itlon lor that cannot be thought
of- That, by our code of inora'lty, would
be crlin ii.u .iggroslon.
Intf-ri.-iitlo:i It .fiittlllibli.
The forcible Intervontlo t of the fin ted
States at a neutral tost p the war. accord
ing to the larg tllctitcs of humility, and
followliif m my historical precedents
wlrre neighbor ng stales have Interfered
to check the hopeless sacrlilce of life by In
tel necino c mll.cts beyond their borders, Is
Justifiable on natural grounds. It Involves
however hostile onitralnt upon both thu
parties to the contest, as welt to enforce a
trues as to guide thevveiitu.il settlement.
In lliiiiiniilly's t'ntisn First.
The grounds fur such literventloi may
be Imelly stiinmnr.zcd as to lows: first, lu
the cause ot humanity and to put an end to
the barbarities, t-'oadshed, starvation and
horrible mls-rles now existing there, and
which the parlies so the ontll tare either
unable or unwll.lng t j stop or mitigate.
Our Duty nt Our Door.
Ills no answer to say this Is all In an
othur country belonging to another nation,
and Is therefore none of our business. It
Isspecl.illy our duty, tor It ts right atour
dcor. Second, we owe it to our citizens In
Cuba to afford them t.iat pnt'C-.tut and
Indemnity lor life aid prape-tv which no
government there can or will afford and to
that cud to terminate the conditions that
deprive theiii of legal protoctlm.
Our Comtnnrcn Dcoi tints It,
Third -The right to Intervene mayhojii.
tilled by the voiy serious iijury ti thu
commerce, fade and bnslneis of our peo
ple and by tho wanton de truct on cf proj
ertyaud devast itlon of the island
A t'onatitut Miomco to Our I'enon.
fourth-And which Is ot the iitmos. Im
portnnc". The present CJinlltloa of affairs
lu Cuba It a coiutaut menace to our peace,
and entails upon ibis government an enor
inouscxpens . Wl;h su:h a conflict wag.'d
for years In an island sy near us and with
which our people have such tr ide an I busi
ness rel itlons - when the lives and llbcrtv
ot our clt..eiisare in cons. ant danger anil
their property destroyed and themselves
ruined w here our trading vessels are lia
ble to seizure ami are seized at our very
door, by war shlpi of a torelen nation, the
exreillilons of llll'ustering that we are
poweilfss to prevent altogether, and tho
Irritating itiestlo;is and entaiiglements
thusarlsmg-all these and others that I
need no, mention, with the resulting
strained relatto.is, are a constant menace
to our peace aud compels ut to keep the
ountry on a semi-war footing with a in
tlon with which wu ate at peace.
Tim Lots of tlio .ll.tlnr.
These elemi-iits of d.nte.er and disorder
already p tinted out havo been strikingly
lllu.lr.ited by a tragic event which has
deeply and Justly moved the American uo
pie. I have aire uly transmitted to Congre.s
the report of the naval court of inipilrv on
the destruction of the battle ship M line. In
the harbor of I'avatia during the n'ght of
thu 10th of February. Thu destruction of
that noble vessel has tilled the ii itlonat
h ar. with Inexpressible horror. The two
hundred and lltly-elght bravo sailors and
marines an I two ofllrors ot our navy, i epos
lug lu the fancied socuntlv of a Irlendlv
harbor. have been hurled to death grle'f
and want brought to their homus and sor
tow to the nation.
All ftlrrlor Kxptoilon Did It.
The naval court of Inquiry, which, It Is
neeiltss to say. commatt Is the uniiualllle.t
confident- -of the government was unani
mous I i its conclusion that the destruction
of the Maine was caused by an extstior ex
plosion that of a sitbm.i Ina mine. It did
iDtastumeto place the responsibility. That
remains to be fixed.
In any event, tin dcs'ructlon of the
Maine, by whatever cause, Is a pafnt and
impressive prouf of a state ol th.ngs lu
Cuba that Is Int ilcrable That condition Is
thus shown to be budi that the Spanish
government cannot assuie safety and se
curity to a v.-tsel of the American u ivy. in
the harbor of Havana, oa amls,tonof peace
and rli;hltiilly thure.
Multi Would Arbitrate.
Further referring In tills connection to
recent diplomatic correspondence, a dis
patch from our minister to Spain of the
"tith ultimo contained the statement that
the Sp.iuls'i minister for foreign alfalrs as
sured him potltlvuly that Spiln would do
all that the highest honor and Justice ie
quirei III thu matter of tho Maine. Thu re
ply above retcrre I to of the ni'. ultimo
also contained an expression ot the read
iness tspitnto submit to an arb.tra.lon
ali the diiforcim-H which can arise In this
matter which is subsciue itly explained by
the note ot tho Spanish minister at W.isn
Ington of the tilth instant, as follows:
' As to the question ot tact whlcii springs
from the diversity of views between the re
portof the Ami-il-an and Span sh boards.
Spain proposes tint the fart be ascertained
by an Impartial Investigation by experts,
which decision Spain accepts lu advance."
To this I have rn ule no repl.
Not it Now Condition.
President Orait. In 1H7.1 in discussing the
ptiases of ihe contest as It then appeared
and it i hopeless and apparent Inilelliilte
prolongation, saltl: "In such event I am of
opinion thatother nations wilt becomp II d
to assume thu responsl illty which devolves
upon them aid to seriously consider thu
only remaining nieasmes potslb c inrdla
tlon and Intervention. Owing, perhaps, to
the large expanse of water ru para ting thu
islam trom ihe peninsula, tho contending
part:es up car to have within themselves
no depository of common confidence to siij.
gest wisdom when pissloi and excitement
havo thlr sway ami .listime the part of
peacemaker.
Hp.iln Again Declined.
' In this view tu the earlier days of the
contest the good onicus of the V lilted States
as a mudl.it ir were tendered Hi good faith,
without any s-tilsh purpose, In thu Interest
of humanity an I lu sincere trlctidshlp for
both parties, but iv re at thu time declined
by Spain with the declaration, nevertheless,
thatat a lutiirc time they would be Indls
peusable. No Intimation his been received
that, In the opinion of Spain, that time has
been reached. And vet ihe strife continues
with all its dread horrors and all its in
Juries to the Interests of tho United S ates
and of other nations.
Could Iteitcb No Dooltlon.
"IMch party seems quite capable of work
ing great Injury and damage to thu other,
as well as to all thu r latlons and Interests
dependent oi the existence of peace in the
Ihl.in I, but they seem Incapable of reac ilng
any adjustment, and both have thus far
filled of achieving any sud-csi wh ruby
onu party shall jmisscss and co itrol the Isl
and to the exclusion of tho other. Under
the circumstances tho agency of others,
either by mediation or Intervention, seems
to be the only alternative, which must,
sooner or later. te Invoked for the termina
tion of thu s rife."
Mr. I'luvulittid's Words.
In the last . iiinuat message of my Iminc
dlatu predeccstor. during the pending
struggle It was said: "When the liub.llty
of Spain to deal successfully with the Insur
rection has be onio manifest, and It Is item
rjtistra ed that her sovereignty Is extliut In
C-iiba for till purposes o Its. rightful exist
Ciice, and when a hopeless strugglu for Ita
rc-establiKhment his-degoneratud.-lnto' a
strife which mcaiu notblug more thaif tho
rmtvmmwmimtunH)m?
useless saenffe of human life and ths ut
ter destruction of the very siibje t matter
of the conflict, a slmatlo.i will bo preiente.l
In which our obligation! to the sovereignty
of Spain will be superceded bv higher obli
gations, which we can hardly hesitate to
recofiilzc and discharge."
Ills Uordt In Ilocoiiiber.
Ill my annual message to Congress, De
cember 1 1st, speaking to this question. I
said: "Ihe near future w It demonstrate
whether th-s Indispensable condition of a
...,..:,, us r..n;e, J M.lllKf til lC CllliallS
ant to Spam, as well as equiiltible toall
our Interests so Intlm.itelv Involved In the
welfare of Cuba. Is likely to be minified. If
not. the exl jency of other and further ac
tion by the f nlted States will remain to bo
taken. When that lime comes that action
will be determined In the Hue of Indisput
able right and duly. It will bo faced, with
out misgiving or hesitancy, lu tho light of
the obllgitlou tills government owes to It
self to the peop'e who have conllded to It
the i rot.ctloi of their Interests ami honor
ami to humanity.
'Sureol right, keeping free from all of
fense ours-lves, actuated only bv upright
and patriotic co islderallins moved neither
by passion iiorselllshu ss, the government
will continue Its watchful care over thu
rights a-ul pro eny of American citizens
aud will abate none of 1 s efforts to bring
ab int by peaceful age ides a peace which
shall be honorable aint endiirl ig If It shall
here after appear tob a duty imposed by
our obligations to ourselves to c.vlilz.itlon
and humanity to Intervom with lorce.it
shall be without fault on our part aud only
because the necessity tor such action will
be so clear as to command the support and
approval of the civilized world."
Kpaln I'Hiinot Conquer.
Tins long trial has proved that the object
for wh ch Spain has wae,etl the war cannot
be attained The lire of insurrection mai
nline or may smoulder with varying sea
s i is. but It has tie en and it Is plain that It
can .ot b extinguished by present meth
ods. The only hope of relief and reposu
from a condition which cinnot longer be
endured Is the enforced pacification of
Cuba,
llio Wnr In Culm Mutt Stop.
In the name of humanity, lu the name ot
civlllr.itlo.1. lu behalf of en laugcred Amor
Icanlitcres'.s whlthglve us the right and
the duty to speak and to act, tho war In
Cuba must stop.
Auks Powers to Slop tlio Wnr.
In view of these facts ami these consider
atlons 1 ask Congress to autiorlze anil cm
power the President t take incisures to
semre.i full termination of hostilities be
tween the government of Spain and the
peopleofCtibiar.il to secure In the island
the establishment if a stab'c givernine it,
capib'eot ma ntaliilng orilr.ind observ
ing It Intern.itlnial ohlleatlons. Insuring
pe.nu and tranqilllty and the security of
Its citizens as well as our own. audto'usu
the mllltiry mil naval torccsof the f nlted
Slates as may bu m-cussaiy tor tacse pur
poses Money Askml for Cubtti Knllef.
In the liiturc-t of iiuminlty ami to aid
lu pre-crying th? lives of thu sta- Mug poo
pie of the Island. I recommend that tho
distribution of f.,od and supplies be con
tinned, ami that an appropriation be made
out ol the public treasury to supplement
thorharltvof our eltUeis 'ihe issue Is
now with Congress.
It Is a solemn rcsj onslbllltr.
I hive exhausted ev rv ulfort to relievo
the intoler.i le con II. ion of .iff ilrs which Is
at our doors
Prt pared to execute every olill-ejotlai Im
posed upon me by the constitution aad the
law, I await your actioi.
Tim Armistice lleforrod.
Y.storJay and since the preparation of
the fore.. dug message, ontcl.it Information
was received by me that the latest decree
of the Queen Kegeut of Spain dlrectsOen
eral it anco. lu order to prepare and faclll
t t-e peace, to proclaim a susp-nslon ot hos
tilities, the duration and details of which
have not yet been communicated to me.
This fact with every other pertinent con
sideration, wi I. 1 am sure, have tour Just
aid car. fill attention in the solemn dell- or
ations upon which yen are atiou to enter.
If this message attains a successful re
sult, then our aspt atlons as a Christian,
peace-loving people w.ll be realized
If It falls, it will only b another Justifi
cation lor our contemplated .ictlin
Wll.M.sM MCivl.M.KV
Kxeeutlve Mansion, April 11.
Tne message was referred In the Senate
and Ilou.e to committee without action.
SENATORS DISPLEASED.
Only tlio Mrongly t'onsrrviitlvo Spr-alc
favorably of tlio Mestngn.
Washington, April 11. Tlio Presi
dent's iiiessapo did not, after tho first
reuilliig-, receive tlio imlorsefncnt of n
inr.jority of tlie ie'cnntor.s, and muny
excused tlieiiiv-'lvcs from hpeakius;
about It until they could have time
for careful perusal. In n;enoml way
tlie objections wore based upon tlie
ground that It did not jro far enoittrli
in recognizing; the rights of tlie Cu
bans. Tlio senators who have been espe
cially noted for tliuir conservatism
were pleased, but they were the ex
ception to tlie rule, nnd many of tlioso
.senators who hud in tlio past few days
shown n disposition to slacken their
opposition to n consorvutlvo coiirso
nppoared to be disposed to return to
their orltflnnl positions.
A lnrje nunibji' of Democratic, sen
ators refused to express tlioniselvu.i at
all, as did several IJepublieans, upon
the k round that, as they could not
sneak in complimentary terms, llicy
would say nothlne; ut nil. One of tlio
most site;nlllcnnt utterances upon tlio
message was tlmt of Senator Fornkor
from tl.o President's own statu and n
member ot tlio committeo on foreign
relations. lie said: "1 liuvo no pa
tience with tho message, and you enn
Hiiy so." Ho refused to go into do
lulls. Senator Mills of tlio samo commit
teo said: ''Without referring to tho
messaga specifically, you can say I nm
for the Independence of Cuba and for
war on account of tlio Maine."
S'liutor Ciilloni, also of the foroign
relations committee, commended tho
document, llo saltl: "It is a strong
paper, n well prepared and careful
review. Tho Senate may go farther
than tho President recommencs, but
it will have it strong Inlliiencc in bhap
Ing tlio eoursu of events."
6,000 SPANISH TROOPS.
I.o.tve Cnttlr on tho Crullers Cristobal
Colon anil I n fit nt it Murl Terosn.
London, April It. A dispatch to tho
Dally Telegraph from (ilbraltnr hays
Unit tho Spanish cruisers Cristobal
Colon mid lufunta Maria Teresa have
leftCudiz for ii destination undlvulged,
witli six battalions, etich a thousand
strong. Additional troops will leavo
loavo Cadiz liy tho mall uteamora dun
ing tlio next few days.
Mitrlpiisn to llrlnir 81, HOD, 000.
SiDNi:v, N. S. W., April 11. Tho
Mariposa, of tho Oceanic stoamshlp
line, will tako Si, 500,000 to Sau Fran-clsco,
CONSULAR REPORTS.
lirnontl I, mi Jels I'orlli (lie Horrors
of
Ciiiireiitr.itliiu In Lot I'imim
W.ij-iiinoios, April II -Tin Cu bin
.oiistilar correspondence, uh'.eh wis
transmitted to Cnross in connection
with tho President's tii-.is:it'. was
prepared lu ivsponse to resolutions of
i tuiti try adopted by both the IIoiish
nnd Senat. The correspondence uns
prepared for tratisinlss on to Congress
Just before the blowing up of thu
.iinitie, unit, havine; been he'd up
since, now Includes communications
up to April I It covers tlio eoininuni
cations of Consul Cu'iicnil Lei, ut Ha
vana; Consul MeCiars. ut Cleufiiegos;
Consul llrlee, ut Mntttir.as; Consul
Hyatt, nt Santiago do Cuba, and Con
suMtarker at Sngua la tinindo.
November :.'T, (Jcneral Lee sent to
tlio department tho communication of
tvtogoiillumcn whose- tinines ho suyi
nro btippresscd for obvious reasons,
but whom ho knows personally us
slumllng high In thu community, con
cerning tin condition lu Los Fosos
(tho ilitehcs) in Havana. The com
ltiunicutloii says, muting other things:
"I'our hundred nml sixty women
and children thrown on tho ground,
heaped pell melt us niiimals, homo In
n dying condition, others sick, others
dead, without the slightest cleanli
ness or the least help, not ablo to give
water to tho thirsty, without religious
or social help, each ono dying wher
ever chaneo laid him."
Tho communication goes on to slate
that the deatlis among theso recon
cettados aiorugo forty or llfty daily,
and that on tin nverago thero were
but ten days of life for each person.
It says that these unhappy creatures
received food only after having been
eight days in the Josos, during which
time they were obliged to subsist
upon tho bad food which tlio dying
had refused. Some horrible instances
of tho distress witness?!! tiro givin.
"Among tho many deaths we saw,"
says tho communication, "there was
seen one impossible to fonret. Then
is still nlive tho only witness, a young
girl of is, whom no found seemingly
lifeless on thu ground. On her rlgli't
side was the body of a vouuir mother:
cold and rigid, but with her young
child, htill nlive, clinging to her
breast. On her left. side was the corpse
of a deal woman liollin'' her sun in :i
death embrace. A little further on n
dying worn in, having in her arms u
daughter of II, cray with patn, who,
after twetva or fourteen day.s, tiled in
spite of the eara sho received."
I'lirther tilonsr tho communication
.says that If any young girl eatuo in
wno was nice loii:.iii!r. hIio was infalli
bly condemned to the most iiboiuiiiu-
bio of tra files. Tho rommnnliviiinii
says that 1,700 persons had entered
tlio Fosos blnce AtiLMist nnd of (In wo
but 533 were then living. It places
tho number of deaths among the ro
concentrados at 77 per cent.
"I estimate that probably JOI.OOO of
the rural nnnulation in this iimvini-i.-
orPinurdol ISio, Havana, Matan.ns
and Santa Clara have died of hunger.
CHANCE FOR BACKDOWN
'resident Mnjr I'rccedo it Ntival Domon
utrntlon Willi an Ultimatum.
Wasiiinihon, April l.'i. Should tho
President bo clothed with authority
to uso the military uud naval forces
to intervene solely for the purpose ot
establishing peace and order in Cuba,
lie proposes to cxorclss it first by
transmitting to Spain a copy of tho
resolution, with the statement that
his obligations require htm to carry
out tho will of Congress nnd a noti
fication that ho will tlo so at once,
unless Spain withdraws from tho
island.
In other words, tho President will
deliver un ultimatum to Spain before
malting a naval demonstration, in tlio
hope that Spain may at tho last mo
ment consent to a concession of tho
iudependenej of tho people of tho
island, upon un indemnity, or upon
sotno other basis which may bo satis
factory to all parties in vol veil. If war
should then come, whother "holy" or
"unholy," ho will feel that tho re
sponsibility Is on Spain.
Ihe ono significant sign of psaco in
Hint diplomatic relations between tho
United States and fcpain havo not been
hovered as a result of tho inessiigesent
to to tigress. It is truo that nil our
consuls havo boon called out of Cuba
and this would indicate a prolimlnury
sign of wiir, but our minister Is still
at Miidrid nnd Spain's rcpruseututlvu
is still here.
LEEDY ON THE MESSAGE.
(Irent Utijnst Kzprtuad by the (lor
ornor of Uanint.
Toitica, Kan., April 14. -Governor
Leody expressed groat disgust to-day
in speaking of McKlnloy' message to
Congress. Ho said:
"John Sherman Is not tho only Im
becile down thero In Wushtugton.
Six weeks ago tho United States had
nmple cause for intervention, but wo
have allowed tho Spaniards to out
general us at every point. Wo had the
report of tlio committeo in tho Maine
affair, which did not lay tho blame on
anybody, and now eomea this mes
sage, which doesn't mean anything.
What tho President means by armed
Intervention w.t hout Independence I
iiinnot see. i think tho power of the
tilm ghty dollar bus hypnot zed and
paralyzed tho administration."
GOOD NEWS OF BRICE
Tlio .Mltslnc American Consul t Mo
tuntiti Stlleit Hiturdny,
Chicago, April 13. Tho Inter-Ocean
publishes tho following under a Ha
vana date:
"It is announced that tho II. W.
Tarbborg sailed Saturday from Ma
tanzas for tho breakwater, Doinwaru
bay, with Co'onol A. C. Ilrlce, Amen
lean consul, Consular Clerk Frederick
Dolgardo, Mr. llrinckerhoff, Unltod
Stntes vleo consul and Norwegian con
Bill, and many American uud Cuban
families.
itiHNtf- iitftiar ijH8 4& -- -- - ,'