.
The Hemin
Herald.
l
VOLUME IV.
IIEMINGtfORD, BOX BUTTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1898.
NUMBER 9.
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THE MESSAGE.
PRESIDENT IS OPPOSED TO
RECOGNITION.
FOR ARMED INTERVENTION.
ASKS CONGRESS TO GRANT
ARMED FORCE TO END WAR.
Responsibility fortho Maine Horror
Remains to be Flxod Says Rec
ognition of Cubans Would Not
Bring Peaco Awaits Action of
Congress.
Washington, D. C, April 11. The
president today sent the following mes
sage to the congress of the United
States:
Obedient to the precept of the consti
tution which commands the presi
dent to give from time to time the
congress information of the state of
the union, and to recommend to their
consideration such measures as he
shall Judge necessary and expedient, it
becomes my duty now to address your
body with regard to the grave crisis
that has arisen in the relations of the
United States to Spain by reason of
the warfare that for more than three
years has raged in the neighborhood Isl
land of Cuba.
IT AFFECTS US.
I do so because of the Intimate con
nection of the Cuban question with
the state of our own union, and the
grave relation the course which is now
incumbent upon the nation to adopt
must needs bear to the traditional
policy of our government, If it is to ac
cord with the precepts laid down by
the founders of the tepubllc and relig
iously observed by succeeding admin
istrations to the present day. The pres
ent revolution is but the successor ot
other similar insurrections which have
occurred in Cuba against the dominion
of Spain, extending over a period of
nearly half a century, each of which,
during its progress, lias subjected the
United States to great effort and ex
pense In enforcing its neutrality laws,
caused enormous losses to the Ameri
can trade and commetce, cuused irri
tation, annoyance and disturbance
among our citizens, and by the exercise
of cruel, barbarous und uncivilized
practices of warfare, shocked the sen
sibilities and offended the humane
sympathies of our people.
A BARBAROUS WARFARE.
Since the present revolution began in
February, 1&95, this country has seen
the fertile domain at our threshold ruv
uged by lire and sword in the course of
a struggle unequuled in the history of
the island and nirely paralleled us to
the number of combatants and bit
terness ot the contest by any revolution
of modern times where a dependent
people, striving to be free, hae been
opposed by the power of the sovereign
state. Our people have beheld a once
prosperous community reduced to com
parative want, us commeice virtually
paralyzed, its exceptional productive
ness diminished, its fields laid waste,
its mills In ruins and its people perish
ing by tens of thousands from liunger
and starvation. We have found our
selves constrained in the observance
of that strict neutrality which our laws
enjoin and which the law of nations
enjoins, to police our own waters and
watch our own seaports In prevention
of any unlawtul act in aid of the Cu
bans. OUIl OWN UNREST.
.Our trade has suffered so that the
capital invested by our citizens in Cu
ba has been largely lost and the for
bearance of our people has been so se
verely tried as to beget a perilous un
rest among our own citizens, which
has Inevitably found Its expression
from time to time In the natlonul leg
islature, so that issues wholly external
to our own body politic engross atten
tion and stand m the way uf that close
devotion to domestic advancement that
becomes a self-contented common
wealth whose primal maxim has been
the avoidance of all foreign entangle
ments. All this must needs awaken,
and has indeed moused, the utmost
concern on the part of this government
as well during my predecessor's term
as my own.
AN INHUMAN WAKFAHE.
In April, 1S9C, the evils from which
our country suffers through the Cuban
war became so onerous that my prede
cessor made an effort to bring about a
peace through the mediation of this
government In any wny that might tend
to an honorable adjustment of the con
teat between Spain and her reolted
colony on the basis of some effective
scheme of self-government for Cuba
under the llag and sovereignty of Spain.
It failed through the refusal of the
Spanish government then In power to
consider any form of mediation, or,
indeed, any plan of settlement which
did not begin with the actual submis
sion of the insurgents to the mother
country, and then only on such terms
as Spain herself might see fit to grant.
The war continued unabated. The re
sistance of the lnsui gents wns In no
wise diminished.
AN INHUMAN POLICY.
The offorts of Spain were inoreased,
both by the dispatch of fresh levies to
Cuba and by the addition to the hor
rors 'of the strife of a new and Inhu
man phnse happily unprecedented In
the modern history of civilized Chris
tian peoples. The policy of devastation
and concentration, inaugurated by
the Captain Generals Bando of October
10, 189G, In the province of Plnar del
lUo, was thence extended to embrace
all of the Island to which the power of
the Spanish arms was able to reach
by occupation or by military opera
tions. The peasantry, Including all
dwelling In the open agricultural In
terior, were driven Into the garrison
towns or isolated places held by the
troops. The raising and movement of
provisions of all kinds were Interdicted.
The fields were laid waste, dwellings
unroofed and fired, mills destroyed,
and, in short, everything that could
desolate the land and render it unfit
for human inhabitation or support was
commanded by one or the othor of the
contending powers at their disposal.
By the time the present administra
tion took office a year ago reconcentra
tlon so called had been made effec
tive over the better part of the- four
central and western provinces, Santa
Clara, Matanzas, Havana and Plnar
del Hlo. The agricultural population,
to the estimated number of 300,000 or
more, was herded within the towns
nnd their immediate vicinage, de
prived of the means of support, ren
dered destitute of shelter, left poorly
clad and exposed to the most unsani
tary conditions.
DEATH HATE INCREASED.
As the scarcity ot food Increased
with the devastation of the depopulated
areas of production, destitution nnd
want became misery and starvation.
Month by month the death rate In
creased In nn alarming ratio. By
March, 1897, according to conservative
estimates from official Spanish sources,
the mortality nmong the reconccntrn
dos from starvation nnd the diseases
thereto Incident, exceeded t0 per cent
um of their total number. No practical
relief was accorded to the destitute.
The overburdened towns, already suf
fering from the general dearth, could
give no aid.
SPANISH CHARITY.
So-called zones of cultivation, estab
lished within the Immediate area of
effective military control about the
cities and forttfled camps proved Illu
sory as a remedy for the suffering.
The unfortunate, being for the most
part women and children with aged
and helpless men, enfeebled by disease
and hunger coufd not have tilled the
soil, without tools, seed or shelter for
their own support or for the supply of
tho cities. Reconccntratlon adopted
avowedly as a war measue In order to
cut off the resources of the Insurgents,
worked Its predestined result. As I
said In my mesage of last December,
it was not civilized warfare; It was
extermination. The only peace It
could beget was that of the wilderness
nnd the grave.
Meanwhile the military situation In
the Island has undergone a notlcable
change. The extraordinary activity
that characterized the second year of
the war, when the Insurgents Invaded
even the hitherto unharmed fields of
Plnar del Rio and carried havoc and
destitution up to the walls of the city
of Havana Itself, had relapsed Into a
dogged struggle In the central and
eastern provinces. The Spanish armB
regained a measure of control In Plnar
del Rio and parts of Havana, but un
der the existing conditions of the rural
country without Immediate Improve
ment ot their productive situation,
icvi-ii thus imrtlally restricted the rev-
olutlonlsts held their own and their
submission, put forward by Spain as
the essential and sole basis of peace,
seemed as far distant as at the outset.
At this state of affairs, my administra
tion found itself confronted with the
grave problem of Its duty. My mes
sages of last December reviewed the
situation and detailed the steps taken
with a view of relieving Its acutcness
and opening the way to some form ot
honorable settlement.
The nssasslnation of the prime min
ister. Canovas. led to a change of gov
ernment In Spain. The former admin
istration pledged the subjugation with
out concession, gave place to that of
a more liberal party, committed long
In advance to a policy of reform In
volving the wider principle of home rule
for Cuba and Porto Rico. The over
tures of this government came through
their own envoy and General Wood
ford nnd looking to an Immediate and
effective amelioration of the condition
of the Island, although not accepted
to the extent of admitted mediation
In any shape, were met by assurances
that home rule In an ndvnnced phase
would be forthwith offered to Cuba
without waiting for the war to end,
nnd that more humane methods should
henceforth prevail In the conduct of
hostilities.
Incidentally with these declarations,
the new government of Spain continued
by its predecessor ot testifying friendly
regaid for this nation by releasing
American citizens held under one
charge or another connected with the
insurrection, so that, by the end of
November not a single person entitled
In any way to our national protection
remained In a Spanish prison.
While these negotiations were In pi-ogress
the Increasing destitution of the
unfortunate reconcentrados and the
alarming mortnlity among them
claimed earnest attention. The suc
cess which hnd attained the limited
measure of relief extended to the suf
fering American citizens nmong
them by the Judicious expenditures
through the consular agencies of the
money appropriated expressly for their
succor by the Joint resolution approved
May 24, 1897, prompted the humane ex
tension of a similar scheme or aid to
the great body of sufferers. A sug
gestion to this end wus acquiesced In
by the Spanish authorities.
FEED SPAIN'S VICTIMS.
On the 21th of December last I
caused to be Issued an appeal to the
American people, Inviting contribu
tions in money or food for the suc
cor of the starving sufferers in Cuba.
Following this on the Stli of January
by a similar public announcement of
the formation of a central Cuban relief
committee, with headquarters In New
Yoik city, composed of three members,
lepresentlng the American National
Red Cross and the religious and busi
ness elements of the community. The
efforts of that committee have been
untiring ami accomplished much. Ar
rangements for free transportation to
Cuba have greatly aided the charit
able work. The president of the Ameri
can Red Cross and the representatives
of other contributory organizations
have generously visited Cuba and co
operated with the consul general and
the local authorities to make offeetlve
distribution of the relief collected
through the efforts ot the central com
mittee. Nearly $200,000 in money and
supplies has alreaay reached the suf
ferers, and more Is forthcoming. The
supplies ate admitted lre of duty and
transportation to the Interior has been
arranged, so that the relief, at first
necessarily confined to Havana and the
larger cities, Is now extended through
most. If not all, of tho towns where
suffering exists. Thousands of lives
have already been saved. The neces
sity for a change In the condition of
the reconcentrados is recognized by the
Spanish government. Within a few
days past the orders of General Wey
lor have been revoked, the reconcen
trados are, It Is said, to be pormltted
to return to their homes and aided to
resume the self-supporting pursuits of
peace; public works have been ordered
to give them employment, and a sum
of tCOO.OOO has been appropriated for
their relief.
WHAT THE END MUST BE. ,
The war In Cuba Is ot such a nature
that, short of subjugation or extermina
tion, a final military victory for either
side seems Impracticable. The alterna
tive lies In the physical exhaustion ot
tho one or the other, or perhaps ot
both a condition which In effect ended
the ten years' war by the truce of Znn
Jon. Tho prospect of such a protrac
tion nnd conclusion of the present strife
Is a contingency hardly to bo contem
plated with equanimity by the civilized
world, the least ot nil by the United
States, affected and Injured na we are,
deeply and intimately, by Its very -'x
Isteneo.
HIS DUTY AS HE SEES IT.
Realizing this, it nppears to be my
duty, In a spirit of true friendliness,
no lens to Spain than to the Cubans,
who have so much to lose by the pro.
longatlon of the struggle, to seek to
bring about an Immediate termination
of the war. To this end I submitted. onfjBf the United States and Texas, our
the 27th ult,, as a result of much repre
sentatlon and corespondence. through
the United States minister at Madrid,
propositions to the Spanish government
looking to an armlstlco until October 1.
for the negotiation of pence, with the
good olllces of the president.
In addition I asked the Immediate
revocation of the order of reconcentru
tlon, so ns to permit tho people to re
turn to their farms nnd the needy to be
relieved with provisions and supplies
from the United States, co-operating
with the Spanish authorities, so as to
afford full relief.
The reply to the Spanish cabinet was
tecelved on the night of tho :ilst ulti
mo. It offers, ns the means to bring
about peace In Cuba, to confide the
preparation thereof to the Insulni de
partment, Inasmuch ns the concurence
of that body would be necessary to
reach a final result; it being, however,
understood that the powers reserved
by the constitution to the central gov
ernment are not Icsened or diminished.
As the Cuban parliament does not
meet until the 4th of May next, the
Spanish government would not object,
for Us part, to accept at once a sus
pension of hostilities, If asked for by
the Insurgents from the general-ln-chlef,
to whom It would pertain, In
such case, to determine the duration
and conditions of the armistice.
The propositions submitted by Gen
eral Woodford and the reply of the
form of brief memoranda, the texts
of which are before me and are sub
stantially In the language above given.
Tho function of the Cuban parliament
In the matter of "preparing" peace and
the manner of Us doing so aie not ex
pressed In the Spanish memorandum;
but from General Woodford's explana
tory reports of preliminary discussions
preceding the final conference It Is un
dei stood that the Spanish government
stnnds ready to give the Insular con
gress full powers to settle the terms of
ponce with the Insurgents, whether
by direct negotiations or Indirectly by
means of legislation does not appear
With this last overture In the direc
tion of lmmedlnte peace and Us disap
pointing reception by Spain, the tt
ecutive wns brought to the end ot hit
effort.
in my annual message ot December
last I said:
"Of the untried measures theie re
main: Recognition of tho Insurgents
ns belligerents; recognition of the Inde
pendence of Cuba; neutral Interven
tion; to end wai by Imposing. a rational
and Intervention in favor ot one or the
other party."
QUOTES GRANT.
I speak not of forcible annexation,
for that cannot be thought of. That,
by our code of morality, would be crim
inal aggression. Thereupon, I review od
these alternatives. In the light of Presi
dent Grant's measured words, uttered
In lS"r., when, after seven years of san
guinary, destructive and cruel bar
barities In Cuba, he reached the conclu
sion that the recognition of the Inde
dependence of Cuba was Imprnetlble
and Indefensible; and that the recogni
tion of belligerence was not warranted
by the facts according to the tests of
public law.
I commented especially upon the lat
ter aspect of the question, pointing out
the Inconveniences and positive dangers
of a recognition of belligerency, whlr-h,
while adding to the already onerous
burdens of neutrality within our own
Jurisdiction, could not In uny way ex
tend our Influence or effective olllces
in the territory of hostilities. Nothing
has since occurred to change my vle.vs
In this regard, and I recognize as fully
now as then that the Issuance of a
proclamation of neutrality, by which
process the so-called recognition of bel
ligerence Is published, could of Itself
and unattended by other action, ac
complish nothing toward the one end
for which we labor, the Instant pacifi
cation of Cuba and the cessation of
hostilities.
QUESTION OF INTERVENTION.
Turning to the question of Interven
tion at this time, the independence oj
the present Insurgent government in
Cubu, we find safe precedents In ,our
history from an early day. They .ire
well summed up In President Jackson's
message to congress, December 21. 1820,
on the subject of recognition of the
Independence of Texas. He said:
"In all the contentions that have
arisen out of the revolutions of France,
out of the disputes relating to the ou-ws
of Portugnl and Spain, out of the sepa
ration of the American possession, of
both from the European governments,
and out of the numerous and constantly
occurring struggles for dominion in
Spanish America, so wisely consistent
with out Just principles has been the
action of our government that we hae,
under the most critical circumstances,
avoided all censuie and encountered no
other evil than that pioduced by a
transient re-estrangement of good will
In those against whom we have been,
by force of evldonce, compelled to de
cide. "it lias thus made known to the world
that the uniform policy and practice
ot the United States Is to avoid all
interference In disputes which merely
relate to tho Internal government of
other nations, and eventually to recog
nize the authority of tho prevailing
party without reference to our partic
ular Interests nnd views or to the
merits of tho original controversy. But
on this, as on every othor occasion,
safety Is to bo found In rigid adher
ence to the principle.
"In the contest betwoon Spain and the
revolted colonies we stood aloof and
waited not only until the ability of
the new statea to proreot themselves
was fully established, but until tho
danger of their being again subjugated
had entirely pnssed away. Then, and
not until then, were they recognized,
StU'h wns our course In regard to Mcx-
co herself.
THE TEXAS PRECEDENT.
It Ih true that with regard to Texas
tin- civil authority of Mexico hns been
expelled, Us invading army defeated,
the Chief of tho republic himself cap
tured, and all present power to control
the newly organized government of to
day annihilated within Its confines.
But on the other hnnd there Is, In ap
pearance at least, nn Immense dis
parity of physical force on the side of
Texas. Tho Mexican republic under
another executive Is rallying lis forces
under a new leader and menacing a
fresh Invasion to recover Its lost do
mnln. "Upon the Issue of this threatened In.
vaslon, the Independence of Texas may
be considered as suspended, and were
there nothing peculiar In the situation
acknowledgement of Us independence
,at such a crisis should scarcely be re
garded as consistent wun uiai pruueni
reserve with which we have hitherto
held ourselves bound to treat all slim
lar questions."
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceed
ed to consider the risk that there
might be Imputed to the United States'
motives of selfish Interests In view of
the former claim on our part to the ter
ritory of Texas and of the avowed pur
pose of the Texuns In seeking recogni
tion of Independence as nn Incident to
tho Incoiporutlou of Texas In the
union; concluding thus:
"Prudence, therefore, seems to dic
tate that wo should still stand aloof
and maintain our propent attitude, If
not until Mexico Itself, or one of the
great foreign powers shall recognize
th Independence of the new govern
ment, nt lensf until the lapse of time
or the course of events shall have
pioved beyond cavil or dispute the
ability of the people of that country
to maintain their separate sovereignty
and to uphold the government consti
tuted by them. Neither of tho con
tending parties can unjustly complain
of this course. By pursuing It, we nre
but cnrrylng out the long established
policy of our government, a policy
which has secured to us respect and
Inlluence nbrond and Inspired confi
dence at home."
Those are the words of the resolute
and patriotic Jackson. They are evi
dence that the United States, In addi
tion to the tost Imposed by public law
as to the condition of the recognition
of Independence by-noutrnl state (to
wit, that the revolted state shall "con
stltute In fact a body politic having a
government In substance, ns well as
name, possessed of the elements of sta
bility and forming do fncto, If lett to
Itself, a state among the nations rea
sonably cajmble of discharging the du
ties of slate) with the observation that
If the measure obtains a successful end
then our ends as a pence-loving people
will be reached.
RECOGNITION NOT DUE.
If It falls It will only be another justl
Jlcatlon, for our Justified action has Im
posed for Its own goverance. In deal
ing with cases like these, the further
condition that recognition of independ
ent statehood Is not due to a revolted
dependency until the danger of Its
being again subjugnted by the parent
state has entirely passed away. This
extreme test wns, In fnct, applied In the
case ot Texas. The congres to whom
President Jackson refored the ques
tion as "one probably leading to war,"
and therefore a proper subject for a
"previous understanding with that body
by whom Avar alone can be declared,
and by whom all the provisions for
suhtnlnlng Us perils must be furnished,"
left the matter of the recognition of
Texas to the executive, providing mere
ly for sending a diplomatic agent, when
the president should be satisfied that
the republic ot Texas has become "an
Independent stnte."
It wns so recognized by President
Van Buren, who commissioned a charge
de nffnlres March 17, 1837, after Mexico
had abandoned nn attempt to recon
quer the Texas territory, and then
there wns at the time no bona fide con
test going on between the Insurgent
province and Its former sovereign.
I said In my messnge of December
Inst:
"It Is to bo seriously considered
whether tho Cubnn Insurrection pos
sesses beyond dispute the nttrlbutes of
statehood which alone can demand the
recognition of belligerency In Its favor."
Tho same requirement must certainly
bo no less seriously considered when
the graver Issue of recognizing Inde
pendence Is In question, for no less
positive test can be applied to the
greater act than to the lesser, while, on
the other hnnd, the Influences and con
sequences of the struggle upon tho In
ternal policy of the recognizing state,
form Important factors when the recog
nition of belligerency Is concerned, nie
secondary If not rightly llllmlnable fac
tors when the real question is whether
the community claiming lecognltlon Is
or Is not Independent beyond perad
vonture. OPPOSES RECOGNITION.
Nor from the standpoint of expedi
ence do 1 think It would be wise or
prudent for this government to recog
nize at the present time therfndepend
onee of the so-called Cuban republic.
Such lecognltlon Is pot neoesenry In
order to enable the United States to
Intervene and pacify the Island. To
commit this country to the recognition
of any particular government In Cuba
'might subject us to embarrassing con
ditions of International obligation to
ward the organization so recognized.
In case of Intervention our conduct
would be subjected to the aproval or
disapproval of such government and
we would be required to submit to its
direction and nssume to it the mere
relation of a friendly ally. When It
shall appear hereafter that there Is
within the Island a government capa
ble of performing tho duties and dis
charging the functions of a separate
nation and having, as a matter of fact,
tho pioper forms and attributes of na
tionality, such government can be
promptly and readily recognized nnd
the relations and Interests of the United
States with such nation adjusted.
There remain the alternative forms cf
intervention to end war, cither as an
Impartial neutral by Imposing a ra
tional compromise between the contest
ants, or as tho active ally of the one
party or the other.
As to the first It Is not to be forgot
ton that during the last few months
the relation of the United States has
virtually been one of filendly Interven
tion In many ways ways, not so con
clusive, but all tending to the exertion
of a potential Inllucnco toward an ul
timate pacific result Just nnd honorable
to all Interests concerned. The spirit
of nil our nets hitherto has been nn
earnest, utiBelllsh deslro for peaco and
prosperity In Cuba, untarnished by dif
ferences between us and Spain, and un
stained by tho blood of American citi
zens. FORCIBLE INTERVENTION.
The forcible Intervention of tho United
States as a neutral to'Btop the war, ac
cording to the largo dictates of hu
manity nnd following many historical
precedents where neighboring states
have Interfered to check the hopeless
sacrifice of Hfo by Internecine conlllcts
beyond their borders, Is Justifiable on
national grounds. It Involves, however,
hostile constraint upon both tho par
ties In the contest, as well to enforce
n truce ns to guide the eventful settle
ment. Tho grounds for such Interven
tion may bo brlelly suipmarlzod as fol
lows: CAUSE OF HUMANITY.
First-In the cause of humanity and
to put an end to the barbarities, blood
shed, starvation nnd horrible miseries
now existing there, and which the
parties to the conflict are either una
ble or unwilling to stop or mitigate.
It Is no answer to say this Is all In
another country, belonging to another
nation and Is therefore none of our
business. It Is specially our duty for
It Is light at our door.
Second We owe It to our citizens in
Cuba to afford them Hint protection
and Indemnity for llfo and property
which no government there can or will
afford, and to that end to terminate
the conditions that deprive them of
legal protection.
Third The right to lntcrveno may
be justified by the very serious Injury
to tho commerce, trade and business of
our people and tho wanton destruction
of property and devastation ot tho
Island.
Fourth And which Is of the utmost
Importance the present condition ot
uffiiirs In Cuba Is a. constant mennce
to our pence and entails upon this
government tut- enormous expense.
With such a conflict waged for years In
nn Island so near us and with which
our people have such trade and busi
ness relations when the lives nnd lib
erty of our citizens are In constant
danger and their property destroyed
and themselves ruined where our
trading vessels are liable to seizure
anil aie seized at our very door by war
ships of a foreign nation, the expedi
tions of filibustering that we nre power
less to prevent altogether and the Irri
tating question and entanglements
thus ailslng all these and others that
I need not mention, with the resulting
strained relations, are a constant men
ace to our pence and compel us to keep
on it semi-war footing with a nation
with which we nre at peace.
These elements of danger nnd dis
order already pointed have been strlk
Inly Illustrated by a tragic event
which hns deeply and Justly moved tho
Ameticnn people. I have already trans
mitted to congress the report of the
naval hoard or Inquiry on the destruc
tion of the battleship Maine In the har
bor of Havana during the night of the
llith of February. The destruction of
that noble vessel Iuib filled the na
tional heart with Inexpressible horror.
Two hundred anil fifty-eight brave sail
ors and marines and two officers of
our navy, reposing In the fancied se
curity of a friendly harbor, have bron
hurled to death, grief and want
brought to their homes and sorrow to
tho nation.
The naval board of Inquiry, which It
Is needless to Bay commands the un
qualified confidence of the government,
was unanimous In Its conclusion that
the destruction of the Mnlno was
caused by an exterior explosion, that
of a submarine mine.
It did not assume to place the re
sponsibility. That remains to be
fixed.
AN INTOLERABLE CONDITION.
In any event, the destruction of the
Maine, by whatever exterior force, Is a
patent and Imprcslvc proof of a stnte
of things In Cuba that Is Intolerable
That condition Is thus shown to be such
that the Spanish government cannot as
sure safety and security to a vessel of
the American navy In the hnrbor of
Havana on a mission of pence, and
rightfully theie.
Further, referring, In this connection,
to recent diplomatic corespondence, a
dispatch from our minister to Spain of
tho 20 th ult., contained the statement
that the Spanish minister for foreign
affairs assures him positively that
Spain will do all that the highest honor
and Justice requires In the matter of
the Maine. The reply above referred
to, of the 31st ult., also contained an
expression of the .readiness of Spain to
submit to nn arbitration all the differ
ences -which can arise In this matter,
which is subsequently explained by the
note of the Spanish minister at Wash
ington of the 10th inst., ns follows:
"As to the question of fact which
springs from tho diversity of viows
from the report of the American nnd
Spanish boards, Spain proposes that
the fnct be ascertained by nn Impartial
Investigation by exper's, which decis
ion Spain accepts in advance."
To this I made, no reply.
One of the simplest burglar alarms
'cently patented consists of a metal
dink on which Is mounted a spring
situated hammer, which Is held oien
by pressing twj metal strljw together
nnd Insertlnir them in a crack in the
door or window, the hammer descend
ing as soon ns the strips are released
and explodi.i a tap or cartridge.
A German Inventor has designed a
ventilated shoe for summer wear in
which the major portion of the upper Is
cut In thin slnps, In which are plaited
or Interwoven cross-strips sewed at
each end of the upper, a lining of can
vas or other porous and absorbent
fabric supporting the strips.
Dlnnor palls are being fitted with
balls which will permit their attach
ment to the top bar of a bicycle frame,
the ball having a circular spring formed
on either side close to the pall, with
spring braces extending to the cover
to prevent a suddon Jar or swing.
Umbrellas are prevented from drip
ping water over the floor when Inverted
by a neat little rubber device formod
of a cone with an opening In the
,ponk which slips over the tip of the
umbrella and acts as a oup to catch
tne water.
THE CUBAN RELIEF TRAIN.
CHEERS GREET ITS PROGRESS
THROUGH NEBRASKA.
Plnttsmouth Turns Out, nnd Union,
nnd Nobraska City -Covered with
Banners Whnt It Contained -Pour
Cars of Meat.
fc
Omnha, Neb., April 10. Tho interest
and enthusiasm mnnlfcsted at the de
pot in Omaha over tho Cuban relief
train wns Intensified many fold all
along the Missouri Pacific line, while
people congregated to witness tho pass
ing of the train. Tho bluffs bordering
tho track out along Sherman avenue,
were black with sightseers who fran
tically waved handkerchiefs and Bhout- O
cd themselves hoarse. Tho children
from tho Saratoga Bchool were out In
a body, and the platform at Oak Chat- .
ham station wns crowded.
At Druid Hill an even larger number
thronged close to the track, nnd nearly
every one of tho number was armed
with a ling, which was vigorously
wielded.
The Iiko and Hamilton street via
ducts wero mnssed of people and their
cheering drowned the rumble of tho
train. Porches wero dotted with from
two to halt a dozen animated beings,
each of whom gave evidence of their
Btrong Cuban sympathies by waving
handkerchiefs, which could bo seen in
many instances when the outlines of tho
waver could bo barely discerned.
At Walnut Hill and West SIdo sta
tions all avnllnble spaco was occupied
on both Bides of tho track and not for
an Instant of tho two-mlnuto stop at
tho latter place did the hubbub subside.
Not less than 10,000 people turned out
to see tho train between tho upper end
of the Omnha yards and tho Union Pa
cific switch nt South Omnha, where tho
pusher which had helped over grades
out of Omaha was detached. No stop
was made at South Omahu, but 1.C0O
people elbowed each other there as they
shouted their approval.
THE SOLDIERS CHEER IT.
As the train thundered by Fort Crook
the soldier boys were out In forco and
they Joined In the greeting that by this
time enme to be looked for as a matter
of course. A brief stop was made to
register, and when ono enthusiastic blue
coat yelled, "I wish we wero going with
you." It was repeated by a chorus of
"You bet." and "Thnt'B what!"
The train reached Plattsmouth thirty
minutes late, owing to the enormouH
weight that wns strung out behind the
engine, but Plattsmouth had waited pa
tiently, and was represented by an Im
mense delegation at the depot. The
Plattsmouth car was speedily given the
place at the head of the train, to which
It was entitled. Not nlono by the 48,000
pounds of provisions provided by the
people, but by the beauty and com
pleteness of Its decorations. The car
was completely covered with hannera
nnd bunting. At the top wus the ban
ner sent from Omaha and nt the bottom
another, equally large, bearing tho
words: "Donated by tho citizens oC
Plnttsmouth, Neb."
The Intervening space was covered
with bunting, nnd not a square Inch of
the car was visible. Festoons and ro
settoB of bunting dotted the space not
covered with lettering, and lings wero
attaehed wherever such a thing was
possible. Enthusiastic photographer
and enmera fiends were out In force,
nnd one party waxed eloquent because
he obtained a ten by twelve picture
It wns at Union that the enthusiasm
seemed to reach the limit; the whole
population of that town was at the de
pot. A spuco had beon roped off to
keep the little folks from crowding up
on the track, and there they were lined
up striving to outyell their elders as
the train rolled In. No sooner had tho
line of cars come to a standstill than a
long banner was produced from some
where ns If by magic, and In less time
than It takes to write It that banner
wns so securely nailed to a car that a
team of horsos will be required to r)ult
It off. They did not wait to pick out
any particular car, and the one that
happened to stop In front of the center
of the crowd now bears a long white
banner, stretching Its entire length, and
bearing In artistic lettering the follow
ing inscription:
"Union's greeting for Cuban's Relief
Train. Hurrah for Nebraska, tho
World-Herald and Free Cuba or
Fight."
After the banner had been tightly se
cured by slats, securely nailed around
the edges of the" strip, men vied with
each other In pushing children and wo
man up to the car to lot them drive an
additional tack as evidence of their
sentiment and patriotism. There were
fully forty hammers in the crowd, and
It was evident that it meant business
from the start. It war breaks out Un
ion can be depended on for several reg
iments It It turns out troops In propor
tion to Its Cuban onthuslnsm.
It wns after leaving Plattsmouth that
the first sign of trouble n pen red, and
for a few minutes It looked ns though
the latest acquisition would be tho
straw to break the railway ba'U. The
hill out of Plattsmouth Is a hard one
and before Us top was reached the
much-vaunted No. S34 began to look
like an overrated machine. The fire
man shoveled coal until he was black
In the face, much deeper than his com
plexion, nud the engineer, Moran, look
ed correspondingly glum. In spite of
all that could be done tint speed grew
slower ami slower until Just as the
train tamo almost to a. standstill the
engine pushed her pilot Inch by Inch
over the brow ot the hill and the agony
ended.
"Won by an eyelash," said the sporty
fireman, while the engineer drew a lone
breath and remnrked: "It's a mighty
good thing a sparrow didn't light on
that train." It was none too soon, for
Just then the drops ot rain that had
been threatening began to fall and the
slippery track meant immediate trou
ble. At the next stop a telegraphic re
quest was made for another pusher to
help over the Nebraska City hill and
the Lincoln passenger train, then duo
at Union, was held back to afford this
service. A delay of an hour and a
quarter was met with before reaching
Nebraska City, to wait for a pile outfit
to got out of the way, and the county
seat of Otoe county was finally reached
at 8:45, two hours and a quarter be
hind the schedule.
il
- iiii mttnwhm
i-MiW-lfto. ,
