The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-08
C[EVELAND'S LAST ANNUAL MESSAGE
The President Uses Some Very Plain Language in Regard Cubas
Unhappy Condition. He Leaves to Congress the Solution
Of the Problem. He Thinks the Present Tariff
Law is Sufficient and Gives the Trusts
Very Hard Rubbing Down.

| do not believe the present soliber rros-
pect in Turkey will be Icing permitted to
offend the sight of Christendom 1t so
mars the humane and enlightened civili-
cation that belongs to the close of the
nineteenth century that it seems hardly
possible that the earnest demand of good
people throughout the Christian world
| for its corrective treatment will remain
| unanswered
The Cuban Question.
The instruction in Cuba still CON
| ,lnueS with all its pcrpleNities. It is
| difficult to perceive that any progress has
| thus far been made towards the pacificn-
| tion of the Island or that the situation of
| affairs as depicted in my last annual
message has in the least improved Ii
| Spain till holds Havana and the seaports
and all the considerable towns, the insur.
gents still roam ut will over ut least two.
| thirds OF the inland country If the de-
termination OF Spain to put down the in.
surrection seems but to strengthen with
The lapse of time, and is evinced by her
unhesitating devotion of largely increased
l.military and naval forces to the task
! there IS much reason to believe that the
| insurgents have gained in point of num-
| bers and character and resources, and are
none the less ihilcxible in their resolve
not to succumb, without practically Sc
curing the great objects for which they
took up arms. If Spain has not yet re-
established her authority, neither have
| the insurgents made good their title to be
regarded rs an independent state. In
deed, rs the contest has gone on, the pre-
tense that civil government exists on the
Island except so far rs Spain is able to
MAINTAIN 1t, has been practically ADAM
doned. Spain does keep on foot such IL
government, more or less .imnerfcctly, in
the large towns aud their Immediate sur
rounding suburbs; but that exception be-
ing made the entire country is either given
over to anarchy or is subject to- the mil
itary occupation Of one or the other.
Government on Paper Only.
1t is reported, indeed on reliable
! authority, that at the demand of the COM
mander- chief of the insurgen5 army
The putative Cuban government has now
given up all attempt to exercise its func-
tions, leaving that government con-
fessedly (what there is the best reason for
surprising it always to have been, in
fact,) government merely on paper.
Were the Spanish armies able to meet
their antagonists in the open, or in
pitched battle, prompt and decisive re-
suits might be locked for apd the inn
inense superiority OF theSpanish forcrs in
numbers, discipline and equipments
could hardly fail TO tell greatly to their
advantage. But they are called upon to
face foe that shuns general engage.
ments; tliat can choose, and does choose,
its own ground: that from the nature of
the country, IS visible or invisible mt
pleasure, and that fights only from am
buscade and when all the advantages OF
position and numbers are on its side In
IL country where all that is Indispensable
TO life in the way Of food, clothing and
shelter is so easily obtainab!e, especially
bv those born and bred on the soil, it is
obvious that there is hardly limit TO the
time during which hostilities of this sort
may bc prolonged. Meanwhile, as in all
cases of protracted civil strife, the pas
sions of the combatants become more and
more inilamed and excuses on both sides.
become more frequent and more deplora-
BILE. They are also participated in by
bands OF mauraders, who now in the
name Of one party and now in the name
OF the other, as may best suit the occa.
SION. harrass the country mt will and
plumber its wrctched inhabitants for
their own advantage.
Wholesale AnnihiIation.
such condition of things would inev-
itabiy entail immense destruction of
property, even if it were the policy of
both parties to prevent itas far us practi-
cable. But while snch seems to he the
original policy of the Spanish government
1t has now apparently abandoned it ana
IS acting upon the same theory as the in
surgents, namely. that the exigencies of
the contest requires the Wholesale annihi-
lation OF property TINT it may not prove
OF use and advantage to the enemy
1he Island Ruined.
1t is to the same end that in pursuance
of general orders Spanish garrisons are
now being withdrawn from plantations
and the rural population required to con
centrate itself in the towns The sure
result would seem to be that the indus.
trial value of the Island is fast diminish
ing and that unless there is IL speedy and
radical change in existing conditions it
will soon disappear altogether. That
value consists very largely, of course,
III its capacity to produce sugar-a capac-
! lty already much reduced by the inter
ruptlons during the last two years. 1t is
reliably asserted that should these in
! terruptions continue during the current
/ year ana practically extend, as is now
| threatened, to the entire sugar producing
! territory of the Island so much time and
f., so much money will be required to re-
! store the land 70 its normal productive
/ ness TINT ii TX extremely doubtful if can.
i iial can be induced to even make the at
tempt.
This Country Interested
The spectacle Of the utter ruin of an
adjoining country, by nature one of the
most fertile and charming on the Globe.
would engage thc serious attention OF the
government and people of the United
States N any circumstances In point of
fact, they have concern with it which i,
by 10 means OF Il wholly sentimental or
,.l,.f -