The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-09
0LNEYS REPORT.
What the Secretary Says on the
Cuban Situation.

Washington, Dec. S-For the first time
within the memory of old officials the
Secretary of State made IL regular renort
to the President for transmission to Con.
gross. like the reports of other officers of
the Cabinet This report was laid before
Congress Monday as an appendiX 10 the
Presidcnts message. Ii tree is of many
details of American relations during the
past year with foreign governments that
either were not touched upon ut all in the
message or were more briefly treated
Under the head of Spain, Secretary
| Olney has much to say in reference to
| Cuba, and in his report he sets out in
| great detail the history of the growth of
! the rebellion; the present evil state of
affairs on the island and other facts upon
| which the President based his broad stat
| ments and conclusions.
No reference is made to Il report from
| Consul General Lee, but the Secretary in
| Inmates that his information comes prin-
| cipally from the United States consuls.
and so must he regarded as confidential
as to its source The Sccrctary's csti-
| mate of the present situation is disclosed
III Il paragraph made after II preliminary
| statement of the destruction of the indus.
trial resources OF Cuba. saying:
from whatever point of view we re-
| e-''tNt AiN iilfNbNcI ~ IL lllDDSSlDIt nov To
| discern that IL state of things exists at our
| doors alike dangerous 20 good relations.
| destructive of Legitimate commerce, fatal
| to the internal resources of Cuba and
most vcNatious and trying. because en-
| failing upon this Government excessive
| burdens in its domestic administrations
and in its outward relations This sit.
| uation cannot Indefinitely continue
without growing still worse and the time
| may not bc far distant when the
| United states must seriously consider
whether its rights and interests Us well
| as its international duties in view of its
peculiar relations To the island, 10 not
call for some decided change in the policy
heretofore pursue l.
To begin with the Secretary makes it
plain that the present Instruction is far
more formidable than the famous Gen
year instruction. which began at Nart
in 1865. lie says that starting in the
same portion of the island ii very early
took proportions beyond its predecessor
and Herewith assumed an aggressive
phase. Passing the defensive lines OF
trochas, travcrsing the island from south
10 north formidable bodies of the rcvolu-
tionuly forces early in the year cstnb-
lished themselves in the rich sugar plant
ing districts of Santa Clara, C;eniuegos
siHti -lUlttllLtS, lllttlt nDStlIt IOr.lpS
almost in sight of Havana itself, and nd
vancing westward ELECTED II Judgment in
the fertile tobacco fields of pinar del Rio,
which has SO far resisted all efforts of the
Spanish forces to overcome The Score.
tary says that while no prominent sea-
port has been attacked by the Insurgents
Il large part of the !, 200 miles of seacoast
is practically in their hands and from its
rugged! and wild character is peculiarly
fitted for guerilla warfare and nirording
easy means OF receiving ciandestine sup
plies of men and arms.
Bearing upon the question of rccogni-
ton of the insurgents, probably soon 10
come before Congress in some shape, Sec.
rotary Olncy says:
80 far as our Information shows there
is not only no effective local government
by the insurgents in the territories they
overrun, but there is not even u tangible
prctensc to establish administration any
where. Their organization, confined to
the shifting cNigcncies OF the military
operations OF the hour, is nomadic. with
out definite centres and lacking the most
elementary features of municipal govern
mcnt. There nowhere appears the nu-
clcus of statehood.
The Secretary illustrates his point as
to the responsibility OF tie Insurgents
by citing their destruction OF American
plantations and oppression of American
planters who grind cane, which lie char
acteriZes as acts of anarchy. On the
other hand he shows that i'll the capital
cities and scaports and all parts OF the
island with which the United States or
its citizens maintain legitimate normal
intercourse, the Spanish power is
supreme, though often exercised in II veX-
atious and arbitrary way, calling Cor just
rcmonstrance. and most OF the functions
of government proceed as in times of
peace. Recurring to his comparison of
this Instruction with those that have
preceded it, Secretary Olney makes this
significant statement:
From every accessible indclt ion it is
clear that the present rebellion is on a far
more formidable scale rs to numbers, in
tclligencc and representative features than
any OF the preceding rcvolts Of this cen
tury: that the corresponding effort of
Spain for it's repression has been cnor-
mously augmented. and thar despite tile
constant influx of fresh armies and ma.
tcrial OF var from the metropolis. the re-
bellion after nearly two years Of success
ful resistance appears TO Hay 20 he IN II
condition to indefinitely ptolong the con
test on it's present lines
He also compliments the tactical skill
| displayed by the leaders OF the insurgcnt
| army.
The insurgcnt armies" says the Sec
rotary, fairly represents the Intelligent