Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-12-10
The PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.



in-chief OF the insurgent army, the puta-
tive Cuban Government has now given
up all attempts to exercise its functions,
| leaving that government confessedly
(what there Is the best reason for sup
posing always to have been in fact gov
eminent merely on paper. Were the
| Spanish armies able to meet their an
tagonists in the open or in pitched battle,
prompt and decisive results might be look
ed for. but they are called upon to face a
Zoe that shuns general engagements, that
can choose, and does choose, it's own
ground, and it is obvious that there is
hardly limit to the time during which
hostilities of this sort may be prolonged
Meanwhile, as in all cases of protracted
civil strife, the passions of the COM
batants grow more and more inflamed,
and excuses OH both sides become more
frequent and more deplorablc.
The spectacle Of the utter ruin of an ad-
joining country, by nature one of the most
fertile and charming on the globe. would
| engage the serious attention Of the gov
eminent and the people of the United
States in any circumstances. In point
of fact. they have concern which
Is by no means of a wholly sentimental
or philanthropic character. 1t lies SO near
to us rs to be hardly separated from our
territory. Our actual pecuniary interest
in it is second only to that of the people
| and government Of Spain. 1t il reason
ably estimated that at least from $50. Co.,
GOO to $5O.WO.OOO of American capital
are invested in plantations and in rail-
road. mining and other business enter
prises on the island The volume Of trade
between the United States and Cuba,
| which in 1889 amounted to al bout $64 ,OOO,-
OU. rose in 1893 to about $1O3,O OO.O COO
and in 1894 the year before the present
! insurrection broke out, amounted to near
ly S9S,OOO,OOO. Besides this large pc
cuniary stake in the fortunes of Cuba, the
United States finds itself inextricably in
| volved in the present contest in other
ways, both vexatious and costly. Many
'Cubans reside in this country and in
directly promote the insurrection through
the press. by pubic meetings. by the plr-
chase and shipment of arms. by the rails
ing Of funds and by other means, which
the spirit of our institutions and the
tenor Of our laws do not permit to be
made the subject Of criminal prosecu-
tions Of a friendly power. 1t follows from
the same causes that the United States is
compelled to actively police a long line
of seacoast against unlawful expeditions.
| the escape of which the utmost vigilance
will not always suffice to prevent.
These inevitable entanglements of the
United States with the rebellion in Cuba,
the large American property interests af-
fected and considerations Of philanthropy
and humanity in general have led to a
| vehement demand in various quarters
for some sort of positive intervention on
| the part of the United States. 1t was
at first proposed that belligercnt rights
should be accorded to the insurgents-a
proposition no longer urged because -un-
timely and in practical operation clearly
per.lous and injurious to our own inter
! ests. 1t has since been and is now some
times contended that the independence Of
the insurgents should be recognized. But
| imperfect and restricted as the Spanish
| Government Of the island may be, no
other exists there-unless the will of the
military officer in temporary command Of
| IL particular district can be digniied as a
species of government. 1t is now also
suggested that the United States should
buy the island-a suggestion possibly
worthy of consideration if there were any
evidence of a desire or willingness on the
, part Of Spain to entertain such a pro-
posal. It>is urged finally, that, all other
! methods failing. the existing internc;ne
strife in Cuba should be terminated by
our Intervention, even ar the cost Of a
| war between the United States and
| Spain--a war which its advocates con-
fidently prophesy could be neither large
| in it's proportions nor doubtful in it's issue
| The correctness Of this forecast need
| be neither affirmed nor denied. The Unit
| ed States has nevertheless a character to
maintain as a nation, which plainly die
| tates that right and not might should be
the rule of it's conduct.
| 1t is in the assumed temper and dispo-
sition of the Spanish Government to rem
edy it's grievances. fortified by indics-
tons Of influential public opinion in Spain
that this Government has hoped to dis
cover the most promising and effective
means of ending the present strife
with honor and advantage to Spain and
! with the achievement of all the reasona-
BILE objects Of the insurrection. 1t was in
timated by this Government to the Gov
eminent of Spain some months ago that
| if a satisfactory measure Of home rule
were rendered the Cuban insurgents and
would be accepted by them upon a guar
anty Of its execution, the United States
would endeavor to find a way not OBJ
jectionable to Spain of furnishing such
guaranty. While no definite response to
! this intimation has yet been received from
the Spanish Government, it Is believed
to be not altogether unwelcome, while,
as already suggested, no reason is per-
ceived why it should not be approved
by the insurgents. Whatever circum-
| stances may arise, our policy and our in
tcrest would constrain us to object to the
acquisition of the island or an interior
| ence with its control by any other power.
1t should be added that it cannot be rea-
onably assumed that the hitherto expect
ant attitude of the United States will be
| indefinitely maintained. When the ina
biity of Spain to deal successfully with
the insurgents has become manifest and
it is demonstrated that her sovereignty
is extinct in Cuba for all purposes of its
rightful existence, and when a hopeless
struggle for its re-establishment has de-
generated into strife which means moth
ing more than the useless sacrifice of