Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-12-17
HIS LAST MESSAGE.
SYNOPSIS OF PRESIDENT CLEyE-
LANDS MESSAGE.
The Business of the Government
Reviewed and lions
Made-The Cuban Situation Dis
cussed at Length-Improvem
in the Financial System Urged
The Tariff Considered.

The following is synopsis of Presi-
dent Cleveland's message to congress:
''To the Congress of the United States:
AS representatives of the people in
the legislative branch of their govern
ment, you have assembled at Il time
when the strength and the excellence
of our free institutions and the fitness
of our citizens to enjoy popular rule,
have been again made manifest. A po-
litical contest involving momentous
consequences, fraught with feverish
apprehension and creating aggressive
ness so intense as to approach bitter
ness and passion, has been waged
throughout our land, and determined
by the decree of free and independent
suffrage, without the disturbance of
our tranquility or the least sign of
weakness in our national structure.
When we consider these incidents and
contemplate the peaceful obedience
and manly submission which lave
succeeded heated clash of political
opinions, we discover abundance of
evidence of determination on the
part of our countrymen to abide by
every verdict of the popular will land
to be controlled at all times by an
abiding faith in the agencies establish
ed for the direction of the affairs OF
their government. Thus our people
exhibit patriotic disposition which
entities them to demand of those who
undertake to make and execute their
laws such faithful and unselhsh sery-
ice in their behalf as can only be
prompted by serious appreciation OF
the trust and confidence which the ac-
ceptance of public duty invites"
With this analysis of the recent cleo
ton, President Cleveland begins his
annual message to congress. The doc
ument comprises more than 2O,OOO
words. 1t contains. besides, wealth
of departmental information and sta
tistics, a succinct review of the Cuban
revolution without committing the
United States government to an avow-
nj of hostility, either against the SOW
ereignty of Spain or the Cuban insur-
gents.
President Cleveland begins that por-
ton of his message devoted to foreign
affairs by referring to the report OF
the secretary of state for all details IN
connection with minor matters. lie
then declares that the disturbed con-
dition in Asiatic Turkey has assumed
a less hideous and bloody aspect dur
in gthe past years, owing to the decls-
i've action on the part of the great ma
lions. and the consequent awakening
of the Turkish government to the de-
mands of human civilization. SO far
as the United States government is
concerned it has left undone nothing
for the protection of American mis-
sionaries and citizens in the Ottoman
empire. Continuing, the president
SAYS: 81 do not believe that the pres
ent sombre prospect in Turkey will be
long permitted to offend the sight OF
Christiandom. 1t so mars the humane
and enlightened civilization that be-
longs to the close of the nineteenth
century that it seems hardly possible
that the earnest demand of good peo-
pie throughout the Christian world for
it's corrective treatment, will remain
unanswered.'
President Cleveland in dealing with
the Cuban situation unalterably OPP
poses the recognition Of the insurgents
as beligerents. He believes the sltua-
ton to be too delicate for any inter.
yention on the part of the Cnlteu
States at the present time, although
his message strongly hints that the
ultimate outcome may require an /ag-
gressive stand on the part of this gov
eminent. With the greatest delicacy
he deyotes large portion Of his mes
sage to a review of the situation, and
POINTS as a solution of the vexed prob
lem. the offer to Cuba on the part OF
Spain of genuine autonomy. The in
su1rection, he declares, still continues
with all it's perplexities. No decision
has been reached in the trial at arms.
"lf Spain has not yet re-established
her authority. neither have the insur-
gents yet made good their title to be
regarded as an Independent state"
The pretext that civil government ex-
lists on the island, except SO far as
Spain is able to maintain it, has been
practically abandoned. But that eX-
ception being made the entire country
is either given over to anarchy, or is
subject to military occupation of one
or the other party. 1t is reported in
deed on reliable authority that at the
demand of the commander-in-chief of
the insurgent army the putative Cuban
government has now given up all at
tempts to exercise its functions ,leav-
ing that government (but there is best
reason for supposing it always to have
been in fact government merely on
paper"
President Cleveland is disposed to
acknowledge the superiority of the
Spa nish arms and Of the Cuban tao
tics. He says, however, unless very
speedy contest in the open is had the
policy of the Spanish government not
to interfere with the destruction of
property will ruin the fertility, pro-
ductiveness and consequent CONNER
cial value Of the island.
The message points out the many
entangling interests Of the United
States in Cuba. Almost $5O,OO0,OOO of
American capital is invested there and
the trade before the revolution reached
$1OO,OOO,OOO. Our concern in Cuba is
therefore neither sentimental nor yet
wholly philanthropic, but we are in
many ways both vexatiously and to
much cost involved in the present con-
test. He points out the difficulties
which we are subjected to by reason
of the many Cuban residents who are
naturalized Americans and who, while
aiding the instruction through public
meetings, the press, war funds and
other means, require the constant Wig
ilance of the authorities at Washing