The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
He Recommends NOn-I Intervention in
Cuban Affairs.
NAY BE OBLIGED TO INTERFERE
Unless Spain Soon Shows Her Ability to
Suppress the wanton Destruction of
Life and Property Tariff and
the Currency.
To the Congress of the United States:

To the Congress of the United States:
As representatives of the people in the
legislative branch Of their government you
have assembled at time when the strength
and 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 conse-
quences fraught with feverish apprehen-
sion and creating agRressiveness so Intense
as to approach bitterness and passion, has
been waged throughout our land and de
termined by the decree of free and indie
pendent suffrage, without disturbance Of
our tranquility or the least sign of weak
ness in our national structure
When we consider these incidents and
contemplate the peaceful obedience and
manly submission which have succeeded
heated clash of political opinions, we dis
cover abundant evidence of determina-
tion on the part of our countrymen to abide
by every verdict of the popular will and to
be controlled at all times by an abiding
faith in the agencies established for the di-
rection of the affairs of their government.
=
At the outset of q reference to the moro
important matters affecting our relations
with foreign powers it would afford me
satisfaction if could assure the congress
that the disturbed condition in Asiatio
Turkey had during the past year assumed
a less hideous and bloody aspect, and that
either as a consequence of the awakening
of the Turkish government to the demands
of humane civilization or as the result of
decisive action on the part of the great ma
tions having the right by treaty to inter
fere for the protection of those exposed to
the rage of mad bigotry and cruel fanati-
cism the shocking features of the situation
had been mitigated Instead, however,
of welcoming a softened disposition or pro-
tective Intervention we have been afflicted
by continued and not infrequent reports of
the wanton destruction of homes and the
bloody butchery Of men, women and chill
dren, made martyrs to their profession of
Christian faith.
The Situation In Turkey.
While none Of our citizens in Turkey
has thus far been killed or wounded,
though often in the midst Of dreadful
scenes Of danger, their safety in the future
is by no means assured. Our government
at home and our minister mt Constantine
pie have left nothing undone to protect
our missionaries in Ottoman territory,
who constitute nearly all the individuals
residing there who have a right to claim
our protection on the score of American
citizenship. Our efforts in this direction
will not be relaxed, but the deep feeling
and sympathy that have been aroused
among our people ought not TO so far blind
their reason and judgment as TO lead them
TO demand impossible things. The out
breaks of blind fury which lead to murder
and pillage in Turkey occur suddenly and
without notice, and an attempt on our
part to force such hostile presence there
as might be effective for prevention or pro
teotion would not only be resisted by the
Ottoman government, but would be re-
garded as an interruption Of their plans by
the great nations who assert their exclusive
right to intervene in their own time and
method for the security of life and property
in Turkey.
Several naval vessels are stationed in the
Mediterranean as a measure of caution and
TO furnish all possible relief and refuge in
case of emergency.
We have made claims against the Turk
ish government for the pillage and destruc-
tion of missionary property at Kharput and
Marash during uprisings at those places
Thus far the validity of these demands has
not been admitted, though our minister,
prior to such outrages and in anticipation
of danger, demanded protection for the
persons and property of our missionary
citizens in the localities mentioned and
Notwithstanding that strong evidence ex-
lists of actual completely of Turkish sol
diers in the work of destruction and rob
berry.
The facts as they now appear do not per-
init us to doubt the justice of those claims
and nothing will be omitted to bring about
their prompt settlement.
number of Armenian refugees having
arrived at our ports an order has lately
been obtained from the Turkish govern
ment permitting the wives and children of
such refugees to join them here 1t is
hoped that hereafter no obstacle will be in
terposed to prevent the escape of all those
who seek to avoid the perils which threaten
them in Turkish donlinions,
Our recently appointed consul to Erze-
rum is at his post and discharging the
duties Of his Office, though for some unao-
oountable reason his formal exequatur
from the sultan has not been issued.
do not believe that the present sombel
prospect in Turkey will be long permitted
to offend the sight of Christendom 1t so
mars the humane and enlightened ciyiliza-
tion that belongs to the close of the nine
teenth century that 1t seems hardly posi-
BILE that the earnest demand of good people
throughout the Christian world for It's cor
rectiye treatment will remain unanswered.
The Cuban Rebellion.
The insurrection in Cuba still continues
with all its perplexitios. 1t is difficult to
perceive that any progress has thus far
been made toward the paciflcation of the
island or that the situation of affairs as
depicted in my last annual message has In
the least improyedi If Spain still holds
Havana and the seaports and all the CON
siderable towns, the insurgents still roam
nt will nvar at 1aact t,,,, tIirl.