The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
He Recommends Non-Interven-
ton in Cuban Affairs.
MAY BE OBLIGED TO INTERFERE
Unless Spain Soon Shows Her Ability to
Suppress the Wanton Destruction of Life
A Sian at the Trusts,

|
Suppress the Wanton Destruction of LII
and Property-TariT and the Currency
A Slap at the Trusts.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. s-The message q
President Cleveland to congress, as req
st the opening of yesterdays session, is II
substance as follows:
"As representatives of the people in tn
legislative branch of their government
you have assembled at time when tn
strength and excellence OF our free insti
buttons and the fitness Of our citizens Il
enjoy popular rule have been again mad
manifest. A political contest involving
momentous consequences, fraught will
feverish apprehension, and creating ag
gressiveness so intense as to approach
bitterness and passion, has been waget
through our land, and determined by thu
decree of free and Independent suffrage
without disturbance of our tranquility
or the least sign of weakness in our ma
tional structure.
when we consider these incidents and
contemplate the peaceful obedience and
manly submission which have succeeded
u heated clash Of political opinions we dis
cover abundant evidence of determine.
ton on the part Of our countrymen to
| abide by every verdict of the popular will
| and to DO controlled at all times by an
| abiding faith in the agencies established
| for the direction of affairs Of their govern.
| ment.
Thus our people exhibit patriotic
disposition which entities them to demand
of those who undertake to make and exc
cute their laws such faithful and unscltlsh
prompted by a serious appreciation of the
trust anu confidence which the acceptance
of public duty invites"
The president then expresses his regret
at the unimproyed condition of affairs in
Turkey While he says no citizens of the
United States in Turkey have thus far
been killed or wounded, their safety in
future is by no means assured. Efforts
have not been spared and will not be by
tho minister of tho United States govern
ment at Constantinople to protect our mis-
sionaries in Ottoman territory. But"
says the president, "tho 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" An adequate
force for protection would, he adds, be re-
sentod both by Turkey and the powers.
Nothing will be omitted to bring about
the prompt settlement of the claims for
destruction of missionary property.
The Warfare In Cuba.
Considerable space is given to Cuba.
Tho president finds it difficult to perceive
that any progress has thus far been made
towards the pacitication of the island.
Notwithstanding SPANS strengthened de-
termination to put down the instruction,
"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 inflexible in their resolve
not to succunb, 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 yet made good their title to be
regarded as an independent state"
The only civil government maintained
Is that by Spain, more or less imperfectly,
in the large towns and their immediate
suburbs. st is reported, indeed" the
president proceeds ION reliable authority
that, at the demand of the COMMUNICATIVE
chief of the insurgents army, the puta-
tive Cuban government has now given up
all attempt to exercise its functions, leav-
ing that government confessedly what
there is the best reason for surprising it
always to have been in fact) government
merely on paper"
Arguing from the inability of the Span
ish troops to bring about pitched battle,
tp int n,k
hardly limit to the time hostillties may
be prolonged, and the Spanish authorities
seem to have initiated the insurgents in u
policy of wholesale humiliation of prop
erty, that it may not be used by their op-
poncnts. At least from $50, 900, 900 to 500
0o0,00O of American capital are invested in
tho island and there is an immense trade
between the United States and the island.
Besides, Cuban residents in this country,
many of them naturalzed, promote the
Instruction by means which the laws and
the spirit of our institutions cannot reach,
and American citizens express their sym.
pathy in many substantial ways, thus no.
cessitating constant claims by this country
for protection of its citizens and for dam.
ages, now estimated at many millions.
Insurgents Demands Dismissed.
The demands made for the according of
belligerent rights to the insurgents. the
of their independence, the pur-
chase by the United States of the island
or the Intervention of the United States
to end the strife, even at the cost of war
with Spain, are all dismissed by the pres.
ident. The restraint and patient endur-
nnce Of the United States of conditions in
Cuba are pointed out as well as the TO.
spect and regard for Spain thus mani
tested by the American people. Finally.
tho president suggests ut would seem
that if Spain should offer to Cuba genu-
Inc autonomy--a measure of home rule
which, while preserving the sovereignty
of Spain, would satisfy all rational re-
quirements of her Spanish subjects-there
should be no just reason why the paciflca-
ton Of the island might not be effected on
that basis. Such result would appear to
be in the true interest of all concerned 1t
would at once stop the conflict and keep
Intact the possessions of Spain without
her honor, would put tho pros
perity of the island and the fortunes of its |
inhabitants within their own control and |
would enable KEN to test their capacity |
Tor self government under tho most flu
vorable conditions.
ut has been objected on the one side
that Spain should not promise autonomy
until her insurgent subjects lay down
their arms on the other side, that PROM
sed autonomy, however liberal, is INSULT
,ient, because without assurance of the
promise being fulfilled. To withhold the
proffer of needed reforms until the parties
them put themselves at their
mercy by throwing down their arms has
,he appearance of neglecting the gravest
If perls and inviting suspicion as to the
sincerity Of the professed willingness to
grant reforms. The objection on behalf
II the insurgents-that promised reforms
,annot be relied. on-must of course be
considered, though we have no right to
assume and no reason for assuming, that
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NOW that busiEest Is ookine np.co'Ge add
v see me,
have money to Joan In sums 10 suit at