The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

legislative branch of their government.
you have assembled at a time when tho
strength and excellence OF our free inStitu.
tions and the fitness of our citizens To en-.
Joy popular rule have been again made
manifest. A political contest involving
momentous consequences fraught with
feverish apprehension and creating ag
gressiveness so intense a. to approach bit.
terness and passion has been waged
throughout our land and determined by
the decree of free and independent suffrage
without disturbance OF our tranquility on
the least sign of weakness in our national
structure.
When we consider these incidents and
contemplate the peaceful obedience and
manly submission which have succeeded NJ
clash of political opinions, we discover
abundant evidence Of "A determination on
the part of the countrymen to abide by
every verdict of popular will and To ba
controlled at all times by an abiding faith
in the agencies established for the direc.
tion of the affairs Of their government;
thus the people exhibit patriotic disposi.
tion which entities them 20 demand OF
those who undertake To pake and execute
their laws such faithful and unselfish
service in their behalf rs can only b.
/ prompted by serious appreciation oi
/ trust and confidence which the acceptance
of public duty invites.
In obedience to a constitutional require
l ment, ! herein snbmit to the congress Ger
tain information concerning national M.
/ fairs with the suggestion Of such legisla.
tion in my judgment Is necessary and
expedient To secure brevity and avoid
| tiresome narration, / shall omit many de.
tails concerning matters within Federal
control. which though by no means unim.
portant. are more proGtably discussed IN
departmental reports. shall also fur
ther curtail this communication by omit
| ting a miuuf- recital Of many minor Incl
dents connected with our foreign relations
| which heretofore found a place i'm cxecu-
| tive messages. but are now contained in a
report Of the secretary OF state. which Is
herewith submitted.
Affairs In Turkey.
At the outset Of n reference 10 the more
! important matters affecting our relations
| with foreign powers, il would afford me
/ satisfaction If / could assure the congress
/ that the disturbed condition in A~iatic
| Turkey had. during the past year. as
I sumed less hidcous and bloody aspect
and that either As "A consequence of the
awakening Of the Turkish government to
the demands of humane civilization or ~
the result of decisive action on the part of
the great nations having the right hy
treaty To interfere for the protection OF
] NHO>E NAUO~EfA 10 AAAG EtAkG 0A NAAA NtENNEN
and cruel fanaticism. the shocking feat
ures of the situation had been slnitigated.
Instead, however. Of welcoming y ~ofteued
disposition protective Intervention. we
have been afflicted by continued aud not
unfrequent reports of the wantuu dcstrmc-
ton of homes and the bloody hutchery Of
men. women and children. made martyrs
to their profession Of Christian faith
While none % our citizens i'm Turkey
have thus far been killed or wounded.
though often in the midst of dreadful
scenes of danger, their safety la the future
Is by no means assured. our government
at home and oEr minister at Constantine
pie have left nothing uuduuc To- protect
our missionaries in Ottoman territory
who constitute nearly all individuals re-
siding there who have a right to claim our
protection on the score uf American citi-
zenship. Our efforts in this direction will
not be relaxed.
We have made claims against the Turk
lSh government for the pillage aud de
structiOn of missionary property nj Har-
pool and Marasi, during uprisinEs at tlHpsO
places. Thus far the validity Of these de
mands has not been admitted. The facts
a they now appear do not permit us To
doubt the justice Of these claims and
nothing will be omitted to bring about
their prompt settlement.
"A number Of Armenian refugees have ar
rived at our ports, and an order has lately
been obtained from the Turkish govern
ment permitting the wives and children Of
I
hoped this order will be perpetuRtcd
do not believe that the present sombre
predicament in Turkey will be long per
mitted to offend the sight Of chrisfendOm
IL SO mars the human and enlightened civ
iliZation that belongs to the close OF the
nineteenth century that il seems hardly
possible that the earnest demand uf good
people throughout the christian world for
Its corrective treatment will remain un.
answered.
Insurrection In Cuba.
The insurrectiun in Cuba still continues.
with all its perpleXities IL is difficult to
perceive that any progress has thus far
been made towards the pacitcation Of the
island or that the situation Of affairs A.
depicted in my last annual message has in
the least improved. IL Spain still holds
Havana and the seapOrts and all the con
siderable towns, the insurgents still roam
at viii over at least twO-thirds OF the iSlanf
country. If the determination of Spain to
put down the lnSurrection seems but To
strengthen with the lapse Of time and IL
evidenced by her unhesitating devotion ~
largely increased military and naval forces
70 the task, there is much reason TO believe
that the insurgents have gained in poin
OF numbers and character and resources.
and are nevertheless intieXihle in their re-
solve not to succumbc without practically
securing the great objects for which they
took up arms.
Spain has not vet reestablfshed her ar.
thority, neither have the insurgents vet
made good their title to be regarded a. an
independent state. Indeed. as the contest
has gone ON, the pretense that civil gov
ernment exists on the island, except so far
as Spain is able to maintain IT, has been
practically abandoned. Spain does keep
on foot such a government, more or
less imperfectly, in the large towns and
their immediate suburbs. But, that ex-
ception being made, the entire country il
either given over TO anarchy or j. subject
TO the military occupation Of one or the
other party.
lt Is reported, indeed. ON reliable author
lty, that at the demand of the commander
| ln-chlef OF tie insurgent army the puta-
tive Cuban government has now given all
attempt TO exercise its functions, leaving