The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-20
THE SECRET ARCHIVES
Of Cleveland's Administration on
the Cuban Question.
SECRETARY OLNEY's PROPOSAL.
A Communication to Minister Do
LONE Which Pointed Out the Futil-
ifty of spain's sStruegle and Suggested
q Plan of Peacea BILE intervention.

Ao"o "h'oh ioihteu out Jne futll-
lity of spain's Struggle and Suggested
Plan of Peacea BILE Intervention.
Washington, May 2O.-The secret ar
chiyes of the state department, which
nave held the consular reports on the
Cuban war from the public, were par
TALLY disclosed yesterday by Senator
Foraker, of Ohio. During the past
week the debate In the senate has been
pregnant with intimations and inuen-
Hoes of reports from United States Of
Hcials in Cuba held at the state de-
partment, which, If published. would
disclose a condition on Cuban soil
which would influence public opinion in
p decided manner. The facts which
6enator Foraker announced created
decided stir Especially startl/s was
the letter from Secretary Olney, In
which this country offered mediation
10 Spain and the refusal of that coun-
Try to accept the preferred aid.
While one of the consular reports
was read without the name of the au-
thor being disclosed. it Is stated to be
, communication from Consul General
Lee, which fully sets forth his idea
pf the condition that exists In Cuba.
Fhe extract was quoted in substance as
foiiows no date being given:
II cannot understand the truth of the
claim that all the provinces of the
Island are pacifled, except that of San
fiago de Cuba. because there are more
Insurgents under arms at this time
than at the period / first reached the
Island some ten days ago, and / do
not think it fair inference TO draw
from existing conditions that the war
Is approaching ternination.
"The impossibility of expellng the
Spanish troops from this island by
Force of arms is well known to the in
surgents, and they do not propose to
risk the lives of their men and the
buccess of their cause upon one or more
pitched battles. l conclude. therefore.
that the war will drag its weary length
hlong so long as the insurgents can
Zig sustenance from the ground on the
pne side or money be obtained on the
pther, with the continued result of un-
told human suffering, loss Of human
life, the murder of innocent men, wom-
en and children by both sides and the
frightful havoc which disease makes
IN the ranks of the soldiers, particu-
jarly among the unaccllmatcd Span
iards. The poverty and distress Of the
people are daily increasing and the
loss of property of all sorts daily be-
eoming enormous"
The letter from Secretary Olney to
Bpanish Minister De LONE, under date
pf April 4, 1896. Is the one in which In
Prevention is suggested. 1t is in part
as follows:
1T Is now some nine or ten months
Ftnce the nature and prospects of the
insurrection We're first discussed be-
tween US. In explanation of It's rapid
and. up to that time, quite unopposed
growth and progress you called atten-
lion to the rainy season. which from
May or June until November renders
regular military operations impractical
bic. Spain was pouring such numbers of
troops into Cuba that your theory and
opinion that, when they could be used
In an active campaign, the insurrection
would be almost instantly suppressed,
seemed reasonable and probable.
ut Is impossible to deny that the ex-
pectations thus entertained by you
have been completely disappointed. The
Insurgents seem today to command
larger part OF the island than ever
before. Their men under arms, esti-
mated year ago at from 10000 to
10000, are now conceded to be at least
Rwo or three times as many. Mean
while their discipline has been i'm
proved and their supply of modern
weapons and equipment has been
greatly enlarged, while the mere fact
that they have held out to this time
has given them confidence in their own
eyes and prestige with the world at
large. In short, it can hardly be uues-
honed that the insurrection, instead Of
being quelled. is today more formda-
BILE than ever, and enters upon the
second year of its existence with de-
Eidedly improved prospects of success
ful results. Whether condition of
things emitting the insurgents to re-
cognition as belligerentS has yet been
brought about may, for the purposes of
the present communication, be regard
ed as immaterial.
Even IL it be granted that a condi-
tion of insurgency prevails, and moth
dlffused over so extensive a region
and is so favored by the physical feat
Gres Of the climate of the country that
the authority of Spain Is subverted
and the functions of its government
are in allegiance or practically suspend
ed throughout a greater part of the
Island. A vast area of the territory of
the island is in effect under the con-
trol Of rowing bands of insurgents The
result is a systematic war upon the in
fustries of the island, and whereas the
normal annual product of the island Is
valued at something like $50, 900, 900 or
$l00 900, GOO, its value for the present
year is estimated by competent au-
lhorlty at not exceeding $40. .O0O.0 .0OO"
Further on Mr. Olney calls attention
to the fact that capital is fast with
drawing from the island. frightened
AWAY by the utter hopeessness of the
outlook" and continues: 1T may well
be feared that If the present insurrec-
ton is to be of shorter duration than
the last it will be because the end Is
to come sooner or later through the in
ability of Spain to prolong the con-
hict. and through her abandonment Of
the island to the heterogeneous combi-
nation of elements now In arms against
her"
, Such a conclusion, Mr.. Olney said,
would almost inevitably result in a
@ar of races, with the probable estab-
lishment Of white and black republic.
|. Proceeding. Mr.. Olney's communica-
tion declares that the situation is Of
great interest to the people of the Uni
ted States. because of the interruption
Of extensive trade relations. the whole
gale destruction of property. the ami
hilation of American Investments and
ihe impoverlshng of American citizens,
which, he says, has led many good
ard honest persons to insist that in
tsrvention to terminate the conflict Is
the immediate and imperative duty of
the United States"
lie said his purpose was not at that
: