The Somerset reporter., 1897-12-09

and agricultural regions of the country
to be supplied with currency to meei
their needs. ! recommend that the Issue
OF national bank notes be restricted 20
the denomination of $40 and upwards II
the suggestions | have herein made saali
have the approval of congress. theH
would recommend that national banks
be required TO redeem their notes in gold
CUBAN INSuRRECT1ON
The most important problem with
which this government is now called
upon to deal is pertaining to its foreign
relations and concerning its duty toward
Spals and the Cuban insurrection. Prob
iems and conditions. more or less com
mon With those now existing, have con
fronted this government at various
tunes ia The past The story of cuba
for many years has been one of unrest
OF growing discomfort, of an effort to-
ward hIser enjoyment of liberty and
seIf-controi Of organi ed resistance to
the mother country; of depression after
distress and warfare. and OF Intellectual
settlement. to be followed by renewed
revolt
The existing conditions cannot but fill
this government and the American peo-
pie with the grayest Apprehension. There
is no desire on the part of our people to
pront by the misfortunes of Spain. We
have only the desire to see the Cubans
prosperous and contented. enjoying that
measure of self-control which IS the in
alienaole right of man. protected in their
right to reap the benefit of the exhaust
less treasures of their country. The offer
made by my predecessor in April, 1885,,
| rendering the friendly offices of this gov
eminent failed. Any mediation on our
part was not accepted. In brief the an
/ swer read: There is no eIectual way
| TO pacify Cuba unless 1t begins with the
! actual submission of the rebels to the
/ mother country" Then only could Spain
| act in the promised direction, of her own
! motion and after her own plans.
The cruel poilcy OF concentration WAS
initiated Feb 10, 1896. The productive dis
trcts controlled by the Spanish armies
were depopulated. The agricultural in
! habitants were herded in and about the
! garrison towns, their lands laid waste and
| their dwellings destroyed. This policy
| the late cabinet of Spain justified as a nee
| essary measure of war and as means of
! cutting off supplies from the insurgents
| 1t has utterly failed as a war measure.
! 1t was not civilized warfare; il was ex-
| termination. Against this abuse of the
rights of war. ! have felt constrained on
repeated occasions TO enter the firm and
earnest protest of this government. There
was much of public condemnation of the
| treatment OF American citizens by alleged
Illegal arrests and long Imprisonment
awaiting trial or pending protracted judi
cial proceedings. l felt it my first duty to
make demand for the release or speedy
trial OF all American citizens under ar
rest. Before the change of the Spanish
cabinet in October last. % prisoners. cti
zens OF the United States. had been given
their freedom.
For the relief of our own citizens, 5uf-
fering because of the conflict, the aiG of
congress was sought i'll special message
and under the appropriation Of April A.
! 1881, effective aid has been given TO Ameri-
can citizens in Cuba many of them at
their own request having been returned
TO the United States. The Instructions
| given to our new minister to Spain before
! his departure for his post, directed him
to impress upon that government the sim
cere wish of the United States to lend
its aid toward the ending of the war i'm
! cuba hN reaching peaceful and lasting
result Just and honorable alike to Spain
and to The Cuban people. These instruc-
tions reeited the character and duration
of the contest. the widespread losses il en-
! tails. the burdens and restraints il i'm
poses upon us. with constant disturbance
/ of national interests and the injury result
! ing from an indefinite continuance Of uis
| state of things. 1t was stated that at
! this 1unCture our government was OIL
/ strained TO seriously inquire II lnt llHle
| was not ripe when Spain, of her own Volt
ton moved by her own interests and ev-
cry sentiment of humanity. should put a
stop to this destructive war and make pro-
posals of settlement honorable to herself
and Just to her Cuban colony. 1t was
| urged that. as a neighboring nation. with
large interests in cuba. we could be re-
quired to wait only reasonable time for
the mother country to establish its an
thority and restore peace and order with
In The borders of the island; that we could
not contemplate an indefinite period for the
accomplishment of this result
No solution was proposed to which the
slightest idea of humiliation to Spain
could attach; and indeed the precise pro-
posals We're withheld to avoid embarrass-
ment to that government. All that was
asked or expected WAS that some safe way
might be speedily provided and perman-
ent peace restored. II so CHANGED that the
consideration of this offer addressed to the
| same Spanish administration which had
declined the tenders Of my predecessor
and which for more than two years hal
poured men and treasure into Cuba In the
fruitless effort to suppress the revolt, fell
to others. Between the departure of
General Woodford the new envoy, md
his arrival in Spain, the statesman who
had shaped the policy or his country fell
by the hand of an assassin. and, although
the cabinet of the late premier 5till held
Office and received from our envoy the
| proposals he bore. the cabinet gave place
| within few days thereafter to a new adj
| ministration under the leadership of Sa-
gasta.
The reply to CIR note Vas received oil
the 23d day of October. II IS Ia tile direc-
| tion of a better understanding. Il ap-
pfeeiates the friendly purposes of this gov
| eminent. 1t admits that our country is
deeply affected by the war in Cuba and
l,s,F \