Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-12-11

sincere wish OF the United State, :, land
It's aid toward the ending of the war bv
reaching a peaceful and lasting .esult
Just and honorable to Spain ana ia tho
Cuban people. 1t was also asked wbeth.
er Spain, OF her own voliton. .hould not
make proposals for settlement, a,d II
was said that he could not contemolar.
an indefinite period for the accomplish.
/ ment Of this result.
Inc Spanish reply to Mr.. Woodford
was, In the Presidents opinion, m the d..
rection Ola better understanding. 1t adj
mitted our friendly purposes and deep
interest and declared that the new gov.
ernment was bound to change Of policy
that should satisfy the United States and
pacify Cuba within reasonable time.
10 this end political reforms will be nut
into effect and military operations con.
Quoted on humane lines. 1t was suggest
ed that Spain be left free to condict mill
tary operations and grant political re-
forms, while the United States. for its
part, should enforce neutral Obligations
and cut off the assistance which the in
surgents, 1t was asserted, -eceiv u from
this country. Early and complete racifi-
cation is hoped for.
The President declares that the Span
ish disposition to charge us with failure
to meet international duties is baseless
and points to the efforts this government
has made, at the cost of millions and hy
n 90 hn oI ,.,,;. .,
chinery of the nation, to perform Its full
duty. He hlso says that the fact that
no military expedition or armed vessels
have left our shores has been diplomat
ically represented to Spain.
Promising that throughout all the hor-
ror and danger to our own peace the
United States has never abrogated its
right TO determine its policy ms to Cuba.
the President points out that of untricd
measures there remain only: Recognition
Of the insurgents as belligcrents, rccog-
milton of the independence of Cuba, neu
rtral Intervention to end the war by inl-
posing n rational compromise between
the contestants, or an intervention in
favor of one or the other party. He
says.
81 speak not of forcible annexation, for
that cannot be thought Of. That by our
code Of morality, would be criminal az
gression."
Taking up the question Of bclligerency,
the President quotes at length from Pres
ident Grants message Of December I,
xxtbp hn La Ia.
ditions in Cuba warranted neither the
recognition of independence nor the rec
ognition Of belligerency. He adds that,
moreover, recognition of belligerency
would confer upon neither party to the
conflict a status not therefore actually
possessed, while it would weigh heavily
in Spain's behalf, giving her the right of
search on the high seas and extending
her maritime rights to the margin of our
territorial waters.
'l'or these reasons" SAYS the Presi.
dent, 81 regard the recognition of the bel.
ligerenty of the Cuban insurgents as now
unwise and therefore inadmissible.
Should that step hereafter be deemed
wise as matter of right and duty, the
Executive will take it,"
He points to the hopeful change in the
Spanish policy to the pledge of reform
and to the abatement of the horrors of
war as reasons against Intervention ON
humanitarian grounds. The first acts of
the new government lie in the honorable
paths 1t has outlined. The policy of rap
inc and determination has been reversed.
broad clemercies have been protfered, and
measures taken to relieve the horrors of
starvation. The power of the Spanish
armies, il is asserted, is to be used not
to spread ruin and desoation, but to pro-
tect the resumption of agricultural indus.
tries.
The President sketches the autonomy
scheme of the Spanish government and
says that it is honestly due to Spain
that she should be given a reasonable
chance TO realize her expectations and to
prove the asserted efficacy of the new or
der of things, to which she stands ire
vocably committed. He points to the
many concessions already made, to the
modification of the horrible order of con-
centration. to the release of the Com
petitor prisoners and the fact that not
single American citizen is now under ar
rest in Cuba.
He says the near future will demon
strate whether n righteous peace is likely
to be attained; If not, the eXigency of fur
ther and other action by the I'm ted States
NIL in 10 hn tnE - ha
right, the government will continue its
watchful care over American citizens ANA
its efforts to bring about honorable peace
and says the President, IF it shall
hereafter appear to be duty imposed by
our obligations TO ourselves, to civiliza-
ton and humanity to intervene with force,
it shall be without fault on our part, and
only because the necessity for such ac-
ton will so clear as to command the sup
port and approval of the civilized world
Annexation of Hawaii.
The President next takes up the sub
jcct of the annexation Of Hawaii which,
he says, should be accomplished. Rapidly
reviewing his former arguments in favor
of annexation, he says that legislation $
required in the event of the ratification
of the treaty, and while abrupt assmila-
tions of immature elements of population
should be avoided, just provision should
be made for self-rule in local matters,
with the largest political liberty to the
Hawaians.
He SAYS that the dispute between Japan
and Hawaii over the immigration question
is now in satisfactory stage OF settle
ment by negotiation; that our govern
ment has not intervened, and that 1t 's
learned that Japan is now confident IN
the intention of this government TO deal
with all possible ulterior questions aiiect.
ing her interests in n broad spirit OF
fricndiiness.
Reference is made to the failure OF Mr..
Merry 70 he received as Minister to Nicd-
rnrua on account of the obligation Of that
country to the Diet of the Greater kepup-
lie Of Central America. As there IS no
legal authority at present to accredit nun
10 the Diet, Mr.. Baker, the present MN
istcr Mt Managua, has been directed 10
present his letters Of recall.
Mr.. w. Godfrey Hunter is SAID 10 pe
ntow,sa accredited to Honduras, mem
her Of the Greater Republic, ana MS case
Is awaiting action. =,
The Nicaragua canal is spoken OF ns OF
large Importance to our country, anu '.e ~
promise is made Of further reference 10
the subject when the report 0. 'ue 1y C"n