The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-05-26
Presidents Message on Cuba.

President McKioley sent to Con.
gress thursday a brief but possibly
momentous message. 1t is expressed
in few words, dispassionate but di.
rect, aud refers to our duty as ma.
tion to afflicted Americans residing
i5 Cuba These citizens have been
compelled to leave their homes by a
military order, aud concentrate in
camps where they are iusufiiciently
fed and sheltered, and where disease
aud hunger are doing deadly work.
The President calmly states the fact,
remarking that the local authorities
in Cuba are unable to relieve the
wants of our citizens if they would.
Congress is therefore asked to appro.
pirate not less than $4,000 for the
relief of these citizens by furnishing
them supplies, and also enabling them
to return to the United States if they
desire to do so, and lack the neces.
ssry means. "The agricultural
classes" the President says, "have
been forced from their farms into the
nearest towns, where they are without
work or money" 1t is a simple
statement, but involves much of i'm.
portance by implication.
Simple as are the words, and con.
fined to the mere mention of a fact,
they bring Spain face to face with the
truth that her military policy in
Cuba is cruel and unusual. The con.
demnation of the policy is within it..
self, and not in providing for its re.
suits affecting the lives of our own
citizens. Gen. Weyler's military
operations in Cuba up to this time
have failed, He has not forced a
battle, which is the essential part of a
soldiers business when commanding a
largely superior force. His line of
works, reaching entirely across the
island, has been practically useless.
His treatment of wounded and other
prisoners has been merciless. Now
his concentration order, aimed at the
innocent and at the non. com blatant,
is turning Cuba into a vast grave.
yard. The Presidents message pro.
poses TO shelter Americnu citizens
from this atrocious decree of desola
tion. If Spain finds in the message
an arraignment of her course it is be.
cause to refer to it in any way can
have no other effect. The arrogant
and the cruel always defend an infa.
my by demanding silence.
When questioned recently about
the suffering resulting from his con.
centration order, General Weyler is
said to have answered, II intend to
save this soil for Spain" The avow.
al means that to reach this end he
will use any means in his power, no
matter if the people are exterminated
--eaG- the island made desert. This
is savagery. No nation is at liberty
to set aside the rules of civilized war.
fare. Spain is prosecuting the limo.
cent and the helpless in Cuba in or.
der to overawe the insurgent fighting
material. The expulsion of the
wives and children of the insurgents
from their homes is not civilized war.
The concentration of the farming
class in camps to starve out the re.
oelilous is measure of extreme
cauelty without defense. The appro.
priation asked by the message will be
placed in the hands Of the State De.
Partment for distribution, and the at.
tituds of Spain iu regard to the mea.
sure Of relief remains to be seen. its
own policy is to create suffering in
Cuba, not to relieve it.