The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-12-08


lowed by another pond issue 70 reaeeni
fhern-an inte-Cst-,eartnZc debt 10 redeenl
a ntsn-intesesI-b.sa airing debt
In my visw II is " the utmost import
ano. that the government should d.
reIi,sved of the ba-lbyn Of providing all the
gold required for exchanges and export
This responsibility Is alone borne BY the
s-r,xe-ulnenf without any Of the usual and
Tefsssar- banking powers 70 help itself
The banks DO not feel the strain Of gold
r,si,unption. The whole strain rests upon
the government and the size Of the god
rsSerye Ia tie treasury has come 70 Dc
with or without reason the signal Of dan
ger Ct Of security. This ought 10 be
stopped
III We are 10 have an era Of prosperity in
:he country. with sufficient receipts for
the expenses Of the government, we may
f.ssl no immediate embarrassment from
our prc.sent currency; bus the danger stiil
exists and viii be ever pItsent nlenacing
as so long As the existing system con
tinues. And besides, Il IL IN time Of ade-
tl,at the government should prepsrc fOT
the worst. We cannot avoid without
serious G clTnse -uences the wise consiceFi-
ton ana prompt solution OF this question
Plan Of Gage Endorsed.
The secretary Of the treasury has out
lined a plan in great detail for the pur
pose of removing the threatened reeur
rance of a depleted gold reserve and save
rs from future embarrassment on that
account To this plan invite your care
full consideration
/ concur with the secretary OF the treas
ury in his recommendation that the M
ticnal banks be allowed 70 issue notes &C
the face value Of the bonds which they
-4a7r~T nNn~HF On No bat
the tax on circulating notes secured by
deposit Of such bonds be reduced TO one
half of one per cent per annum- l also
ioin hsn in recommending that authority
be given for the establishment OF na
tiOnaI banks with a minimum capital ol
S35C0l. This viii enable the smaller
villages and agrieu tural regions OF Tn
country TO be supplied with currency tc
meet their needs
/ recommend that the issue of national
hank NOTES be restricted TO the deEOmiiia
ton Of so and upward. III the sugges
tiOns l have herein made shall have tht
approval OF congress then l would recOm
mend that national banks be required &c
redeem their notes in gold
Recommendation Regarding Cuba.
The most important problem with
which this government is now called upon
to deal pertaining to its foreign relations
concerns its duty toward spain and the
Cuban insurrection. Problembs and con
ditions more or less in common with thost
now existing have confronted this gov.
ernment at various times in the past.
The story Of Cuba for many years has
been one of unrest; growing dissent:
an effort toward a large enjoyment Of
liberty and self control; of organized re-
sistancc to the mother country; of de
preston after distress and warfare, and Of
incff, ctual settlement TO be followed by
renewed revolt For no enduring period
since the enfranchiscment OF the cOnti-
mental possessions of Spain in the west
ern continent has the condition Of Cuba
or the policy OF spain toward Cuba not
caused concern 10 the United States.
The prospect from time 10 time that the
wCakEess OF Spain's hold upon the island
and the political vicissitudes and embar-
rassnsents Of the home government might
lead TO tho transfer Of Cuba 10 cOnti-
mental mower called forth, between 1923
and 1850 various emphatic declarations
OF the policy OF the United States 10 per
init 10 disturbance of Cuba's connection
with Suain unless IN the direction of in
dcpendence Or acquisition by us through
purchase; nor has there been any change
OF this declared policy since upon the
part OF the government. The rev Volutlon
which began in 1865 lasted Tor ten years,
despite the strenuous efforts of the sue
cessiye peninsular governments to sup
press it, Then, as now, the government
of the United States testified 10 its grave
concern and offered its aid to put an end
to the bloOdshed in Cuba. The OYertures
made by General Grant were refused and
the war dragged on, entailing great loss
of life and increased injury TO American
interests, beside throwing enhanced bur
dens of neutrality upon this government.
In 1873 peace was brought about by tho
truce Of Zanjon, obtained by negotiations
between the Spanish commander, Mar
timex &c CamPos, and the insurgcnt lead
ers.
Rules of Civilized War Ignored.
The present instruction broke out in
February. 1895. 1t is not my purpose az
this time to recall its remarkable increase
or 70 characterize Its tenacious resistance
against the enormous forces massed
against it by Spain. The revolt and the
efforts TO subdue il carried destruction
to every quarter OF the island, developing
wide proportions and defying the Efforts
Of spain fer its suppression. The civil
lzcd code Of war has been disregarded,
no less so by the Spaniards than by the
CGianS.
TIE existing conditions cannot but ell
this government and the American people
With the E-ayest apprehensions. There IS
no desire on the part Of our people 70
profit by the misfortuncs OF Spain. We
have only the desire 70 see the Cuhans
prosperous and c0ntentcd. enjoying that
Ilea. urc OF SELF control which is the in
aliauable right of man, protected in their
right % reap the cnefit of the eXhaustless
trea, usos Il their country.
The oi!er made by my predecessor In
April, 1886, rendering the friendly offices
& this government failed. Any media
tion On our Tart was not accepted. IN
brief the answer read; There Is no cf-
fcctgal way to pacfy Cuba unles ; ii be-
gins with the actual submission OF the
rebels to the mot.lcr country"
Then only could SPAN act in the prom
iscd dlreclion Of her own motion and after
Eer own plans. The cruel policy OF con
ecntratlon was initiatdd February l6,
1886. The productive districts controlled
by the Spanish armi,s were GepJpUlatcd.
The agricultural inhabitants were heTdcd
in and about the garrison towns, Their
lands laid waste and their dwellings d.
stroyed. This policy the late cabinet Il
SPAR justified rs "a Necessary measure
war and rs means OF cutting Oh supplies
from the insurgents. 1t has utterly Illi.eJ
as u war measure. IL was not civilized
warfare. 1t was determination.
Protested Arairst Spanish Cruelty.
Against this abuse of the rights Of war
/ have felt constrained on repeated Oc-
cations to enter TIA firm ana earnest pro-
test 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 judicial pro-
ceedings. felt it my first duty To make
instant demand for the release or speedy
trial of all American citizens under arrest.
Be ore the change Of the Spanish cabinet
in OUtCber last p prisoners, citizens OF the
United States had been gwen their free
dom.
For the relief of our own citizens Euf-
fering because OF the conflict the aid of
congress was sought in q special message
ard under the appropriation Of April 4,
lSy7, eileciivs aid has been given to Amer
lean citizens in Cuba, many of them at
their own request having been returned
10 the n.ted states.
The instruction given TO our new min
istc- 20 ~p;in EciOre his departure for his
post ,ir ctesl him 10 impress upon that
government the sincere wish OF the
Oniie,i - ties 10 lend its aid toward the
enuins OF the war in Cuba by reaching y
pee IN and lasting result, just and hon-
cr...lc alike % spain and TO the Cuban
PEI ls. These Instructions recitcd tho
ch .-,dtt, and duration OF the contest the
wide sread losses il entails, the lusdeGs
and le9traintS IL imposes upon us, with
con-taui disturbance Of nationl interests
and The INJURY resulting from an inGefin-
ite continuance Of this state of things.
Ii WIS stated that nj this iunCture our
government was constrained To seriously
enquire if the time IVES not ripe when
SAN OF her own voiitiQn n.O,el by her
own interests and every sentiment OF
humanity, should put stop 10 this de
struetiye war and make proposals of set
te;acEt honorable TO herself and Just to
her CItan colony.
lt was urgcd that rs a neighbo-ing ma
ton with Largo interests in Culea we