Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-12-10

Spain unless In the dire ,tion of indepsnd-
ence or acquisition by the United StAtes
through purchase; nor has there been
any change If this declared policy since
upon the part Of tho government.
The Ten Nssr' War.
Tho revolution, which began In 1868,
lasted for ton years. despite the stren-
uous efforts Of tho successive peninsular
governments to suppr,ss IL. Then, -
nov, tho government Of the United States
testified its great concern and offered IT.
aid to put an end to bloodshcd In Cuba.
The overtures made by General Grant
were refused, and the war dragged on.
entaling great loss Of life and treasure
and increased injury to American inter-
ests, besides throwing enhanced burdens
of neutrality on the government. In 1873
peace was brought about by the truce OF
Zanjon, obtained by negotiations be-
tween the Spanish commander, Martinez
do Campos, and the insurgent lenders.
Tne presen. Jnsurrect' ON. ....
The present insurrection broke out In
February, 1895. 1t Is not my purpose at
this time to recall its remarkable increase
or to characterize its tenacious resistance
to the enormous foreign army enmasse4
against it by Spain. The revolt and the
Efforts to sybdue it carried destruction to
every quarter of the island, developing
wide proportions and defying the efforts
Of y Tor its suppression. The clvlnzed
cole r. var has been disre garGed. no less
50 b. tn, Spaniards than by the Cubans
The existing conditions cannot but I'LL
this government and the AMT rlcan people
with gravest apprehension. There IS no
desire on the part Of our people TO profit
by thu misfortuncs of Spain. We have
only the desire to see the Cubans prosper
GUS and contentet, enjoying that measure
CT self-control which is the lnallenable
ri sht of man protected III their right to
rap the benefits Of the exhiustless treas
ures of their country. -
Tho offer made by my predecessor In
Arril, 1896, rendering tho friendly offices
OF this government failed. Any mediation
on our part was not accepted. In brief,
tho answer was: "Thero is no efTectual
way to pacify Cuba unless it begins with
tho actual submission of the rebels to tho
mother country"
Then only could Spain act in the prom
Used direction of her own motion and after
her own plan.
Tho Cruel Policy Of Concentration.
The cruel policy of concentration was
initiated Feb Is, 1895. The distsicts con-
trolled by the Spanish armies were de-
populated. The agricultural inhabitants
were herded in and about the garrison
towns, their lands laid waste and their
dwellings destroyed This policy the late
cabinet Of Spain justified rs q necessary
measure of war and as q means of cutting
off supplies from the insurgents. 1t has
utterly failed as war measure 1t Was
not civilized warfare. 1t was extermina-
ton.
Has Repeatedly Protested.
Against this abuse of rights of war
have felt constrained on repeated occa-
sions to enter the firm and 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. fclt it my first duty to make
instand 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,
citizens of the United States, had been
given their freedom. For the relief of our
own citizens, suffering because Of the con-
flict, the aid Of congress was sought in q
special message, and under the appropria-
ton of April 4, 1897, effective aid has been
given to American citizens in Cuba, many
Of them at their own request having been
returned to the United States
Minister Woodford's Instructions.
The instructions given to our new min
lister to Spain before his departure for his
post directed him to impress it upon that
government the sincere wish of the Unit
ed States to lend it's aid toward the end
ine of the war in Cuba by reaching a
peaceful and lasting result, just and hon
orable alike to Spain and the Cuban peo-
ple. These instructions recited the char
acter and duration of the contest, the
widespread losses it entails, the burdens
and restraints it imposes upon us, with
constant disturbance OF national interests
and the injury resulting from an indefinite
continuance of this state of things. 1t
was stated that at this juncture our
government was constrained to strenu-
Ously inquire if tho time was not ripe
when Spain, Of her own volition, moved
by her own interests and every sentiment
Of humanity, should put stop to this de-
structive war and make proposals OF set
Element honorable to herself and just to
her Cuban colony It was urged that a
neighboring nation with large interests
in Cuba could be required to wait only q
reasonable time for the mothercountry to
establish its authority and restore order
within the borders of the island; that We
could not contemplate as indefinite period
for the accomplishment of this result.
No Humiliation in the Proposal.
No solution was proposed to which tho
slightest idea of humiliation to Spain
could attsch, and, indeed, precise pro-
posals were withheld to avoid eInbarrass-
ment to that government. All that was
asked or expected was that some safe way
might he speedily provided and perma-
nent peace restored. 1t 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 had
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, and his arrival In Spain, the
statesman who had shaped the policy of
a., A~N1 L. ~ H., ~l 49, ooo3v