Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-06
no the Senate and House of Represer

no the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
Notwithstanding the added burdens
rendered necessary by the war our peo-
ple are in a very satisfactory and
steadily increasing degree of prosperity
evidenced by the largest volume OF
business recorded Manufacture has
been productive, agricultural pursuits
have yielded abundant returns, labor
in all fields of industry is better re-
warded, revenue legislation passed by
The present Congress has increased the
treasury's receipts to the amount esti-
mated by its author; the finances of
the government have been successfully
administered and it's credit advanced
to the first rank; while its currency
has been maintained at the world s
highest standard. Military service I'M
der a common flag for a righteous cause
has strengthened the national spirit
and served to cement more closely than
ever the fraternal bonds between every
section of the country.
A REVIEW OF THE RELATION
of the United States to other powers,
always appropriate, is this year OF pri-
mary Importance in view of the mo-
mentous issues which have arisen, de-
manding in one instance the ultimate
determination by arms and involving
far-reaching consequences which will
require the earnest attention of the
Congress.
In my last annual message very full
consideration was given to the question
Of the duty of the government of the
United States toward Spain and the
Cuban instruction as being by far the
most important problem with which
we were then called upon to deal. The
considerations then advanced, and the
exposition of the views therein express
sed, disclosed my sense of the extreme
gravity of the situation. Setting aside,
as logically unfounded or practically
inadmissibIe, the recognition OF the
Cuban insurgents as belligerents, the
recognition of the independence of Gu
ba, neutral intervention to end the war
by imposing a rational compromise be-
tween the contestants, Intervention in
favor of one or the other party, and
forcible annexation of the island-T
concluded it was honestly due to our
friendly relations with Spain that she
should be given a reasonable chance
to realize her expectations of reform
to which she had become irrevocably
committed.
Within a few weeks she had an
nounced
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
(which it was confidently asserted would
efficacious to re1fedy the evils so
Aliyura ffecti6g oait own country, so
10 II iptnrpGtc ~ tho
Ter country as we'll as to those Of
Cuba, and SO repugnant to the uni
versal sentiment of humanity.
The ensuing month brought little
sign of real progress toward the pacifi
cation of Cuba.
BY the end OF December the mortali-
ty in Cuba had frightfully increased.
Conservative estimates from Spanish
sources placed the deaths among these
distressed people at over forty per cent.
from the time of Gen. Weyler's decree
of RECOMMENDATION was enforced. With
the acquiescence Of the Spanish author
tiles a scheme was adopted for relief
by charitable contributions raised in
this country.
On the 18th of February, last, oc-
Cured the destruction of the battleship
Maine, while rightfully lying in the
harbor of Havana on mission of 10
ternational courtesy and good villa
catastrophe the suspicious nature and
horror of which stirred the nations
heart profoundly. 1t is a striking evil
dence of the poise and sturdy good
sense distinguishing our national
character that this shocking blow, fall
ling upon a generous people, already
deeply touched by precarious events
in Cuba, did not move them to an in
slant, desperate resolve to tolerate the
existence of condition of ginger and
disorder at our doors that made pos
sible such a deed, by whomsoever
wrought. Yet the instinct of justice
prevailed and the nation anXiously
awaited the result of the searching in
vestigation at once set on foot. The