The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-04-13

effective amelioration of the condition OF the
island, although not accepted in any shape.
were metsby assurances that home rule, in an
advanced phase, would be forthwith offered
to Cuba, without waiting for the war TO end,
and that more humane methods should hence
forth prevail in the conduct OF hostilities. CO.
incidentally with these declarations the new
government OF Spain continued and completed
the policy already begun by its predecessor,
Of testfyng friendly regard for this nation by
releasing American citizens held under one
charge or another connected with the insur-
rection, SO that by the end Of November, not
single person entitled in any way to our
national protection remained in Spanish
prison.
While these negotiations were in progress
the increasing destitution OF the unfortunate
reconcentrados and the alarming mortality
among them claimed earnest attention. The
success which had attended the limited meas
IRE OF relief extended to the suffering Amer-
can citizens among them by the judcious ex::
penditure through the consular agencies OF
the money appropriated expressly tor their
succor by the joint resolution approved May
"a, 1897, prompted the humane extension OF
similar scheme OF aid to the great body OF
sufferers. A suggestion to this end was ac
guessed in by the Spanish authorities. On
the oath OF December last | caused to be issued
an appeal to the American people, inviting
contributions in money or in kind for the
succor of the starving sufferers in Cuba fol-
lowing this on the 8th of January by a sim
liar public. announcement OF the formation OF
AuDdn Tellel COtnHlttce VIII UeauQudI-
ters in New York city, composed OF three
members representing the American National
Red Cross and the religious and business ele-
ments OF the community. The efforts OF that
committee have been untiring and have ac'
complshed much. Arrangements for free
transportation to Cuba have greatly aided the
charitable work. The president OF the Amer
ican Red Cross, and representatives OF otheI
contributory organizations have generously
visited Cuba and cooperated with the consul
general and the local authorities to make CT.
fective distribution of the relief collected
through the efforts OF the central committee.
Nearly 100000 in money and supplies has al
ready reached the sufferers, and more is forth
coming. The supplies are admitted duty free,
and transportation to the interior has been ar
ranged, so that the relief, at first necessarily
confined to Havana and the larger cities, is
now extended through most, il not ALL OF the
towns where suffering exists Thousands OF
lives have already been saved. The necessity
for change in the condition Of the reconcen
trados is recognized by the Spanish govern.
mcnt. Within few days past the orders OF
Gen. Weyler have been revoked, the recon-
centrados are, it is said, to be permitted to re-
turn to their homes, and aided to resume the
selfsupporting pursuits of peace; public works
have been ordered to give them employment,
and sum Of 100000 has been appropriated
for their relief
The war in Cuba is OF such a nature that
short OF subjugation or extermnaton hnai
military. victory for either side seems i'm
ne ALTERNATIVE lies III tHe pnySl-
cal exhaustion of the one or the. other party,
or perhaps of both-a condition which in effect
ended the ten years war by the truce OF
Zanjon. The prospect OF such protracnon
tingency hardly to be contemplated with
equanimity by the civilized world, and least
OF all by the United States, affected and in
jured as we are, deeply and intimately by its
very existence.
Realizing this, it appeared to be my duty,
in spirit of true friendiness no less to
Spain than to the Cubans who have so
much to lose by the .proongaton OF the
struggle, to seek to bring about an immei
| submitted, on the 9th ult., as result OF
much representation and correspondence,
through the United States minister at Madrid,
propositions to the Spanish government look
ing to an armistice until October, l Tor the
negotiation of peace with the good offices OF
the president.
In addition 1 asked the immediate revo-
cation of the order of recommendation, so as
to permit the people to return to their farms
and the needy to be relieved with provisions
and supplies from the United States, CO.
operating with the Spanish authorities so as
to afford full relief. The reply OF the Spanish
cabinet was received on the night of the 31st
ult. 1t offers, as the means to bring about
peace in Cuba, to. conhde the preparation
thereof to the nsular parliament, inasmuch
as the concurrence of that body would be
| necessary to reach a final result, it being,
| by the constitution to the central government
| are not lessened or diminished As the Cuban
| parliament does not meet until the fourth ol
May next, the Spanish government would no,
object, for its part, to accept at once Sus
| pension OF hostilities il asked for by the in
surgents from the general-in-chef, to whom
| it would pertain, in such case, to determine
| the duration and conditions OF the armistice
| The propositions submitted by Gen. WoodtoTd
| and the reply of the Spanish government were
| both in the form OF brief memoranda the texts
| of which are before me--and are substantially
| in the language above given. The function OF
| the Cuban parliament in the matter of pre-
pairing peace and the manner of its doing
| so are not expressed in the Spanish memoran
| dunn but from Cen Woodford's explanatory
| reports of preliminary discussions proceeding
| the final conference, it is understood that
the Spanish government stands ready to give
| the insular congress full power to settle the
| terms OF peace with the insurgents whether
| by direct negotiation or indirectly by means
OF legislation does not appear.
| With this last overture in the direction o
immediate peace and its disappointing recep
ton by Spain, the executive was brought tc
| the end of his effort.
In my annual message of December last
| I said: "Of the untried measures there re
main only: Recognition OF the insurgents
| as bclligerents; recognition OF the independence
| OF Cuba; neutral intervention to end the wal
| by imposing a rational compromise between
| the contestants. and intervention in favor o
| annexation. for that cannot be thought OF
| That, by our code OF morality, would be Grim
| inal aggression.
Thcreupon | reviewed these alternatives ir
| the light OF President Grants measured words
| uttered in 1875, when after seven years o.
sanguinary. destructive and cruel hostilite'
| in Cuba, he reached the conclusion that the
recognition of the independence OF Cuba wa'
| impracticable and indefensible and that the
recognition of begercncc was not warranted
by the facts according to the tests OF public
| law. | commented especially upon the lattel
aspect OF the question, pointing out the incon
| venienccs and positive dangers OF recognl
ton of begerence, which, while adding .tc
the already onerous burdens OF ncutralit,
within our own jurisdiction, could not in any
| way extend our influence or effective othce
in the territory OF host'Iltics. Nothing ha'
since occurred to change my view in this re
gard, and ! recognize as fully now as ther
| that the issuance of a proclamation of ncu
trality, by which process the so.calcd recogni
ton OF belligerence, IS published. could, o
itself and unattended by other action, accom-
| plsh nothing toward the one end tor which w
labor, the instant pacihcaton of Cuba anC
the cessation OF the misery that atfiicts TIN
| island.
Turning to the question OF recognizing a
| this time the independence OF the present in
surgent government in Cuba, we find SAT-
precedents in our history from an early day
They are well summed up in President Jack
| sons message to congress, December 2l, 1856
on the subject of the recognition OF the indie
pendence Of Texas. He said; I'm all th
contests that have arisen out OF the revolu
tions OF France, out Of the disputes relating
to the crowns OF Portugal and Spain, out o
the separation OF the American possessions o
both from the European governments, and ou
| OF the numerous and constantly occurring
struggles for dominion in Spanish. America, S,
wisely consistent with our just principles ha
been the action of our government that w
have. under the most critical circumstances
avoided all ccnsurc, and encountered no othe
evil than that produced by a transicn
arrangement of good will in those agains
whom we have been by force OF evidenc
compelled to decide.
at has thus made known to the worl,
that the uniform policy and practice of tn