The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-04-14
BY FORCE OF ARMS.
CONTINUED FROM PAGEI.

an money and supplies has already reached
the sufferers, and more is forthcoming.
The supplies are admitted duty free, and
transportation to the interior has been ar
ranged, so that the relief, at first neces-
sarily confined to Havana and the larger
cities, is now extended through most, if
not all, of the towns where suffering eX-
lists. Thousands of lives have already
been saved.
Necess ty for a Change Recognized.
The necessity for change in the con-
Aition of the reconcentrados is recognized
by the Spanish government. Within a
few days past, the orders of General Wey-
Ter have been revoked. The reconcentra-
dos it is said, are to be permitted to re-
turn to their homes and aided to
resume the self-supporting pursuits OF
peace; public works have been ordered to
give them employment and sum OF
$500, 600 has been appropriated for their
relief The war in Cuba is of such ma
ture that short of subjugatiOn or exter-
animation a final military victory for either
side seems impracticable. The alternative
lies in the physical exhaustion of the one
or the other party or perhaps both, a con-
siition which, in effect, ended the ten
years war, by the truce of Zanjohn.
The prospect of such prOtraction and
conclusion VI tho present strife Is a con-
tingency hardly to be contemplated with
-equanimity by the civilized world, and
least of all by the United States affected
and injured as we are, deeply and init
mately by it's very existence.
Proposed an Armistice.
Realizing this, it appears to be my duty
in spirit of true friendliness no less to
Spain than to the Cubans who have so
much to lose by the prolongation of the
struggle, to seek to bring about an imme
adiate termination of the war. To this
end submitted, on the 27th ultimo, as q
result of much representation and CORE
spondence, through the u nited States
minister at Madrid. propositions to the
Spanish government looking to an arm,
istice until Oct. for the PRONUNCIATION of
peace. In addition l asked for the imme
udiate revocation of the order of recon-
Gentration 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, operating with
the Spanish authorities, so as to afford
full relief.
The Reply of Spain.
The reply of the Spanish cabinet was
received on the night of the 3lst ultlmo.
1t offers, as the means to bring about
peace in Cuba, to confide the preparation
thereof to the insular department., mas
much as the concurrence of that body
would be necessary to reach final result,
it being, however, understood that the
powers reserved by the constitution to the
central government are not lessened or
diminished. AS the Cuban parliament
does not meet till the 4th of May next, the
Spanish government would not object,
for its part, to accept at once a suspen-
sion of hostilities, if asked by
the insurgents from the general-in-chief,
to whom it would pertain in such case to
determine the duration and conditions of
the armisti:e. The propositions submit
ted by General WoodfOrd and the reply of
the Spanish government were both in the
Sorm of brief memorandas the texts OF
which are before me, and are substan-
tally in the language above given. The
function of the Cuban parliament in the
matter of ''nreparing" peace and the mat
ter of its doing SO are not expressed i'll the
Spanish memorandum; but from General
WoodfOrd's explanatory reports of pre-
Hminary discussions preceding the final
conference it is understood that the Span
iSh government stands ready to give the
insular congress full powers to settle the
terms of peace with the insurgents,
whether by direct negotiation or indi-
rcctly by means of legislation, does not
appear.
With this last overture in the direction
of immediate peace and it's disappointing
reception by Spain, the executive was
brought to the end of his effort.