Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-04-21

without Immediate Improvement Of thei
TALLY restricted the revoiutionists he'll
their own, and their submission. pu
forward by Spain as the essential and sol
| at the outset.
steps Taken for Relief.
In this state of affairs my administration
problem of it's duty. My message OF las
December reviewed the situation and de
| tailed the steps taken with view. of re
to some form Of honorable settlement. Thu
assassination Of the prime minister
b led to change e pe9s
to sub5ugation without concession gave
place to. that of a more liberal party, com
form in n9n the Wider Dc pTncipie
overtures ' of Of this government. made
and looking to an Immediate and effective
amelioration of the condition Of the is.
land, although not accepted to the extent
of admitted mediation In any shape were
advanced phase. would be forthwith Of
to cuba ,hGnt waiting for the
DDS should thenceforth prevail in the con-
duct OF hostilities. Incidentally with these
continued and Completed the policy "a already
begun by its predecessor of testifying
friendly regard for this, nation by releasing
or another connected with the instruction,
so that by the end Of November not a
single person entitled in any way to our
national protection remained In Spanish
prison.
An Appeal for Help.
While these negotiations were IN prog
fortunate reconcentrados and the alarming
mortality among them claimed earnest at
tention. The success which had attended
the suffering American citizens among
them by the judicious expenditure through
the consular agencies Of the money APP
propriated expressly for their succor by
the Joint resolution approved May "a, 1897,
prompted the humane extension Of a SIM
ilar. scheme of aid to tho great body of
acquiesced in by the Spanish authorities.
On the oath Of December last ! caused to
be issued an appeal to the American peo-
kind for the succor of the starving suffer
ers in Cuba, following this on the Sth Of
January by similar public announcement
of the formation of central Cuban relief
committee, with headquarters in New
York city, composed of three members rep
resenting the American National Red Cross
the community. The efforts of that COM
mittee, have been untiring and accom-
plished MUCH Arrangements for free trans
portation to Cuba have greatly aided the
charitable work. The president Of the
American Red Cross and representatives
visited Cuba and eo1operated
with the consul-general and the local au-
thorities to make effective distribution of
the central committee. Nearly $780, 600 in
money and supplies has already reached
the sufferers. and more is forthcoming
The supplies are admitted duty free, and
to the Interior has been
arranged, so that the relief, at first neces-
sarily confined to Havana and the larger
AL, of the towns where suffering exists.
Thousands of lives have already been
saved: The necessity for a change in the
nized by the Spanish government Within
a few days past the orders Of General Wey-
Ter have been revoked, the reconcentra-
turn to their homes and aided to resume
the self-supporting pursuits Of peace: pub
lie works have been ordered od to give them
appropriated for their relief.
Can See No End.
The war In Cuba is Of such a nature that
short Of subjugation or determination
lmpra cticable. The alternative lies in the
physical exhaustion of the one or the other
party party, %, or F perhaps Of both-a condition
by the truce of Zenjon. The prospect OF
such a protraction and conclusion Of the
present sen. strife Is ,eSntingency hardly to
United States, affected and injured as we
are, deeply and intimately, by it's very ex-
Stence.
Asked for an Armistice.
Realizing this. 1t appeared to be my duty,
n a spirit Of true friendHness, no less to
much to lose by the proiongation of the
struggle, to seek to bring about an imme-
liate termination of the war. To this end,
ult of much representation and CORE
spondence, through the United States min
ster at Madrid, propositions to the Span
II October L for the negotiation of peace
With the good offices of the president.
In addition asked the immediate revoca-
to permit the people to return to their
ARMS and the needy to be relieved with |
provisions and supplies, from the United
.horities so as to afford full relief.
The Reply of Spain.
The reply of the Spanish cabinet was
offers, as the means to bring about peace |
in Cuba. to confide the preparation thereof |
to the insular department, inasmuch as the |
sary to reach a final result. il heing, how |
ever, understood that the powers reserved |
he 4th of May next. the Spanish govern
he Cuban parliament does not meet until
the 4th Of May next, the Spanish govern |
ment would not object, for its part, to &C,
asked for by the Insurgents from the gen |
eral in chief, to whom it would pertain, in
such case, to determine the duration and |
conditions of the armistice.
The propositions submitted by Gen. |
Woodford and the reply OF the Spanish |
government were both in the form OF brief |
the texts of which are be- |
fore me-and are substantially in the Ian
suage above given. The function of the |
Cuban parliament in the matter Of pre- |
pairing" peace and the manner of it's do |
ng so are not expressed in the Spanish |
but from Gen. Woodford's |
explanatory reports of preliminary discus |
sions preceding the final conference it is |
that the Spanish government |
stands ready to give the insular congress |
full powers to settle the terms Of peace |
with the insurgents, whether by direct ne |
5otiations or indirectly. by means Of legis- |
ation. does not appear.
End OF Diplomacy.
with this last overture In the direction of |
Immediate peace ard it's disappointing re- |
ception by Spain, the executive was brought |
10 the end of his effort. !
In my ANIMAL message of December last |
said:
"Of the untried measures there remain:
of the insurgents as beliger- |
ants, recognition of the independence of |
Cuba, neutral intervention to end the |
war by Imposing a rational compromise |
between the contestants and the interview |
ton in favor Of one or the other marty. |
cannot be thought of. That, by our code |
Thereupon l reviewed these alternatives |
In the light of President Grants measured |
words, uttered in 1875, when after seven |
years of sanguinary, destructive and cruel |
barbarities in Cuba he reached the con- |
cluSiOn that the recognition of the inde- |