The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-04-14

The assassination of the prime minister. Cano-
| vass, led to a change of government in Spain
The former administration pledged 10 suh1d-
CATION without concession gave place 10 that OF
| a more liberal party committed long in ad-
| vance to a policy OF reform Involving the wider
principle of home rule for Cuba and Puerto
Rico The overtures of this government, made
| through its envoy, Gen. Woodtord- and
looking 10 an immediate and effective ameloria-
tion OF the condition Of the island, although not
| accepted to the extent OF admitted mediation
| in any shape. were met BY assurances that
home rule, in an advanced phase, would be
| forth with offered to Cuba. without waiting for
| the war TO end, and that more humane methods
| should thenceforth prevail in the conduct OF
| hostilitles- Incidentally with these declara-
| tions. the new government OF Spain continued
| and completed the policy already begun by its
| predecessor OF testifyiug friendly regard for
| this nation by releasing American citizens
| held under one charge 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
The Starving Cubans Fed.
While these negotiations were in progress
the increasing restitution OF the unfortunate
reconeentracos and the alarming mortality
among them claimed earnest attention. The
success which had attended the limited meas
ure of relief extended to the suffering Ameri-
can citizens among them by the Judicious ex-
penditure through the consular agencies OF the
money appropriated expressly for their succor
by the joint resolution approved May %
1897, prompted the humane extension OF
a similar scheme Of aid to the
great body Of sufferers A suggestion to
this end was acquiesced in by the Spanish au-
thorities- On the cath of December last 1
caused to be issued an appeal to the American
people inviting contributions IN money or in
kind for the succor OF the starving SUI crers in
Cuba; following this the Sth Of January by
q similar public announcement OF the forma-
ton of a central Cuban relief committee,
with headquarters in New York city, COM
posed OF three members representing the
American national Red Cross and the religious
and business elements Of the community The
efforts of that committee have been untiring
and have accomplished much Arrangements
for free transportation to Cuba have greatly
aided the charitable work. The president of
the American Red Cross and representatives
of other contributory organizations have gem
erouSiy visited Cuba and cO-operated with the
consul general and the local authorities to
make effective distribution of the relief collect
ed through the efforts OF the central committee |
Nearly 1900. O00 in money and supplies has al |
ready reached the sufferers. and more is forth |
coming The supplies admitted duty |
free, and transportation to the interior has |
been arranged, so that the relief, at
first necessarily confined to Havana and |
the larger cities is now extended through most.
II not ALL of the towns where suffering exists |
Thousands of lives have already been saved. |
The necessity for a change in the condition OF
the reconcentrados Is recognized by the Span
lsh government Within u few days past the |
orders of Gen. Weyler have been revoked. the
reconcentrados are. il Is said to be permitted
to return to their homes and aided to resume
the self-supporting pursuits OF peace public
works having been ordered to give them en-
ployment and q sum of 1900, 900 has been appro-
priated for their relief
The war in Cuba is of such q nature that |
short of subjugation determination a final |
military victory for either side seems imprac-
ticable- The alternative lies in the physical
exhaustion Of the or the other party or |
perhaps Of both-a condition which, in effect
ended the ten years war by the truce OF Fan
jon The prospect of such q protractIon and
OF the present strife IS a contingency
hardly to be contemplated with equanimity by
the civilized world. and least of all by the
United States. affected and injured we are,
deeply and intimately by It's very existence.
Propositions Submitted to the Spanish.
Realizing this, 1t appears to be my duty in a
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 immediate termination OF the war. To
this end. submitted, on the 9th ultimo as a
result of much representation and correspond
ence. through the United States minister at
Madrid. propositions to the Spanish govern
nent. looking to an armistice until October l. |
or the negotiation OF peace with the good Of
ices OF the president In addition, 1 asked the ,
immediate revocation of the order of reconcen-
ration. so as to permit the people to return to
heir farms and the needy to be relieved with ,
provisions and supplies from the United States ,
cooperating with the Spanish authorities SO ;
IS to afford full relief. {
The reply of the Spanish cabinet was re- | :
eived on the night Of the 31st ultimo. 1t Of ,
ers, as the means to bring about peace in | :
'uoa to confde the preparation thereof to the :
nSular department fnasmuch as the concur | =
ence of that body would be necessary to reach :
hnal result 1t being however understood | {
hat the powers reserved by the constitution to | :
he central government are not lesSened or di- | r
Il NJ icn Nat :. f-.,l,a
acct until the 4th of May next, the Spanish .
overnment would not object, for its part to | r
ccept at once suspension of hostilities, il | N
sked for by the insurgents from the general | q
l-chief. TO whom it would pertain, in such | n
Ase to determine the duration and conditions =
the armistlce
The propositions submitted BY Gen Wood =
ord and the reply OF the Spanish government .
ere both in the form of brief memoranda !,
he texts OF which are before me, and are sub a
antlally in the language above given The =
motion OF the Cuban parliament in the matter | n
: preparing peace and the manner OF doing n
} are not expressed in the Spanish memo
'ndum; but from Gen Woodford's explana- | n
Try reports OF preliminary discussions proceed | +
g the final conference it is understood that | "
lie Spanish government stands ready to give | n
le insular congress full powers to settle the | AZ
rms OF peace with the insurgents whether | =;
direct negotiation or indirectly by means of ~
gisatfon does not appear. With this last | r,
'ertures in the direction Of immediate peace | a,
ID It's Disappointing reception by Spain. the | or
ecutive was brought to the end Of his effort | ~
What Was Said In the Last Message
In my annual message of December last s
i'd: "Of the untried measures there remain: | 10
scognition OF the insurgents hellfgerents; N
cognttion OF the independence OF Cuba; st
utral Intervention to end the war by sa
posing a rational compromise between III
e contestants and intervention in favor II
one or the other party" I speak not be
forcible annexation, for that cannot be 70
ought OF. That, by our code of morality | u,
'uld be criminal aggression Therefore I re-
swed these alternatives In the light Of Presi-
Mt Grants measured words uttered in 1875 | br
len after seven years OF sanguinary destruc-
e and cruel barbarities in Cuba he reached | IN
2 conclusion that the recognition Of the in | tic
pendence OF Cuba was impracticable and in | an
,ensible: that the recoSnitinr OF heilireranra m