The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-06
CONGRESS GIVEN A FREE HAND
ONMOST IMPORTANT MATTERS
Summary of the Causes Leading Up to the War and an
Extensive Review of the War ItseIfIhe Protocol ard
Peace Negotiatons-No Recommendation as
to Form of Government for Porto
Rico and the Philippines.

exhausted anu ueStlUutS peopie Stiippcu
of al that made life and home dear and
herded in q strange e s,Un among Va
sympathetic strangers hlul. Jess neces
-. MS than themselves.
BY the end of December the mortality
among them had frightfully increased.
Conservative estimates from Spanish
sources placed the deaths among these
distressed people at over forty per cent
from the time General Weyler's decree
OF RECOMMENDATION was enforced. with
the acquiescence of the Spanish authorl-
ties scheme was adopted for relief by
charitable contributions raised In this
country and distributed under the direc'
ton of the Consul General and the sew
eral Consuls, by noble and earnest lndl-
vidual effort through the organized
agencies of the American Red Cross
Thousands of lives We're thus saved, but
many thousands more We're inaccessible
to such forms of aid.
The war continued on the old footing
without comprehensive plan, developing
only the same spasmodic encounters,
barren of strategic result, that had mark
ed the course of the earlier ten years
rebellion as well as the present insurrec-
ton from its start. No alternative save
physical exhaustion by either combatant,
and therewithal the practical ruin of
the Island. lay in sight but how far
distant no one could venture to conjcc-
ture.
DESTRUCTION OF THE MAINE.
At this juncture on the 18th of Feb
ruary last. occurred the destruction of
the battleship Maine while rightfully ~
ing in the harbor of Havana on a mis-
sion of international courtesy and good
villa catastrophe the suspicious nature
and horror of which stirred the nations
heart profoundly. 1t is striking evil
dence of the poise and sturdy good
sense distinguishing our national charac-
ter that this shocking blow, falling upon
a generous people, already deeply touch
ed by preceding events in Cuba did not
move them to an instant. desperate re-
solve to tolerate no longer the existence
of condition of danger and disorder al
our doors that made possible shaded by
wohmsoevcr wrought. Yet the instinct
of justice prevailed, and the nation
anxiously awaited the result of the
searching investigation at once set on
foot. The finding of the naval board
of inquiry established that the origin OF
the explosion was external by a sub.
marine mine and only hating. through
lack Of positive testimony, to fix the re.
sponsibility of its authorship.
HOW THE CRISIS WAS MET.
All these things carried conviction to
the most thoughtful. even before the
finding of the naval court. that crisis
i'll our relations with Spain and toward
Cuba was at hand. So strong was this
belief that it needed but a brief executive
suggestion to the Congress to receive
immediate answer TO the duty of max
ing instant provision for the possible ana
perhaps speedily probable emergency OF
war, and the remarkable, almost unique,
spectacle was presented of unanimous
vote Of both houses, on the 9th of March.
appropriating fifty million dollars "for
the national defense and for each and
every person connected Herewith to be
expended at the discretion of the Presf-
dent" That this act of provision came
none too soon was disclosed when the
application Of the fund was undertaken
Our coasts were practically undefended
Our navy needed large provision for in
creased ammunition and supplies, anC
even numbers to cope with any sudden
attack from the navy Of Spain, which
comprised modern vessels of the highes
type of continental perfection. Oul
army also required enlargement of meI
and ammunition. The details of the hn
ried preparation for the dreaded contin
gency is told in the reports of the Sec
retaries of the Navy, and need not be re
peated here 1t is sufficient to say tina
the outbreak of war, when it did come
found our nation not unprepared to NEE
the conflict.
/ THE ATTITUDE OF THE POWERS
Nor was the apprehension OF comins
/ strife confined to our own country. /
was fl by the continental powers which
on April 9th, through their Ambassador
and ENJOYS, addressed to the executiv
an expression of hope that humanity AM
! moderation might mark the course o
this government and people, and that fur
Their negotiations would lead to an agree
ment which. while securing the main
tenance of peace, would afford all neces
sary guarantees for the re-establishmen
of order i'm Cuba In responding to tina
representation, / said | shared the hop
the ENJOYS had expressed that peac
| might be preserved in a manner to ter
inmate the chronic condition Of disturb
ance in Cuba so injurious and menacin
to our interests and tranquility. as we
as shocking TO our sentiments of human
ity; and while approaching the human
itarian and disinterested character of tn
communications they had made on behal