The times., 1898-12-06
To the senate and House of Repre-

dered necessary by the war, our people
rejoice in very satisfactory and stead
iiy increasing degree of prosperity evi-
denced by the largest volume of business
ever recorded. Manufacture has been pro-
ductive agricultural pursuits have yield
ed abundant returns, labor in all fields of
industry is better rewarded, revenue leg
islation passed by the present Congress
has increased the Treasury's receipts to
the amount estimated by its authors; the
finances of the Government have been
successfully administered and its credit
advanced to the first rank: while. its cur
rency has been maintained at the world s
highest standard. Military service under
common flag and for a righteous cause
has strengthened the National spirit and
served to cement more closely than ever
the fraternal bonds between every section
of the country.
A review of the relation of the United
States to other powers, always appropri-
ate, is this year of primary Importance in
view of the momentous issues which have
arisen, demanding in one instance the
ultimate determination by arms and in
volving far-reaching consequences which
will require the earnest attention of the
Congress.
CAUSES OF THE WAR WITH SPAIN.
In my last annual message very full
consideration was given to the question
of the duty of the Government of the
United States toward Spain and the Gu
ban insurrection as being by far the most
important problem with which We were
then called upon to deal. The considera-
lions then advanced, and the exposition
of the views therein expressed. disclosed
my sense of the extreme gravity of the
situation. Setting aside. logically nm
founded or practically inadmissible. the
recognition of the Cuban insurgents as
belligerents, the recognition of the inde-
pendence of Cuba neutral intervention TO
end the war by imposing rational COM
promise between the contestants. inter-
yentien in favor Of one or the other party,
and forcibie annexation of the Island,
concluded ii was honestly due to our
friendly relations with Spain that she
should be given reasonable chance to
realize her expectations of reform to
which she had become irrevocably COM
mitted.- Within a few weeks previously
she had announced comprehensive plans
which it was confidently asserted would
be efficacious to remedy the evils SO deep
ly affecting our own country, so injurious
10 the true interests of the mother coun-
try well as to those Of Cuba and so
repugnant to the universal sentiment of
humanity.
The ensuing month brought little sign
of real progress toward the pacification
of Cuba. The autonomous administra-
uons set up in the capital and some of
the principal cities appeared not to gain
the favor of the inhabitants nor TO be
able to extend their influence to the large
extent of territory held by the insur-
gents, while the military arm, obviously
unable to cope with the still active rebel
lion, continued many of the most objec-
uonable and offensive policies of the gov
ernment that had preceded il No tangi-
BILE relief was afforded the vast numbers
of unhappy reconcentrados despite the re-
iterated professions made in that regard
and the amount appropriated BY Spain
to that end The profered expedient of
zones of cultivation proved iIlusory; in
deed no less practical nor more delusive
promises of succor could well have been
rendered to the exhausted and destitute
people. stripped of all that made life and
home dear and herded in strange region
among unsympathetic strangers hardly
less necessitous than themselves.
sUFFERINGs OF THE CUBANs.
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 40 per cent from
the time Gen. Weyler's decree of recon-
centration was enforced. With the ac-
quiescence of the Spanish authorities a
scheme was adopted for relief by charita-
BILE contributions raised in this country
and distributed, under the direction of the
consul general and the several consuls.
by noble and earnest individual effort
through the organized agencies of the
American Red Cross. Thousands of lives
were thus saved, but many thousands
aid.
The war continued on the old footing
without comprehensive plan, developing
only the same spasnlodic encounters, bar
ren of stratgetic result that had marked
the course of the earlier ten years re-
bellion as well as the present insurrec-
ton from its start. No alternative save
physical exhaustion of either combat
ant, and therewithal the practical ruin of
the Island, lay in sight, but how far dis
tant no one could venture to conjecture.
DESTRUCTION OF THE MAINE
At this juncture on the 18th of Febru-
ary last, occurred the destruction of the
battleship Maine while rightfully lying in
the harbor of-Havana mission of in
ternational courtesy and good villa ca
tastrophe the suspicious nature and hor-
ror of which stirred the nations heart
profoundly. 1t is a striking evidence of
the poise and sturdy good sense distin-
gushing our national character that this
shocking blow, falling upon a generous
people. already deeply touched by pre-
ceding events in Cuba, did not move them
TO an instant, desperate resolve 10 toer-
ate no longer the existence of a
condition of danger and disorder at our
doors that made possible such a deed, by
whomsoeyer wrought. Yet the instinct
of justice prevailed and the nation anx-
iously awaited the result of the searching
investigation at once set on foot The
finding of the naval board of inquiry es-
tablished that the origin of the explosion
was external by submarine mine, and
only halted, through lack of positive tes-
timony, to fix the responsibility of its au-
thorship.
Ali these things carried conviction to
the most thoughtful, even before the find
ing of the naval court, that crisis in
our relations with Spain and toward Cuba
was at hand So strong was this belief
that it needed but a brief Executive sug-
gestion to the Congress to receive immed-
late answer 10 the duty of making instant
provision for the possible and perhaps
speedy probable emergency of war, and
the remarkeable, almost unique. spectacle
was presented of unanimous vote OF
both Houses on the 9Th of March. appro-
pria.--ig fifty million dollars .for the ma
tionai defense and for each and every
purpose connected Herewith. to be ex-