The record-union., 1898-04-10

only four persons outside the Canlnet-
All leading men in the National Gov
ernment-and it is most significant that
each of these four men now expresses
his personal belief that war IS mev-
liable. Having seen what the Presl-
dent will communicate to Congress,
they declare that no other result is
accessible.
The opening part of the message is
devoted to a terse review OF the whole
Cuban insurrection. 1t is shown that
it directly concerns the people OF the
United States. their interests in the
islands and on the high seas. Ihe
patience of our people, what they have
done and what they have forebore to
do, is pointed out
The President then recited SPECIFIC
acts. showing the origin and spread OF
anarchy in the island. He refers IN
detail to the devastation of fertile
plantations. He points out the starNa-
ton of an innocent and iRoffenslve peo-
pie as a result of this anarchy, Whlch
the Spanish Government has never
been able to quell, and in which, re-
/ Gently. Spanish officers have partlci-
mated. This theme OF existing an
/ archy in fact. runs through all the
/ essage-anarchy is the whole history
/ of the Cuban war as the President
himself terms it. It is against this
anarchy that the forces of the United
States are to be promptly used, if the
Spanish Government at the final hour
does not grant the concessions abso-
i1utelv necessary to remove and destroy
/ it.
4 ntya+c l.
| cation for interference of the United
States. He clearly expresses that this
| interference should take the form OF
| forcible intervention, so that the an
archy and lawlessness now existing
shall have an immediate end.
There are two counts in the indict-
ment drawn by the President both due
| to Spain's complete failure to maintain
/ law and order. The first count is the
menace to the commerce of the world
| and particularly to that part when IS
supported by the United States and
/ protected by it's flag. The President
gives specific instances of the deprecla-
! ton of American commerce With the
/ West Indies, since the virtual over
throw of civil government in Cuba was
accomplished by the creation of gov
ernment which has its foundation IL
anarchy.
But it is in the second count thai
! the President describes to the people
of the United States the terrible re-
suits of this lawlessness under Span
isI1 rule Here he deals with the de-
struction of the Maine. In plain, forci-
bic language the President declares
that the blowing up of the battleshiI
in Havana harbor was the direct re-
suit of the failure of the Spanish, the
Cuban or any Government claiming tC
administer the laws in the island OF
Cuba, to suppress the condition of an
archy existing there.
Then there is set forth this note
worthy fact: The Spanish Government
has not. since the day the Maine was
destroyed either through its diplomat
| ic representative in Washington ol
| through the American representative
in Madrid, disavowed the RESPONSE
bility for that destruction The Presi
dent points out as evidence of the dis
courtesy of Spain the failure Of tht
Government to establish the innocence
of its agents in connection with tht
loss Of so many lives on the~shfp o.
a friendly nation within the jurisdiction
Of it's own alleged Government A:
for Spain's protest against being helC
responsible for the loss of the battle
ship, the President treats that as {
simple diplomatic protection, having
no tangible evidence to support it.
The sole declaration In the protes
of Spain at all worthy of consideration
in the Presidents opinion, is the as
sumption that the cause of the eXplo
sion was internal, but he insists tina
the Spanish Government has not pre-
sented q single fact to Justify thi
theory.
Tn message does not contain a singl'
encouraging word for the so-calleC
Government of the Republic of Cuba
The President does not suggest an!
recognition of the Republic of Cuba
He says he does not know that th'
people of Cuba are in full accord Will
the so-calied Republic That is a mat
ter, he thinks, for them to settle fo
themselves, without reference to TIL
United States or the interference b.
the United States.
The President most vigorously set
forth his position as not intending tina
! a declaration of war shall imply wa
ing to our code of morals. would be ;
crime. There is no desire on the par
of the American people to profit by tn
misfortunes of Spain.
The Presidents treatment of the an
nexation proposition is not encourag
ing to it's promoters The United States
he declares, does not desire to acquir
territory It's intervention is inspire,
by it's desire as a civilized Government
to check the barbarities that hav
characterized the anarchistic war nov
reigning in Cuba The civilized cod
of war has been disregarded, the Presi
dent says, no less by the Spaniard
than by the Cubans The existing con
ditions cannot but fill this Government
and the American people with tn
greatest apprehension.
The message furnishes no defnit
conclusion as TO the next step to b
taken. 1t merely suggests that III
facts which the President sets fort
justify immediate action by Congress
The message itself bears evidenc
that the President has purposely re
Trained from making direct and spe
cific recommendations.