Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-04-20

three members representing the American
National Red Cross and the religious and
! business elements of the community. The
| efforts of that committee have been I'M
| firing and accomplished much. Nearly
| 5000. 900 in money and supplies has already
reached the sufferers. and more is forth
| coming. Thousands OF lives have already
been saved. The necessity for a change
| Is recognized by the Sjanish gov
eminent Within a few days past
| the orders of Gen. Weyler have
been revoked. the reconcentrados
are, it Is said, to be permitted to return
to their homes. and aided to resume the
self-supporting pursuits of peace; public
works have been ordered to give them
employment, and sum of 100000 has
been appropriated for their relief.
THE war in Cuba Is of such a nature
that short of subjugation or extermina-
ton. final military victory for either side
seems impracticable. The alternative lies
In the physical exhaustion of the one or
the other party, or perhaps of both--a
condition which in effect ended the ten
years war by the truce of Zanjon. The
prospect of such a protraction and con-
clusion Of the present strife Is con-
tingency hardly to be contemplated with
equanimity by the civilized world and
least of all by the United States, affected
and injured as We are. deeply and init
mately. by its very existence.
Realizing this. II appeared to be my du-
ty, in spirit of true friendliness. no less
to Spain than to the Cubans who have
so much TO lose by the PRONUNCIATION of
tho struggle. to seek to bring about an
immediate termination of the war. To
this end 1 submitted on the 9th ultimo..
as a result of much representation and
correspondence through the United States
minister at Madrid, propositions to the
Spanish government looking to an armis-
tice until Oct. l. for the negotiation of
peace with the good Offices OF the presl-
dent.
1.-THE reply OF the Spanish authorities
was received on tho night OF the 31st
ultimo. 1t offers. as the means to bring
about peace in Cuba, to confide the prep
aratiop thereof to the insular department.
inasmuch as the concurrence OF that body
would be necessary 10 reach a fH:al result.
IL being, however, understood that the
powers reserved by that constitution to
the central government are not lessened
or diminished. AS the Cuban parliament
does not meet until the fourth of May
next, the Spanish government would not
object, for its part. to accept at once a
suspension of hostilities. IL asked for by
the insurgents from the general-in-chief.
to whom Ii would pertain. in such case.
to determine the duration and conditions
of the arrnistice. From Gen. woodfords
explanatory reports OF preliminary discus
sions preceding the final conference 1t is
understood 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
negotiations or indirectly by means of leg
islation does not appear.
with the last overture In the direction
Of immediate peace and its disappointing
reception by Spain. the executive was
brought to the end Of his effort.
In my annual message of December
last L said:
of the untried measures there remain:
Recognition of the insurgents as belliger-
ents. recognition of the independence OF
Cuba, neutral Intervention to end the war
by imposing a rational compromise be-
tween the contestants and Intervention In
favor of one or the other party. I speak
not OF forcible annexation. for that can
not be thought of. That by our code OF
morality. would be criminal aggression.
"Thereupon I reviewed these alterna-
tives. in the light Of President Grants
measured words. uttered in 1915. when
after seven years of sanguinary. destruc-
tive and cruel barbarlties in Cuba he
reached the conclusion that the recogni-
ton OF the independence OF Cuba was i'm
practicable and indefensible, and that the
recognition of belligerence was not war
ranted by the facts according to the tests
OF public law. / commented especially up
on the latter aspect of the question, point
ing out the Inconvenience and positive
dangers OF recognition of belligerency
which, while adding to the already oner-
Gus burdens OF neutrality within our own
jurisdiction could not in any way extend
our influence or effective Offices In the ter
ritory of hostilities. Nothing has since
occurred to change my view In this re-
garland recognize as fully now as then
that Ia te..a 80
neutrality, by which process the so-called
recognition of belligerence is published,
could. OF itself and unattended by other
action. accomplish nothing toward the one
end for which we labor, the instant paci-
fication OF Cuba and the cessation of the
misery that affiicts the island.
Turning to the question of recognition
at this time of the independence of the
present insurgent government in Cuba. we
find safe presidents in our history from
an early day. They are well summed up
in President Jackson's message to con-
gress, Dec. 81. 1886. on the subject of the
recognition OF the independence OF Texas.
He said: The uniform policy and practice
OF the United States is to avoid all inter-
ference in disputes which merely relate to
the internal government of other nations,
and eventually to recognize the authority
OF the prevailing party without reference
to our particular interests and views, or
to the merits of the original controversy.
But on this. as on every other trying
occasion. safety is to be found in a rigid
adherence to principle. BY pursuing 1t.
we are but carrying out the long estab-
lished policy OF our government, policy
which has secured to us respect and influ-
ence abroad and inspired confidence at
home"
The president continues:
IT do not think 1t would be wise or pru-
dent for this government to recognize at
the present time the Independence OF the
so-called Cuban republic. To commit this
country now to the recognition OF any par
ticular government in Cuba might subject
US to embarrassing conditions OF interna-
tional obligation toward the organization
so recognized. When II shall appear here
after that there is within the island a gov
eminent capable of performing the du-
ties and discharging the functions OF a
separate nation. and having as a matter
OF fact. the proper forms and attributes
of nationality, such government can be
promptly and readily recognized and the
relations and interests OF the United
States with such nation adjusted
There remain the alternative forms of
intervention to end tho war, either as an
impartial neutral by imposing a rational
compromise between the contestants, or
as the active ally OF the one party or the
other.
1.-The forcible intervention OF the United
States as a neutral. to stop the war. ac-
cording TO the large dictates OF humanity,