The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-05
The Annual Message Delivered
to House and Senate.
1t is Largely Devoted to a Re-
view of the War.
INDEPENDENT GU BA.
Calls Attention to Our Obliga-
tiOns to the Island.
Recommends An Increased APP
preparation For Paris
Exposition.

washington, Dec. 5.-The president
today submitted to congress his annual
message as follows:
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tives:
Notwithstanding the burdens rendered
necessary by the war, our people re-
joice in a very satisfactory and steadily
increasing degree of prosperity, evil
denced by the largest volume of bust
ness ever recorded. Every manutac-
ture has been productive, agricultural
pursuits have yielded abundant returns,
labor in the fields of industry is better
rewarded, revenue legislation passed py
the present congress has increased the
treasury's receipts to the amount esll-
mated by its authors, the nnanceS Oh the
government have been successfully ad-
ministered and its credit advanced TO
the first rank; While its credit has Deen
maintained at the worlds hlgheSt
standard. Military service under com
mon flag and for q righteous cause mas
strengthened the national spirit ana
served to cement more closely than ever
the fraternal bonds between every sec
ton of the country. A review or the
relation of the United States to other
powers, always appropriate, IS TINS year
of primary importance in view of the
1nomentiOus issues which have arisen,
demanding in one instance the ultimate
determination by arms and involving
consequences
require the earnest attention OF con-
gress.
In my last annual message very full
consideration was given to the question
of the government of the United States
in it's relation toward Spain and the Gu
ban inSurrectiOn, as being by lar the
most important problem with which We
We're then called upon to deal The
considerations then advanced, and the
exposition of the views therein express
sed disclosed my sense of the extreme
gravity of the situation. Setting aside,
as logically unfOunded, or practically
inadmissable, the recognition of the Gu
ban insurgents as belligerents, the rec
OgnitiOn of the independence OF cuba,
neutral intervention to end the war by
imposing a rational compromise between
the contestants, intervention in favor OF
one or the other party and fOrcible an
nexatiOn of the island, 1 concluded 1t
was honestly due to our friendly rela-
lions with Spain that she should be Civ
a chance to realize her expectations Of
reform to which she had become If
reVOcably committed. Within a few
weeks previously she had announced a
comprehensive plan which it was conf
IDENTIFY asserted would be efhcaclOus to
remedy the evils so deeply affecting
our own country, so injurious to the
true interests of the mother country IS
well as to those of Cuba, and SO repug-
nant to the universal sentiment of hui
manity.
The ensuing month brought little sign
of real progress towards the pacihcatiOn
of Cuba. The autonomous administra.-
ton set at work in the capitol and some
of the principal cities appeared not to
gain the favor of the Inhabitants nor be
able to extend it's influence to the large
extent of territory held by the insurg-
ents. while the military arm obviously
unable to cope with the still active re-
belliOn, continued many of the most OBJ
jectiOna BILE and offensive policies of the
government that had preceded it. No
tangible relief was afforded the vast
numbers of unhappy recOncentradOS,
despite the reiterated professions made
in that regard, and the amount apprO-
priated by Spain to that end. The
preferred eXpedient of zones of Guilt
walton proved illusOry; indeed no less
practical nor more deluSiVe preSimes of
succor could well have been rendered
in that regard, and the amount apprO-
stripped of all that made life and home
dear and herded in a strange region
among unsympathetic strangers hardly
less necessitOus 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 40 per cent
from the time General Weyler's decree
of RECOMMENDATION was enforced. With
the aCquiescence of the Spanish author
tiles a scheme was adopted for relief
by charitable contributions raised in
this country and distributed under the
direction of the consul general and the
several consuls, by noble and earnest in
dividual effort through the organized
agencies of the American Red Cross
Thousands of lives were thus saved but
many thousands more were inaccessible
to such forms of aid.
The war continued on the old footing
without any comprehensive plan. de-
VelOping only the same spasmodic en-
countries, barren of stragetic result
that had marked the course of the ear
lier ten years rebellion as well as the
present insurrectiOn from its start. No
alternative save physical exhaustion of
either cOmbatant, and thereWithal the
practical ruin of the island, lay in sight.
but how far distant no one could ven
ture to conjecture.
At this juncture, on the 18th of Feb
Tuary, last, occurred the destruction of
the battleship Maine, while rightfully
lying in the harbor of Havana on a mis-
zion of International courtesy and good
Will, catastrOphy the suspicious nature
and horror of which stirred the nations
heart profoundly. 1t is a striking ev-
ldence of the poise and sturdy good
sense distinguishing our national char
acter that this shocking blow falling
upon a generous people, already deeply
Ioucheu Dy preceding events in Cuba,
dld not move them to an instant, des-
pefaIe resolve to tolerate no longer the
existence of a condition of danger and
disorder at our doors that made Dossf-
Die such deed by whOmsoever
wrought Yet, the instinct of Justice
prevailed and the nation anxious
" awaiting the result of the
searching investigati ons at once set on
foot. The finding of the naval board of
inquiry established that the origin Of
the explosion was external by a slIbu7a-