Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-04-14
1T MUST BE BROUGHT ABOUT AT
ONCE.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Existing Conditions in Cuba Are In
tolerable-Armed Intervention but
not Recognition the Plan Advised
Authority Sought for Taking
Action Without Delay.

Washington. April 1.-THE presi-
dent Monday sent his long expected
message on the Cuban situation to
| congress. The president favors in
PREVENTION to terminate hostilities, and
asks discretionary authority, but OPP
poses recognition of the present Gu
ban government. He asks congress to
authorize the president to take meas
ures to secure the termination of hos
tilities in Cuba and secure the es-
tabishment of peace there and au-
thority to use the military and naval
forces of the United States for this
purpose. He says the only hope OF
relief from a condition which can no
longer be endured is the enforced
pacfication of the island. The issue
Is now with congress, and he awaits
it's action, standing prepared to carry
out every obligation imposed on him
by the constitution. SPANS decree
for suspension of hostilities is sub
mitted to congress for it's just and
careful attention, with the observa-
ton that If the measure reaches a
successful result then our aspirations
as peace-loving people will be
realized. II it fails, it will only be
another justification for our con-
tomplated action" The Maine in
cident figures prominently in the
message. The president argues that
the wreck of the Maine in Havana
harbor shows Spain is not able to
guarantee security to foreign vessels
pain has disavowed any connection
with the disaster and offers to submit
to arbitration all differences which
may arise from the affair.
He points out that the present rev.
olution is only the successor to SINH
lar revolutions for nearly half CEN
fury, each of which has caused this
nation great expense in preserving
neutrality; has inflicted enormous
losses on our commerce, caused irri-
tation and annoyance among our cit
liens and by the exercise of cruel,
barbarous and unciviliZed practices
Of warfare, shocked the sensibilities
and offended the humane sympathies
of our people" The president de-
clares that fertile domain has been
ravaged by fire and sword in strug-
gle rarely paralleled in the number OF
combatants and the bitterness of the
contest by any revolution of modern
times. A once prosperous community
has been reduced to comparative
want, it's commerce paralyZed, its
fields laid waste, its people perishing
by tens of thousands from hunger and
restitution" The message then cites
! the efforts of this country to perform
its duty as neutral, the consequent re-
strictions on our commerce and losses
to our citizens a perilous unrest has
grown up among our own citizens, find
ing expression from time to time in
congress, making an entirely outside
issue stand in the way of devotion to
our domestic advancement. He con-
tinues:
The evils evident from which our
country suffered through the Cuban
war became 50 onerous that my pre-
decessor made an effort to bring about
peace through the mediation of this
government in any way tending to
honorable adjustment of the contest
between Spain and her revolted colony,
on the basis of some effective scheme
of self-government for Cuba under the
, flag and sovereignty of Spain. 1t
| failed through the refusal Of the Span
ish government then in power to con-
slider any form Of mediation or indeed
any plan of settlement which did not
begin with the actual submission OF
1 the insurgents to the mother country,
and then only on terms that Spain
might see fit to grant. The war con-
, tinued undated. The efforts of Spain
fresh levies to Cuba, and by the addi-
ton to the horrors of the strife of a
new and inhuman phase, happily UNI
precedented in modern history of 4
civilized people. The policy of devas-
| tatlOn and concentration, inaugurated
October, 1896, in the province Of Pinal
Del Rio, and extended to embrace al
the island which the power of Spanish
arms was able to reach by occupation
or by military operations" Then fol.
lows a review of the effects in four OF
the central and western provinces
where 100000 agriculturlsts were
driven from their lands to starve ir
towns, and 80 per cent. have since
died.
The message declares that reconcen'
tration is not civilized warfare, but ex
termination. THE only peace it coult
beget is that of the wilderness and tn,
grave, After the fierce activity of tn,
second year of the war matters settled
down to n logged struggle in which
the Spanish demand for submission o
the insurgents appeared to approach
no nearer realization. This brought
matters down to the message of las
December. The assassination OF Pre-
mier Canovas, and the change of gov
eminent with change of policy is thel
dealt with, and the movement in tn
jirartinn re yronftpg a uaaaSura n