The Yale expositor., 1898-12-09
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
McMnIey's Communication to the
- Congress. s-------.-
1T WAS NOT VERY SENSATIONAL
Makes No Suggestions as to the Govern
mcnt of Our New Territory-wants
Bigger Navy and Army - Urges
Construction OF the Nicaragua Canal

Notwithstanding the added burdens rem
dered necessary by the war, our people re-
Joice in a very satisfactory and steadily
increasing degree of prosperity. evidenced
by the largest volume of business ever re-
corded Manufacture has been productive,
agricultural pursuits have yielded album
dant returns. labor i'm the fields of indus
try is better rewarded, revenue legislation
passed by the present congress has in
creased the treasury's receipts to the
amount estimated by its authors; the fin
ances of the government have been sue
cessfully administered and its credit adj
vanced to the first rank while its curren-
cy has been maintained at the world s
highest standard. Military service under
a 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 relations
OF the United States to other powers. al
ways appropriate. is this year of primary
importance in view of the momentous is
sues which have arisen, demanding in one
instance the ultimate determination by
arms and involving far-reaching conse-
quenCes, which will require the earnest at
tention of the congress.
Review OF Our War with Spain.
The president turns back the pages OF
history and after reviewing that portion
ton OF Cuba during the insurrection and
the hopelessness OF the reconccntradoes,
he continues;
the destruction of the battleship Maine,
while rightfully lying in the harbor OF
Havana on a mission OF international
courtesy and good villa catastrophe the
suspicious nature and horror OF which
stirred the nations heart profoundly. The
finding of the. naval board or inquiry eS-
tablshed that, the origin of the explosion
external nv a submarine mine ana
only halted through lack of positive test
mOny 70 fix the responsibility of it's au-
All these things carried conviction to
the most thoughtful, even before the ind
ing Of the naval court, that crisis In our
relations with Spain and toward CUBA
was at hand So. strong was this belief
that il needed but a brief executive Sug-
gestion to the congress TO receive imme-
date answer to the duty or making IN
slant provision for the possible ana per-
haps speedily probable emergency OF war,
and the remarkable almost unique, spec
tacle was presented OF unanimous vote
of both houses. on the. 9Th of March, APP
Dropriating $50 100000 for the national de-
Tense and for each and every purpose con-
nected herewith, to be expended az the
discretion of the President That TINS act
of provision came none too soon was dis
closed when the application OF the funu
was undertaken.
The President reviews the well-known
proceedings which preceded the declara-
-tion of war: of the endeaVors on the part
of the United States government to bring
about an amicable ending of the Cuban
struggle, whereby the people might be
made independent; of how spain qulDDleu
over the matter and virtually threw aside
our well-meant overtures. The President
then says
= Grieved and disappointed at this barren
outcome of my sincere endeaVors 10 reach
n practical solution, | felt 1t my DUTY 10
remit the whole question to the congress.
In the message of April IL, 1898, L an
that with this last overture IN
the direction of immediate peace in CUBA,
and its disappointing reception by SPAN
the effort of the executive was brought to
an end. l again reviewed the alternative
course OF action which l had proposed,
that the only one consonant
with international policy and compatible
with our frm-set historical traditions was
intervention as a neutral TO stop the war
and check the hopeless sacrifice OF life
even though that resort involved hos
tile constraint upon both the parties 10 the
contest, as well to enforce a truce as 10
guide the eventual settlement. e. IT,
The response OF the congress, after nine
days of earnest elaboration, during Wihcn
the almost unanimous sentiment OF your
body was developed on every point save
as to the expediency of coupling the pro-
nosed action with a formal recognition OF
the republic of Cuba as the true ana law
full government of that island-a proPo-
sition which failed of adoption-the con-
gress, after conference, on thel9th OF apr,
by vote of az TO 30 in the senate ana
3i1 to 6 in the house of representatives
ordering forcible Intervention to stop the
war. ,..
from Washington and also
n giving United States Minister Woodford |
MS passports, thereby breaking off diplo-
matte relations between the two coun-
tries, such as attends an actual STATE Oh
war The president at once proclaimed a
blockade of Cuba's coast. Issued can
for volunteers and recommended TO con-
gress a formal declaration OF the exis-
tence OF state OF war between the Unit
ed States and Spain.
The congress accordingly voted on the
same day the act approved April -, 1898,
declaring the existence OF such war, from
and including the 2lst day of April, ana
re-enacted the provision of the resolution
Of April 20, directing the president to use
carry that act into effect Our
thus, after an interval or halt q
century Of peace with al nations, found
Itself engaged i'm deadly conflict with
foreign enemy. Every nerve was strained
10 meet the emergency. the response 10
The initial call for $4,000 volunteers was
instant and complete as Mas also AZ the e T no
additional volunteers. The ranks OF the
regular army were increased to the limits
provided by the act of April rs, The en-.
listed force of the navy on the 10Th or
August when Il reached it's maximum,
"a, 1913 men and apprentices.
1t is not within the province of this
to narrate the history of the ex-
war that followed the Span
Ish declaration of April q, but brief re-
,ital of it's most salient features is APP
)ropriate. The first encounter OF the
war in point Of date took place April o. |
when a detachment of the blockading !
made a reconnaissance in force |
II MatanZas shelled the harbor forts and |
demolished several new works in con- |
itruction.
The next engagement was destined to |
mark a memorable epoch in maritime
warfare The Pacific fleet. under Commo-
lore George Dewey, which had lain for |
everal weeks at Hong Kong, proceeded |
% the Philippine Islanus under orders to
capture or destroy the formidable Span
sh feet then assembled at Manila. At |
on the LIST day of May the
american force entered Manila bay and
after a few hours engagement effected
he total destruction of the Spanish fleet,
consisting OF ten warshps and trans
,ort, besides capturing the naval sta
ion and forts of Cavte, thus annihilating
he Spanish naval power in the Pacific
,cean and completely controlling the bay
" Manila with the ability 60 take the |
ity at will. Not life was lost on our
hips, the wounded only numbering seven,
While not vessel was materially injured.
FOR this gallant achievement the congress.
Ipon my recommendation, fifty bestowed
lpon the actors preferment and substan-
ial. reward. Reinforcements were hur-
led 10 Manila under command of MAJ
sen Merritt and firmly established within
light OF the capital, which lay helpless
,efore our guns. Other expeditions soon
ofIouvad the fofaI forCq consisting NJ cil |