The Monte Vista journal., 1898-04-16
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
TURNS The CUBAN QUESTION OVER 70 CONGRESS-.
Mr. Mckinley Says the Present Saton s Inseerable and
Ass that Power be Given Him to Terminate Hes
tliGes

To the Congress of the United States:
Obedient to that precept Of the con-
stituti0n which commands the Presi-
dent to give from time TO time TO the
Congress Information Of the state Of
the Union and to recommend TO their
| consideration such measures as he
sinll judge necessary and expedient.
1t becomes my duty to address your
DOdy with regard 10 the grave crisis
that has arisen in the relations OF the
United States to Spain. brought about
by the warfare that for more than
three years has ragged In the neighbor-
ing island OF Cuba. I do no because Of
the Intimate connection of the Cuban
question with the states OF this Union
and the grave responsibility which ii
IN now Incumbent upon the nation to
adopt. must needs bear to the tradi-
tionai policy OF our government. 1t IL
IN accord with the precepts laid down
by the founders OF the republic and re-
ligiously observed by succeeding
Americans to the present time.
The present revolution Is successor
10 other similar ones which occurred in
Cuba under the dominion Of Spain. ex-
tending over period of nearly half
century. each Of which, during its
proSress has subjected the United
S'n'e> To grea, effort and expense in
enforcing It's neutrality laws. cnused
enormous Losses TO American trade and
commerce. caused agitation and dis
.urbance among our Citizens and by the
exercise Of cruel. Iarbarous and unciv-
ilized practices of warfare. shocked
HE sensiblliiics and offended the hi.
man sympathies OF our people.
since the present revolution began
IN February. 1895. this fertile domain
mas nj every threshold been ravnged
by fire and sword In the course Of a
struggle unequaled in the history OF
he island and rarely parallclcd ms to
the number OF the combatunts and the
bitterness of the contest.
All this must needs awake and
has indeed aroused the utmost concern
on the part OF this government. as well
during my predecessors term. as In
my own.
In April, 1896 the evils 10y which
our country suffered through the Cuban
war ecnmc so Onerous that my prc.ic-
cessor made an effort to bring about a
peace through the mediation of This
government In any wny that might
tend to an honorable adjustment OF the
contest between Spain and her rcyolte,l
colony on the basis OF some effective
scheme of self-govcrnment for Cuba
under the flag and sovereignty OF
,, Spain.
:. ,ailed. The war continued unabat-
| ed and the army OF the insurgents in
no wise lessened. A once prosperous
community has been reduced 10 com.
pnrative want and Its people have per.
ishe'i by tens OF thousands from hun
ger and destitution. Our trade has
suffered: the capital invested by our
citizens In Cuba has been entirely lost
AMI the temper and forbearance Of our
people have been 80 sOrcly tried MS to
bcget n Is.rilous unrest among our own
citizens which has inevitably found It's
expression from time to time In the
national Legislature. No that issues
were not wholly external TO our own
body polite. demanding attention and
standing In the way Of that close devo,
tion TO domestic advancement.
The policy Of devastation and con.
ccntration innuguratcd by the captain
generals order to Pnndo Of October II.
1896. In the provincc OF Itnar del Rio
was extended to embrace all Of the
island to which the power OF the Span.
ish arms was able To reach. Every
thing that could dcsolatc the land an,l
render II unit for human hnbItatIon or
support was commanded by one or the
other Of the contcnding parties and tx,
ccutcd by an the powers nt their dis
posnl.
By the time the present ndminis,ra.
tion look Office year ago. the ngric,!.
tural population. Ia the estimated NUN.
bcr OF 100000 or more. was hcrt'c,i
within the towns and their inimc,lini.
vicinity. deprived Of the means Of sup.
port. rendered destitute OF shelter. left
poorly clad and exposed to the
most unsnnitnry conditions. by Mnrri,
!. 1897, n conservative estimate from
Spanish sources. the mortality among
the rcconccntrados from starvation
md the diseases thereto Incident, .x-
r,S.,ic,i ~ per cent. Of their total mum.
ter. So-callcd ''Zoncs Of cultivation
established within the immediate nrcn
Of effective military control about che
cities and fortified camps proved iil,i.
sorry.
The unfortunntcs. being for the mos,
pnrt women nnd children, with aged
and helpless men. cnfecbicd by hun.
ger could not have TILED the aoil VITA.
out tools, seed or shelter for their swu
support or for the supply Of the elites.
Recommendation. adopted nvowcdly M
"a war measure In order 10 cut OF IN,
resources Of the insurgents. worked III
prc,icstinc results.
As I said In my message Of last III,
ccn,hcr. II was not civilized warfare;
II WIS determination. III" only pcnc,
II could h.Ict was that of the wilder
ness and the grave.
Meanwhile the military situation Ia
the island hnd undergone n notk.cn,,l,
change. The extraordinary nciIvity
that characterized the second ycnr oi
wnr. when the Insurgents Invaded tn.
hitherto unlinrmcsi fields of Pinnr de-
Rio and carried hnvOc nnd tc.tr,,ctiot
up to the wniis ~ the city Of IInvnnS
itself. had rrinp-rsi Into n dogg-,
struggle In the central and easter,
provinces.
Even thus partially restricted. III,
rrvoiutionists held their own and tl,cl,
.onQucsi and submission. put forwnr.
by Spain as the cssentiAl and sole In,
sis Of peace. SEEMED As far distant a.
u the outset. In this state Of affair
my administration found itself con
fruutssi with the grave problem of II,
duty. Ny message II last lDsSrmlsrI
reviewed The situation md narrated
strt,a taken Ia olHn fi,~ way for some
form of houOrnbie settlement.
The assassination of the prime min
later. E~ssor canovaa. issl 10 n Chang,
u government In npain. The fOritei
administrator. plssisrti 10 subjugn i,os
Without conversation. gave place 10 that