The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-09

Washington, December 5.-The pres
idcnt sent the following message to
congress today:
ITO the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentativcs
Notwithstanding the added burdens
rendered necessary by the war, our
people rejoice in a very satisfactory
and steadily increasing degree Of pros
perity, evidenced by the largest vol
ume Of business ever recorded. Manu-
facturc has been productive, agricul-
turaI pursuits have yielded abundant
returns; labor in all fields of industry
is better rcwarded revenue Iegisla-
tion passed by the present congress
has increased the treasury's receipts
to the amount estimated by its au-
thor; the finances Of the government
have been successfully administered
and it's credit advanced to the first
rank, while it's currency has been
maintained at the worlds highest
standard; military service under q
common flag and for righteous cause
has strengthened the national spirit
and served to cement more closely
than ever the fraternal bounds be-
tween 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 issues which have
arisen, demanding in one instance
the ultimate determination by arms
and involving far reaching conse-
quences which will require the earnest
attention of the congress.
REVIEW OF CUBAN AFFAIRS
In my last annual message very
fun consideration was given to the
question of the duty of the govern
ment OF the United States toward
Spain and the Cuban insurrectiOn as
being by far the most important prob
lem with which we We're called upon
to deal. The considerations then ad-
VanCed, and the exposition of the
views therein expressed, disclosed my
sense of the extreme gravity of the
situation. Setting aside as logically
unfOunded or practically inadmissa>
BILE, the recognition of the Cuban in
surgents as beligerents, the recogni-
tiOn 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 annexation of the island. I
concluded it was honestly due to our
friendly relations with Spain that she
should be given a reasonable chance
to realize her expectations of reform
to which she had become irrevoCably
committed. Within a few weeks pre-
vlously she had announced compre-
hensiVe plans. which it was confident
IN asserted would be efficacious to
remedy the evils SO deeply affecting
our own country, so injurious to the
true interests of the mother country
as we'll as to those of Cuba. and SO
Tepugnant to the universal sentiment
of humanity.
SPANS INABILITY TO BETTER
THE SITUATION.
The ensuing month brought little
Sign of real progress toward the paci-
fiCatiOn of Cuba. The autonomous ad-
ministratiOns set up in the capital and
some of the principal cities appeared
not to gain the favor of the inhabi-
tants nor to be able to extend THEN
influence to the large extent of ter
ritory h"'d by the insurgents. while
the 5nIltary arm, obviously unable tt
cope with the still active rebellion
continued many of the most objec-
tiOnable and offensive pOlices of the
government that had preceded it. NJ
tangible relief was afforded to the vast
numbers of unhappy reCOnCentradOes
despite the reiterated professions made
in that regard and the amount appro.
priated by Spain to that end. The
brOffered expedient of zones Of culti-
walton proved illusory; indeed no less
practical nor more delusive promises
Of sucCOr could well have been ten ler-
ed 70 the exhausted and destitute peO-
pie stripped of all that made life anC
hOma dear. and herded in a strange
region among unsympathetic stranG-
.erS hardly less neceSSitOus than them
selves.
AMERICAN RELIEF FOR THE
STARVING.
BY the end of December. the NOR
taiity among them had frightfully in
creased. Conservative estimates from
Spanish sources placed the deaths
among theee distressed people at over
40 per cent from the time General
Weyler's decree of reconcentradOes
was enforced. With the acquiescence
of the Spanish authorities a scheme
was adopted for relief by charitable
contributions raised in this country.
and distributed under the direction OF