The record-union., 1898-04-12

tContinued from First Page)
the island had undergone a noticeable
chahge. The extraordinary activity
that characterized the second year OF
the war when the insurgents invaded
even the hitherto unharmed fields of Pi-
mar Del Rio and carried havoc and des-
ututlon up to the walls of the city of
Havana itself had relapsed into a dogged
struggle in the central and eastern pro-
Vinees. The Spanish army regained a
measure of control in Pinar Del Rio and
parts of Havana, but under the exist
ing conditions of the rural country
without immediate Improvement of their
protective situation. Even thus parti-
ally restricted, the revolutionists held
their own, and their submission, put
+ forward by Spain as the essential and
sole basis of peace, seemed as far dis
tant as at the outset
GRAVE PROBLEM PRESENTED.
In this state of affairs, my Admins
fration found itself confronted with the
grave problem of its duty My message
of last December reviewed the situa-
ticn and detailed the steps taken, with
a view of relieving it's acuteness and
opening the way to some form of honor
able settlement.
The assassination of the Prime Min
= lister Canovas, led to a change of Gov
I eminent in Spain. The former admins
tration which pledged subjugation with
out concession, gave place to that of d
more liberal party, committed long in
advance to a policy of reform involving
the wider principle of home rule for Cuba
and Puerto Rico
ONED rT7DUc on rrrrTc C0Irr,,>-
MENT.
The Overtures of this Government
: made through it's new envoy. General
Woodford, and looking to an immediate
amelioration of the island, although
not accepted to the extent of admitted
mediation in any shape were met by
assurances that home rule in an ad
vanced phase would be forthwith Of
fered to Cuba, without waiting Cor the
war to end, and that more humane
methods should thenceforth prevail in
the conduct of hostilities. Incidental
ly with these declarations the new Gov
ernment of Spain continued and COM
pleted the policy already begun by its
. predecessor, of testifying friendly re-
. gard for this nation by releasing Amer
lean citizens held under one charge or
another connected with the insurrec-
tion, so that by the end of November
not a single person entitled in my way
to our national protection remained in
a Spanish prison.
J RELIEF FOR SUFFERERS.
While these negotiations were in
progress, the increasing destitution of
the unfortunate reconcentradCs and the
alarming mortality among them
IL
/. cess which had attended the limited
measure of relief extended to the sui
: fering American citizens among them
by the judicious expenditure through
the consular agencies of the money ap-
propriated expressly for their succ0r
by the joint resolution approved May
n, 1897, promoted the humane ex-
= tension of a similar scheme to that
2 great body of sufferers. A suggestion
to this end was acquiesced in by the
Spanish authorities.
On the 24th of December last
caused to be issued an appeal to the
American people, inviting contributions
in money or in kind for the SuccOr of
the starving sufferers in Cuba. Fol-
lowing this on the Sth of January, by
similar public announcement of the
formation of a Central Cuban Relief
Committee with headquarters in New
York City, composed of the members
representing the American National
Red Cross and the religious and bust
ness elements of the community. The
efforts of that committee have been
untiring and accomplishing much Ar
rangements for free transportation to
Cuba have greatly aided the charitable
work
The President of the American Red
Cross and representatives of further
contributory organizations have gen
erousIy visited Cuba and co-operated
with the Consul General and the local
authorities to make effective distribu-
ton of the relief collected through the
efforts of the Central Committee. Near
" 5000 GOO in money and supplies have
already. reached the sufferers, and more
is forthcoming The supplies are ad-
mitted duty free, and transportation
10 the interior has been arranged. so
that the relief, at first necessarily con-
fined to Havana and the larger cities,
is now extended through most, If not
all. of the towns where suffering eN-
lists. Thousands of lives have already
been saved.
WEYLER'S ORDERS REVOKED.
The necessity for a change in the
condition of the reconcentrados is
recognized by the Spanish Govern
ment. Within a few days past the or"
ders of General Weyler have been re-
volled. the reconcentrados are, 1t Is
said. to be permitted to return to thelr
homes and aided to resume the self
supporting pursuits of peace pubhc
works having been started to give
them employment, and a sum OF SOU =
600 has been appropriated for their re-
lief
PROPOSITIONS TO BRING ABOUT
PEACE.
The war in Cuba is of such nature
that short of subjugation or exter-
mination. q final military victory tol
the other side seems impractieable- 1he
alternative lies in the physical exhaus-
tion of the one or the other party, OF
nerhaps both-a condition which in ef-
feet ended the ten years war by the
truce of Zanjon The prospect OF such
q protraction and conclusion OF the
nresent strife is a contingency hardly
TO he contemplated with equanlmlty by
the civilized world, and least of all by
the United States, affected and injured
as we are. deeply and intimately by
its very existence.
Realizing this, it appeared to be my
duty. in a spirit of true friendliness, no
less TO Spain than to the Cubans, who
have so much to lose by the prolohsa-
ton of the struggle, to seek TO prlns