The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-09
MESSAGE TO
LAWMAKERS
President M M'Kinley Addresses
Congress on Wa" and
Other Problems.


.noEraso Of tho Standing Army to
y, 1OO, 200 Men and tho ,mporary
Conti"uanoe OF Military Rulo In
New Possessions Favored.
WAsHINGToN, Dec. 5.-On tho convcning
of congress today, President Mckinley
transmitted his annual mess ne, which
follows;
, To the Senate and House Of rpresenta-
tives:
Notwithstanding the addsd burdens
rendered necessary by tho war our people
rejoice in very sntisfac ory and steadily
increasing degree Of prosperity evidenced
ny the greatest volume Of business ever
recorded. Manufacture has been pro-
ductlVe, agricultural pursu IS havo
yielded abundant returns, lal ar in tho
fields Of industry is better row; tded, rev.
enue Legislation passed by tn, present
congress has increased the treas ury's ro-
ceipts to the amount expected hy it's au-
thors. the finances OF the go yernment
have been successfully admins cred and
It's credit advanced to the first T.: nix, while
its currency has been maintain d ut tho
worlds highest standard.
Military service under u COZ anon flag
Tor righteous cause has str ngthencd
the national spirit and served % cement
more closely than ever tho fr,,tel ,al bonds
between every section OF tho CO intry. a
review of the relations o. th, U. U.itcd
States to other powers. always ,ppropri-
ate, is this year Of primary imp rtance in
view of the momentous issues W ,ich hnvo
arisen demanding in one insta,. 90 tho ul-
innate determination by arms n.d nvolv-
1nH farreaching consequences ' hich will
require the earnest attention OF the con-
grcss.
First Steps In tho War.
In my last annual message very full
consideration was given to tho question
or the duty of tho government of tho
United States towards Spain AZ the Gu
ban insurrcction as being by far the most
important problem with which we were
thon called upon to deal The considerl-
tons then advanced and the eXl ositioI, OF
the views therein expressed dis closed my
sense of the extreme gravity of the situa-
tion. r, ~.
Srtting aside rs logically unfoundod or
practically advisable, the reco snition Of
the independence of Cuba neut raj inter
Vention to end the war by impo! inu q r;,-
tional compromise between the contest
nnts intervention in favor Of one or tho
other party, and forcible anne yation Of
the island, / concluded it was honestly
due to our friendly relations with Spain
that she should be given n reasonable
chance to realize hcr expectations of ro-
form to which she had become irrevoca-
bly, committed.
=. The ensuing month brought little sign
OF real progress toward the pnciflcation
of CubI,. No tangible relief was afforded
the vast numbers of unhappy reconcen-
trados despite tho reiterated professions
made in TINT regard and tho amount ap-
proprinted by Spain to thnt en.l. BY the
! end of December the mortality among
them had frightfully increased. Conserv-
ative estimates from Spanish sources
placed the deaths among these distressed
people ut over 40 per cent from tho timo
General Wcyler's decree OF reconcentra-
tion was enforced -
- The war continued OH the old footing
Without comprehensive plan, developing
only the same spasmOdic encounters bxr-
: rem OF strategic result. that had marked
the course OF the earlier ten years. rebel.
lion, as we'll rs the present insurrection
from its start. No alternative save phys:
ical exhaustion of either >combatant and
thereWithal tho practical ruin Of the
island lay in sight. but how far distant no
'one could venture to conjecture.
,,... Blowing UP of the Maine.
AT this juncture, on Feb Is, last, oc-
Cured the destruction Of the battleship
Maine. while rightfully lying in the har-
Dor OF Havana on a mission OF interna-
;uonal courtesy and good villa catastro-
;plfe the suspicious nature and horror of
which stirred tho nations heart pro-
foundly. 1t is striking evidence of tbs
poise and sturdy good sense distinguish
ing our national character that this shock
ing blow, falling upon our generous pco-
pie already deeply touched by preceding
, fyentsin Cuba. did not move them to I'LL
instant, desperate resolve to tolerate no
longer the existence Of n condition OF dan
ger and disorder ut our doors that ma1o
possible such Il deed by whcmsoever
= wrought. Yet by instinct OF Justice pa-
t'nce prevailed and the nation anxiously
awni: ed tn" result Of the searching inyes.
tigntion ut once set on foot. The finding
OF the naval board of inquiry established
That the origin Of the explosion was OK
ternal by submarine mine, and only
halted through lack of positive testimony
to fix the responsibility Of its nut hora hin.
= All these things carried conviction to
the most thoughtful, even before tho
finding OF the naval court, that n crisis in
= our relations with Spain and toward
Cuba was Mt hand. So strong vas this
belief that 1t needed but brief executive
YRu9Hcstion to the congress to receive i'm
hediate answer 10 tne uuty or making in
slant provision for the possible and per-
hnps speedily probable emergency Of war,
and the remarkable, almost uniuuo.
spectacle was presented Of n unanimous
vote of both houses OH March appropri-
ntinR &j0,000,0 900 for tho national defense
and for each and every purpose connected
therewith, to be expended at tho discre-
:tion Of the president" ...
Still animated by the hope of q peaceful
solution I'd obeying the dictates of duty.
no effort was spared to- bring speedy
p" ending Of tho Cuban struggle.
Grieved and disappointed at tho barren
outcome OF my sincere endeavors to reach
o practicable solution, felt 1t my duty ia
remit the whole question to congress.
The congress was asked to authorize and
empower tho president to tako measures
y 1." --.-0..