Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-15

Tor their own support or for the support
or the cities. The Recommendation.
adopted aVowedly as war measure in
order to cut off the resources of the in
surgents, worked its predestined result
AS SAID in my message of last Decem-
Der 1t was not civilized warfare. 1t was
determination. The only peace it could
beget was that OF the wilderness and the
grave
Meanwhile, the military situation in
the island had undergone a noticeable
change. The extraordinary activity
that characterized the second year of
the war, when the insurgents invaded
even the hitherto unframed fields of
Pinar del Rio and carried havoc and de-
struction up to the walls of the city of
Havana itself, had relapsed into a
logged strguule in the central and east
ern provinces. The Spanish arms re-
gained a measure of control in Pinar
del Rio and parts of Havana, but, under
the existing conditions of the rural coun-
try, without immediate improvement of
their productive situation. Even thus
partially restricted, the revolutionists
held their own, and their conquest and
submission, put forward by Spain as the
essential and sole basis of peace, seemed
DIS lar ulSluIll as at the outset.
In this state Of affairs, my administra-
ton found itself confronted with a grave
problem of its duty. My message of last
December reviewed the situation and
| narrated the steps taken with a view to
relieving its actueness and opening the
way to some form of honorable settle
ment The assassination of the prime
minister, Canovas. led to q change OF
! nj N he a
ministration, pledged to subjugation
| without concession. gave place to that
of a more liberal party. committed long
in advance to a policy Of reform involv-
! ing the widest principle of home rule for
! Cuba and Porto Rico. The overtures OF
this government. made through its new
| envoy, General Woodford, and looking
! to an immediate and effective ameliora-
| ton of the condition of the island, al
! though not accepted to the extent of ad-
| mttted mediation in any shape, were
| met by assurances that home rule, in an
| advanced phase, would be forthwith Of
| fered to Cuba, without waiting for the
war to end, and that more humane meth
DDS should thenceforth prevail in the
| conduct of hostlities. Coincidentally
| with these declarations, the new govern
! ment of Spain continued and completed
the policy already begun by its predeces-
sor of testifying friendly regard for this
nation by releasing American citizens
held under one charge or another con-
nected with the instruction, so that, by
the end of November, not a single person
entitled in any way to our national pro-
lection remained in a Spanish prison.
While these negotiations were in prog
ress, the increasing destituion of the I'M
fortunate reconcentrados and the
alarming mortality among them claimed
earnest attention. The success which ha d
attended the limited measure of relief
extended to the suffering American citi-
zens among them by the judicious ex-
penditure through the consular agents
of the money appropriated expressly for
their succor by the joint resolution APP
proved May "a, 1897, prompted the hui
name extension of a similar scheme OF
aid to the great body of sufferers. A
suggestion to this end was acquiesced
in by the Spanish authorities. on the
oath of December last caused to be is
sued an appeal to the American people
| inviting contributions in money or in
kind for the succor of the starving suf-
ferers in Cuba, following this on the Stt
of January by a similar public an
nouncement of the formation of a cen
trail Cuban relief committee, with head
quarters in New York city, composed OF
three members, representing the Ameri-
can National Red Cross and the religion.
and business elements of the community
The efforts of that committee have beer
untiring and have accomplished much
Arrangements for free Transportation
to Cuba have greatly aided the charita
BILE work. The president of the Ameri
can Red Cross and representatives O.
other contributory organizations hav,
generously visited Cuba and co-opera
ted with the consul general and the loca
authorities to make effective distribu
ton of the relief collected through tn,
efforts of the central committee.
Nearly $780, in money and supple
, has already reached the sufferers an,
more is forthcoming. The supplies ar
admitted duty free and transportatio
, to the interior has been arranged so tina
, the relief, at first necessarily confined t
Havana and the larger cities, is now ex
tended through most If not all Of tn
towns where the suffering exists Thou
sands of lives have already been saved
The necessity for a change in the con
dltion of the reconcentrados is recog
q pized by the Spanish government. With
Il
q Weyler have been revoked, the reconcer
4 trados, it is said, to be permitted to re
turn to their homes and aided to resum
a the self-suppOrting pursuits of peace
p public works have been ordered to Civ
q them employment and a sum of 5000 ,0(
10 has been appropriated.
l. The war in Cuba is of such nature thf
short of subjugatlon or exterminatio
n n final military victory for either sic
20 seems impracticable. The alternative liz
r IN the physical exhaustion of one or II
d other party, perhaps both-a conditlc
J. which in effect ended the 10 years va
e Inv the truce of Zanjon. The prospect
J. such a protection and conclusion of II
IS present strife is a contingency hard
l. 70 he contemplated with equanimity
is the civilized world and least of all by Il
r. 1Tnited states, affected and injured as v
st ore deeply and intimately, by its vel
= existence. Realizing this, 1t appear'
=. 10 be my duty In a spirit of true friendl
IS ness, no less to Spain than tc Cubal
lt who have so much to lose by the prolo
IN cation of the struggle, to seek to prl
I'd about an Immediate termination OF
h, war. To this end, 1 submitted on
f. 9th of last month, as result
ne much representation and corresponueI
c. through the United States minister
H. Madrid, propositions to the Spanish &c
of eminent looking to an armistlce uI
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