The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-12

In tho oMessage-Presidsnt Does not Far.
or Recognition OF Independents at
tn, Present Tiin,-A Wise aud Patriot
ic state Paper.
WASHINGTON, AprA 1.-THE Presl-
dent to-day sent the following message
to the Congress OF the United States:
obed.ent TO that precept Of the con-
stitut!on which commands the Presl-,
dent to give from time to time the
congress information of the state OF the
Union, and torecommend to their consld-
Grafton such measures as he shall deem
necessary and. expedlent, 1t becomes my
duty now TO address your body. with re-
gard 70 the grave crisis that has arisen
| In the relations OF the United States to
Spain by reason OF the warfare that for
more than three years has ragged In the
.neighborlng Island OF Cuba I do SO be-
cause OF the Intimate connection of the
Cuban question with the state OF our
own Union and the grave relation the
course which It is now Incumbent upon
the nation to adopt must needs bear to
| the traditional policy OF our govern
ment II It Is to'accord with the precepts
| laid down by the founders OF the re-
I public and rcllgiously observed by each
succeeding administration to tho pres
I cnt day. t.
The present revolution is but the suc-
cessor OF other similar instructions
which have occurred In Cuba against
| the dominion OF Spain, extending over
a period OF nearly half a century, each
OF which during its progress has sub,
| jected the United States to great eN-
pense ard effort In enforcing Its neu-
| trG.ity laws. caused enormous losses to
American trade and commerce, caused
| irritation, annoyance and disturbance
arions our citizens and by the exercise
| OF cruel, barbarous and unclvilized
practices OF warfare, shocked the SEN
| s!bilities and offended the. human SYM
pathics Of our people. "a
Since the present revolution began In
| February 1895. this country has seen
the fertile domain at our threshold
ravaged by fire: and sword In the course
ia struggle unequalled In the history
| OF the Island and rarely paralleled as to
the number OF the combatants and the
bitterness OF the contest by any revolu-
ton Of modern times where depend
,ent'people. striving to be free, have been
opposed by the power OF the sovereign
| state. Our people have beheld q once
| prosperous community reduced to COM
parative want. Its lucrative commerce
! virtually paralyzed. its exceptional pro-
ductIveness diminished, Its fields laid
waste, It's mills in ruins. and Its people
| wis 1,,, tN, ~ do, frn,
hunger and dest!tutIon.
What 1t Cost = hts Country.
We have found ourselves constrained,
in the observance of that strict neutral
!;y which our laws enjoln and which
the law OF nations commands, TO police
our own waters and watch our own sea-
ports in prevention OF any unlawful ac-
ton In aid Of the Cubans. Our. trade
has suffered: the capital Invested by
our citizsas.in Cuba has been largely
lost and the temper and forbearance of
our people have been SO sorely tried as
10 begct q perl!ous unrest among our
| own citizens, which has inevitably
| found Its eSpreasion from time to time
in the national legislature, so that lis
| sizes wholly external to our own body
|
| the way of that close devotion to do
nestle advancement that becomes a
| self-contained commonwealth whose
primal maxim has been the avoidance
OF all foreign entanglements. All this
must needs awaken and has indeed
aroused the utmost concern on the part
| OF this government, as we'll during my
| predecessors term as in my own.
In April, 1886. the evils from which
| our country suffered through the Cuban.
war became so onerous that my pred
| ecessor made an effort 10 bring about
a peace through the mediation OF this
| government In any way that might tend
| to an honorable adjustment of the con-
test between Spain and her revolted
| colony, on the basis OF some effective
scheme OF self-government for Cuba
under the flag and sovereignty of
Spain. 1t failed, through the refusal OF
the Spanish government then In power
TO consider any form Of mediation or
indeed any plan OF settlement which did
not begin with the actual submission OF
the insurgents to the mother country,
and then only on such terms as Spain
herself might see fit to grant. The war
continued unabated. The resistance OF
| the insurgents was in no wise dImIn-
lshed
| WryIer's Iniquitous Policy.
The efforts, Of Spain We're increased,
both by the despatch Of fresh levies to
Cuba and by the addition to the horrors
OF the strife OF q new and inhumun
phase, happily unprecedented In tho
modern history OF civilized Christian
peoples. The policy Of devastation and
concentration, lnaugurated by the cap
tain generals bando OF October 81, 1896.
In the province Of Pinar del Rio, was
thence extended TO embrace all Of the
island TO which the Spanish arms was
able to reach by occupation or by mill;
tary operations. The peasantry, includ-
Ing all dwelling in the open agrlcul-
tural interlor.Awcro driven into garri-
son towns or Isolated places held by the
troops. The raising and movement OF