Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-12-08
TO the Senate and House of Representa-


by the largest volume of business ever re-
corded Manufacture has been produc-
tive, agricultural pursuits have yielded
abundant returns, labor in the helds or
industry is better rewarded, revenue legis-
Iation passed by the present Congress has
Increased the treasury's receipts to the
amount estimated by it's authors, the
6napces of the Government have been
successfully administered, and It's creall
advanced to the first rank, while 1t mas
been maintained at the worlds highest
standard Military service under com
mon flag and for a righteous cause has
u+raprthencd the national spirit and sefF-.
ed to cement more closely zthan ever the
fraternal bonds between every section Oh
tho country. A review of the relations OF
the United States to other powers, always
anpropriate, is this year of primary llnpor-
fance in view of the momentous issues
which have arisen demanding III one III
stance tho ultimate determination by allhs
and involving far-reaching consequences
which will REQUIRE the earnest afternoon ol
the Congress.
Failure of Autonomy in ouba.
I'M last annual message very full con-
elaboration was given to the question OF the
dutv of the Government of the Unlted
States toward Spain and the Cuban lnsur-
rection as being by far the most important
rrohIem with which we were then called
r;non TO deal. | concluded it was honestly
dino TO orr friendly relations with SPAN
that she should be given reasonable
chance to realize her expectations OF re-
form to which she had become lrreVocaply
committed.
The ensuing month brought little sign of
real progress toward the pacihcatlon OF
Cuba by the autonomous administration.
No tangible relief was afforded the vast
numbers of unhappy reconcentrados, and
nv the end of December the mortality
among them had frightfully increased.
With the acquiescence of the Spanish au-
thorities a scheme was adopted for relief
By charitable contributions raised IN this
country. Thousands of lives We're thus
saved, but the war continued on the old
footing without comprehensive plan. NO
alternative save physical exhaustion of
either combatant and therewithal the
practical ruin of the island lay in sight.
Destruction of the Maine.
At this iuncture, on the 10th of Febru-
sry last. occurred the destruction Of the
battleship Maine. while rightfu1ly lying
in the harbor of Havana-a catastrophe,
the suspicious nature and horror Of which
stirred the nations heart profoundly. Yet
the instinct of justice prevailed and the
nation anXiously awaited the result OF the
searching investigation at once set on 1oot
The finding of the naval board of inquiry
established that the origin of the explosion
was external by a submarine mine, ana
only halted through lack of positive testl-
mony to fix the responsibility of its author
ship.
All these things carried conviction to
f+he most thoughtful, even before the ind
gnss of the naval court, that CRISIS III
r. our relations with Spain and toward CUBA
was at hand. SO strong was TINS behef
that it needed but brief executive sug-
gestion to the Congress to receive lmmedl-
90 ate answer to the duty of making instant
provision for the possible and perhaps
~speedily probable emergency of war. The
details of the hurried preparation for the
dreaded contingency is told in the reports
of the Secretaries of War and OF the
Navy 1t is sufficient to say that the out
break of war, when it did come, found
orr nation not unprepared to meet the
conflict.
Negotiations with Spain.
Still. animated by the hope Of peaceful
solution and obeying the dictates of duty,
no effort was relaxed to bring about
speedy ending of the Cuban struggle. Ne
cotiations to this object continued active
iy with the Government of Spaln looking
to the immediate conclusion OF a SIX
months armistice in Cuba, with view TO
effect the recognition of her peoples right
TO independence. Negotiations continued
sor some little time at Madrid, resulting
,,,k ant
which could not but be regarded as made
ouate. Grieved and disappointed at this
barren outcome of my sincere endeavors
TO reach practical solution, felt it my
duty to remit the whole question to the
Congress In the message of April IL,
1898. l reviewed the alternative course of
action which had proposed, concluding
that the only one consonant with interna-
tional policy and compatible with our firm
set historical traditions was intervention
as a neutral to stop the war and check the
hopeless sacrifice of life.
In view of all this, the Congress was
asked to authorize and empower the Pres
ident to take measures to secure full
and final termination of hoStilitieS be-
tween Spain and the people of Cuba, and
TO secure in the island the establishment
OF stable government.
Congress Declares War.
The response of the Congress, after
nine days of earnest deliberation, during
which the almost unanimous sentiment of
your body was developed on every point
save as to the eNpediency of coupling the
proposed action with a formal recogni-
zion of the Republic of Cuba as the true
and lawful government of that island
u proposition which failed of adoption
che Congress, after conference, April 10,
by vote of ~ TO 50 in the Senate and 81
80 in the House Of Representatives,
passed the memorable joint resolution, de-
.cIaring war.
This resolution was approved by the
s.YnciifiXe On the next day Anril %