Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-04-16
MESSAGE NOW IN
The President Places the
Cuban Matter Before
Congress.
He Asks for Authority to Put a
Stop to the War in
the Island.
But Advises Against Recognizing
the Insurgent Government
at the Present Time.
Cites Many Illustrious Precedents for
This Recommendation Says "The
War Must Stop"
Refers to the BRttleship hzRine Ex-
plosion as n Sign of Spanish
Weakness.

Weakness.
Washington, April 1.-THE president
Monday sent the following message to
the congress ef the United States:
Obedlent to that precept of the constitu-
tion which commands the president to give
from time TO time TO congress Information
of the state of the union, and to recon-
mend to their consideration such measures
as he shall judge necessary and eXpedent,
1t becomes my duty now to address your
body with regard to 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 neighborinG island of Cuba.
do so because OF the intimate connection
of the Cuban question with the state of our
own union and the grave relation the
course which IL is now incumbent upon
the nation to adopt must needs bear to
the traditional policy of our government
If 1t is to accord with the precepts laid
down by the founders of the republic and
religiously observed by succeeding admin
istrntions to the present day.
UnciviIizcd Warfare.
The present revolution is but the sue
cessor of other similar instructions which
have occurred in Cuba against the do
minion of Spain, extending over a period
OF nearly half a century, each of whi,
during its progress has subjected the UnIt-
ed States TO great effort and expense in
enforcing its neutrality laws, caused enor-
nous losses to the American trade and
commerce. caused irritation, annoyance
and disturbance among our citizens, and
uncivili2ed practices of warfare shocked
the sensibilities and offended the humane
sympathies of our people.
RavaEed by Fire and Sword.
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 of
struggle uncqualed in the history Of the
islands. and rare.y paralleled as TO the
number oil the comba taEts ard the bitterness
of the contest by any revolution of mod
t,vkn no FN1a
ing to be free have been opposed by the
power of the sovereign state. Our peo-
pie have beheld orce prosperous commu-
nifty reduced to comparative want its com
merce virtually pardIyzed, its exceptional
product!vencss, diminished. its fields laid
waste, ITS mills In ruins, ana It's people
perishing by tens of thousands from hun
ger and dcStitutton. We have found our
selves constrained, in the observance OF
that strict neutrality which our laws en-
john and which the law Of nations COM
mands TO police our waters and watch our
own seaports in prevention of any unlawful
act In aid Of the Cubans. Our trade has
suffered; the capital invested by our cit
liens in Cuba has been largely lost and
the temper and forbearaDce OF our peo-
pie has been so sorety tried as to beget a
perilous unrest among our own citizens
which has inevitably found it's express
sion from time to time in the national
legislature, so that issues wholly external
to our own body polite engross attention
and stand In the way of that close devo-
tton to domestic advancement that be-
comes a sef-contented commonwealth
whose primal maxim mas been the avoid
ance of all foreign entangiements. All this
must needs awaken, and has indeed aroused
the utmost concern on the part of this gov
eriument as well during my predecessors s
administration as my own.
Efforts for Peace.
In April. 1896. the evils from which our
country suffered through the Cuban war
became so onerous that my predecessor
made an enort TO bring about a peace
through the mediation OF this government
IN any way that might tend to an honor
Spain and her revolted colony, on the
basis OF some effective scheme OF self-gov-
ernment 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
the insurgents to the mother country. and
then only on such terms as Spain herself
might see fit to grant The war continued
undated. The resistance of the insurgents
was in no wise diminished
New Horrors Added.
The efforts of Spain were increased, both
by the dispatch of fresh levies to Cuba and
by the addition to the horrors of the strife
OF new and inhuman phase happily un-
precedented in the modern history OF civ
ilIzed Christian peoples, The policy of
devastation and concentration, inaugu-
rated by the captain-generals banGo of Oc-
tober q, 1896. in the province OF Pinar del
the island to which the power OF the Span
ish arms was able TO reach by occupation or
y,
Guiding all dwellings in the open agricul-
tural interior, were driven into the garrison
towns or isolated places held by the troops.
The raising and movement of provisions of
all kinds were interdcted. The fields were
laid waste, dwellings, unroofed and fired,
mills destroyed and, in short. everything
that could desolate the land and render II
unfit for human habitation or support was
commanded by one or the other OF the, con-
tending parties, and executed by all the
powers at their disposal.
Conditions a Year Ago.
BY the time the present administration
took office year ago, reconcentration-so-
called-had been made effective oyer the
better part OF the four central and west
ern provinces, Santa Clara. Matanzas, Ha.
vana and Pinar del Rio. The agricultural
100000 or more was herded within the
towns and their immediate vlclnage, de-
priyed of the means Of support. rendered
exposed to the most unsanitary conditions.
As the scarcity of food increased with
the devastation of the depopulated areas
of production, destltut!on and want be-
came misery and starvation. Month by
month the death rate inereased tSas IN a an :
to conservative estimates from official
Spanish sources, the mortality among the
reconcentrados from starvation and the
centum of their total number No prac'
teal relief was accorded to the destitute
The overburdened towns, already suffering
from the general dearth, could give no aid
So-called zones of cultivation, established
WITHIN the immaculate area OF eHecllNe IIllll-
tary control about the cities and fortified
camps, proved illusory as a remedy for the
suffering. The unfortunates, being for the
most part women and children with aged
and helpless men, enfeebled by disease and
hunger. could not have titled the soil, with
out tools. seed or shelter for their owr
support or for the supply of the cities
Recommendation, adopted avowedly as a
war measure In order to cut off the re-
sources OF the insurgents. worked tc
predestlned result. AS l said in my mes,
sage OF last December II was not civilized
xuaa arfa 1iFtnf Ton hn Opi