The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-04-13
the ISSUE NOW WITH CONGRESS.
Spanish Government Cannot Insure
Safety to American Vessels.
pRECEDENrs ARE REFERRED TO.
The President Asks for Full Power to TOR
2 inmate Hostilities on the Island Every
Effort TO Settle the Question Peacably
Exhausted Recognition of Independence
Opposed.

The President Monday sent the fol-
lowing message to the Congress of the
United States:
Obedient to that precept of the con-
stitution which commands the Presi-
dent to give from time to time the Con-
gress Information of the state of the
Union, and to recommend to Its con-
siderHtion such measures as he shall
Judge necessary and expedient, II be-
comes 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 tradition
al policy OF our government. II 1t Is to
accord with the precepts laid down by
the founders of the republic and relig-
iously observed by each succeeding ad-
ministration to the present day.
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 ex-
pense and effort in enforcing Its neu-
trality laws, caused enormous losses to
American trade and commerce, caused
irritation, annoyance and disturbance
among our citizens, and by the exercise
of cruel, barbarous and uncivilized
practices of warfare. shocked the sem
sibilities and offended the humane SYM
pathies of our people.
EFFECTS OF THE CUBAN WAR.
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 unequalled in the
history Of the island. and rarely paral
leled as to the number Of combatants
and the bitterness of the contest by
any revolution of modern times where
a dependent people, striving to be free,
have been oppressed by the power OF
the sovereign state. Our people have
beheld a once prosperous community
reduced to comparative want. its luc-
rative commerce virtually paralyzed,
its exceptional productiveness diminish
ed, its fields laid waste, its mills In
ruins, and its people perishing by tens
of thousands from hunger and destitu-
tion. We have found ourselves con-
strained, in the observance of that
and which the law OF nations COM
mands, to police our own waters and
watch our own seaports in prevention
of any unlawful action in aid of the
Cubans. Our trade has suffered; the
capital invested by our citizens In Cuba
has been largely lost, and the temper
and forbearance of our people have
been so sorely tried as to beget a peril
: Gus unrest among our own citizens,
which has inevitably found its express
sion from time to time In the national
Legislature, so that Issues wholly ex-
ternal to our own body polite engross
attention and stand In the way of that
close devotion to domestic advance
ment that becomes self-contained
commonwealth, whose prime maxim
has been the avoidance of all foreign
entanglements All this must needs
awaken and has indeed aroused the ut
most concern on the part Of this gov
ernment. as well during my predeces-
sor's term as in my own.
EFFORTS AT MEDIATION.
In April, 1896, the evils from which
our country suffered through the Gu
ban war became so onerous that my
predecessor made an effort to bring
about peace through the mediation OF
this government In any way that
might tend to an honorable adjustment
OF the contest between Spain and her
revolted colony, on the basis OF some
effective scheme OF self-government for
Cuba undr 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 submis-
sion OF the insurgents to the mother
country, and then rely on such terms
i as Spain herself might see ft to grant.
NJ xnvxff rn1 h tad
sistance OF the insurgents was In no
wise diminished
The efforts OF Spain were increased,
both by the dispatch of fresh levies to
Cuba and by the addition to the hor-
rors of the strife Of new and inhuman
phase happily unprecedented in the
modern history of civilized Christian
concentration, inaugurated by the cap
tain generals bardo OF october 21, 1896,
IN the province OF Pinar del Rio, was
thence extended to embrace all of the
island TO which the Spanish arm was
able TO reach by occupation or by mill
tary operations. The peasantry, includ-
tng All dwelling In the open agricultur-
aoi, towns or isolated places held by the
j froopA The raising and movement OF
provisions Of all kinds were interdicted
The nelds were laid waste. dwellings
uuroofed and fired. mills destroyed
and. In short, everything that could
(. desolake the land and render it unfit
tor hupan habitation or support was
oommanded py one or the other Of the
coutending parties. and executed by all
Z TIE poWeTs At their disposal.
1aE sUFEERINds OF THE
5 M. PEOPLE.
Nv the time the present administra-
t1on took Qfnce q year ago reconcen-
1raf10n~ &o- called had been made ef.
foo1iva over the better part OF the -four
Gop>bol 9nd Weetern provinces. Santa
C)oV 4atauGas. Havana and Pinar de-
z (A I'm AGRICULTURAL population. to ths
4, IA, ,,Xi Xioloa6e. deprived Of thu