Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1898-12-10
To the Senate and the House OF Repre-


NOTWITHSTANDING Inc dudSN SNA NS''H 49,
dered necessary by the war, our people
rejoice in very satisfactory and steadily
increasing degree of prosperity, evidenced
nv the largest volume OF business ever
recorded. Every manufacture has been
productive, agricultural pursuits nave
rielded abundant returns, labor IN the
6alds of industry is better rewarded, rev
enue legislation passed by the present
CONGRESS has increased the treasury re
oa;nts to the amount estimated by Its au-
tborities, the finances OF the government
nave been successfully administered and
;ts credit advanced to the first rank, whlle
its currency has been maintained at the
,,orld,s highest standard. Military serV-
ice under d common flag and for right
cons cause has strengthened the national
shirt and served to cement more closely
than ever the fraternal bonds between
every section of the country.
A General Review.
A review is submitted OF the relations
of the United States to other powers, al
WAYS appropriate, in this year Oh prlin"i :
;n,nortance in view OF the momentous Is
ones which have arisen, demanding III Que
instance the ultimate determination by
arms and involving tar-reachlhg co'se
ouences which will require the EARNEST
attention OF the congress, =,
In my last annual message very Iuil
consideration was given to the question "a
the duty of the government OF the OhlVe0
states toward Spain and the Cuban lnsuT-
rection, as being by far the most import,
ant problem with which we were c@l1eN
anon to deal. The considerations then "o-
yanced and the exposition OF the VIC" ,
therein expressed disclosed my sense d
the extreme gravity OF the situation 0eU
ting aside as logically untounded, OF Pi1c
+eallv inadmissible, the recognition OF Inc
cuban insurgents as belligerents, the rec
ognition of the independence OF Cuo@' ne"
trail intervention to end the wal ny III
.,oainr a rational compromise between 'he
contestants, intervention III favor ol one
or the other party and the 1orclole an
nexation of the island, l concluded 14l'
it was honestly due to our friendly fela-
lions with Spain that she should be gwen
a reasonable chance to realize her eAPec'"
tious of reform, to which she haO pe-
come irrevocably committed. NlIhln
few weeks previously she mad ahhounceN
comprehensive plans, which 1t was conn
IDENTIFY asserted would be etilcaelous 10
remedy the evils so deeply affecting our
own country, 50 injurious to the true III
forests OF the mother country, as well as
universal sentiment OF humanity.
Vhe Explosion OF the Maine.
On the 10Th of February last, occurred
the destruction of the batteshlp M@ihe
while riqhtfully lying III the haroor u
Havana on a mission OF lhIel III
tional courtesy and goodwill, ca
tastrophe the suspicious nature ana MOI
ror of which stirred the nation > he"'1
profoundly. 1t is a striking evidence q
the poise and good sense Distinguishing
onr national character that this shocking
blow. falling upon "A generous people, al
ready deeply touched by preceding events
in Cuba, did not move them 10 oe7Pe' ~'o
resolve to tolerate no longer the eAls'-
ence of a condition OF danger ana ulS-
order at our doors that MADE posSlp'e
such a deed by whomsOever wrought. 1e'
the instinct of justice prevailed ana Inc
nation anxiously awaited the result OF ''e
searching investigation at once SET vi
foot. The finding OF the naval oo"iu Va
inquiry established that the origin OF 1ne
explosion was external by submarine
mine and only halted through lack OF pos
tive testimony TO fix the responsibility
of its authorship.
An those things carried CONVICTION 70
the most thoughtful, even before the hnd-
inc of the naval court, that Crisis III
our relations with Spain and toward Ouoa
was at hand. So strong was TINS peiiei
that it needed but bret executive suS-
yestion to congress to receive immediate
answer to the duty OF making instant
provision for the possible ana perhaps
probable emergency of war, and the re-
markable, almost unique, spectacle was
presented of a unanimous vote OF Doth
houses on the 9th OF March, approPrIaSli95
$5O.OOOO0O "for the national defense anu
for each and every purpose connected
Herewith to be expended at the dlScre-
ton of the president"
That this act of provision came none TOO
soon was disclosed when the application
of the fund was undertaken. Our 1or's
were practically undefended. Our navy
needed large provision for increased am
munition and supplies, and even numbers
to cope with any sudden attack from the
navy of Spain, which comprised modern
vessels of the highest type OF continental
perfection. Our army also required en-
largement of men and munitions. Inc de-
tails of the hurried preparation for the de-
cided contingency is told in the reports
of the secretaries of the war and OF the
navy, and need not be repeated here. 1t Is