The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-04-20
ADVERTISING RATES,

| u. NJ. HARMAN, Editor and PuDlShef.
separating TO :-l-ad from The penIn-
sula, parties appear 10 have within
themselves no depository Of common
| confidence, TO suggest wisdom when
| passion and excitement have their sway
and /" assume the part Of peaccmaker.
In this view, III the earlier days OF the
contest. the good offices of the United
States rs Il mediator We're rendered in
good faith. without any selfish purposes
IN the interest Of humanity and in sim
| cerc friendship for both PARTIES, but
were at the time declined by Spain with
tn" declaration nevertheless that at 4
future time they would be indispensa-
hlc. No indication has been received
that in the opinion of Spain that time
has been reached. And YET the strife
continues with all its dread horrors and
| all its injuries to tn" interests Of the
| | nitcd States and of other nations.
| Under the circumstances the agency Of
Others, either by mediation or by inter
vrntion seems to be the only alternative
which must, So"mer or later. be invoked
for the termination Of the strife.
In the last annual message Of my i'm
mediate predecessor during the PENDING
! struggle. II was said:
"Whcn the inability Of Spain to deal
successfully with the in>urrectiOn has
| become manifest and il il demonstrated
that hcr sovereignty iS extinct in Cuba
| FOR all purpoS" Of its rigntful existence
and whnn Il hopeless struggle for its
re- establishment has dcCencritcd into u
| strife which means nothing more than
the useless sacrifice of human life and
the utter destruction Of the very subject
! matter If the conflict. Il situation will
| bc presented in which our obligations to
the sovereignty of SIain will bc super
seized by OBLIGATIONS which VIC can
hardly hesitate /" recognize and dis
| CHARGE
Spain Was Warned.
II my annual mes age to congress
last December, Speaking of this ques-
ton. said:
The near future will demonstrate
whether the Indispensable condition Of a
righteous peace, ju-t alike to the Cn.
| bans and To Spain. - we'll as equitable
| to all or Interests =" intimately III
volv"d i'll tn" warfare of Cuba, is likely
| to bc attained. Ii not. the eyi igcncy OF
| further and other arrion by the United
| States will remain to bc taken. When
! that time comes that action will be de-
| termined in the line of indiSputable
| right and duty. II will he faced, with
! ont miS2iving or hc>itancy, in the light
of the obligation this government owes
! to the people who have con ntided to it the
= &h,ir .nI hpnnr
| and to humanity.
Sure OF the right. keeping free from
| all offcnSc ourselves, actuated only by
upright and patriotic considerations,
moved neither by passion nor selfish
ness. the government will continue its
watchful care over the rights and prop
crty Of American citizens and will abate
| none Of its efforts to bring about by
peaceful agencies peace which shall be
| honorable and enduring. If it shall
hereafter appear to be duty imposed
| by our Obligation TO ourselves, to civili-
zation and humanity to intervene with
force, it shall be without fault on our
part and only because the necessity for
| such action will be so clear as to COM
mand the support and approval Of the
civilized world
The long trial has proved that the OBJ
| ject for which Spain has waged the war
cannot be attained. The fire of insur-
rection may fame or may shoulder
with VARYING seasons, bat it has not
| been and it is plain that it cannot be
extinguishcd by present methods. The
only hope Of relief and repose from a
condition which can no longer be en-
| dured is the enforced pacification OF
| Cuba.
IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY,
IN THE NAME OF CIVILIZATION.
IN BEHALF OF ENDANGERED
| AMERICAN INTERESTS, WHICH
GIVE US THE RIGHT AND THE
DUTY TO SPEAK AND TO ACT, THE
WAR IN CUBA MUST STOP.
Asks Power to Act.
In view Of these facts and of these
considerations ask congress to author
ize and empower the president to take
measures TO secure full and final ter
mina.ion of pOStilities between the gov
! crnmcnt OF Spain and the people OF
| Cuba and TO secure in the island the
| establishments Of stable governments
capable Of maintaining order and OBJ.
| serving is international obligations,
cnSurinS peace and tranquility and tho
! security OF it citizens as well as our
own. and to use the military and naval
forces of the United States as may be
necessary for these purposes.
And liz the interest of humanity and
to aid in preserving the lives Of tho
starving people of thr island. recon-
mend that the distribution Of food aud
! supplies hc continued and that an ap-
/ pron-iaiion 10 made out of the public
! treasury 10 supplement- tn" charity Of
| our citiZt ns.
| THE Issue IS NOW WITH CON-
GRESS. IT + 4 SOLEMN RESPON-
| SlBILITY. J HAVE EXHAUSTED
EVERY EFFORT TO RELIEVE THE
! INTOLERABLE CONDITION OF AF-
| FAIRS WHICH Is At OUR DOORS.
PREPARED TO EXECUTE EVERY
! OBLIGATION IMPOSED UPON ME
! By THE CONSTITUTION AND THE
| LAW. [ AWAIT YOUR ACTION.
Yesterday. and since the preparation
Of the foregoing message. official lnfor-
nation wa received by me that tho
! latest 'rrrn Of the queen regent OF
Spain directs General Blanco, in order
! 10 prepare and facilitate peace, to pro-
claim suspension of hoStilitieS, the du-
ration and details of which have not
vet been communicated 70 ne. This
! fact with every other pertinent consid-
Grafton will am sure, have yonr just
| and careful attention III the solemn de-
alterations upon which You arc about to
enter If this measure attains sue
cessful result. then our aspirations as
a Christian, pcaceloving people will be
realized. If it fails it will be only
another justification for our conrem-
plated action.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.