Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-04-22
DOES NOT CALL CUBA FREE.
He Opposes Recognition Of the Insurgent
Government.
EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW OF FACTS
Whole Perplexing Situation Is Laid
Before Congress.

Before Congress.
President Asks Authority to Take
Measures for the Termination of
Eostilitics in Cuba Would Use
Army and Navy If Nccessary-Only
Hope of Relief from a Condition
Which Can No Longer Be Endured
Is Enforced Pacificntion of the Island
Maine Disaster Showed that Spain
Cannot Protect Ncutra1s in Her Own
Ports.
President Mckinley on Monday sent his
Cuban message to Congress. He favOrs
Intervention to terminate hostilities in the
island and asks discretionary authority,
but opposes recognition of present Cuban
government. The full text of the mes
sage follows:
Obedient to that precept Of the constitu-
ton which commands the President to
give from time to time the Congress ill.,
VI tllC SlllS VI lltG CAAoAA NAN
TO- recommend to their consideration such
measures as he shall judge necessary and
'eXpedient, it becomes my duty now to adj
dress your body with regard to the grave
crisis that has arisen i'll 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. 1 do so because of the infinite
mr. 80 x1x, al, n yvt$JN HI
state of our own Union aud the grave
relation the course which it is now incum-
bent upon the nation to adopt must needs
bear to the traditional policy of our Gov
eminent If it is to accord with the pre-
.cepts laid down by the founders of the
republic and r%cligiously observed by sue
ceeding administrations to the present
day.
The present revolution is but the sue
tcessor of other similar Instructions which
have occurred in Cuba against the domin-
ion of Spain, extending over n period Of
nearly half Il century, each of which, dur
ing its progress, has subjected the United
States to great effort and expense in ell
forcing its neutrality laws, caused cnor-
nous losses. to American trade and
commerce, caused irritation, annoyance
anu disturbance among our citizens and
by the exercise of cruel, barbarous and
uncivilized practices of warfare. shocked
the scnsibilities and offended the humane
'sympathics of our people.
Ravaged by Fire and Sword.
Since the present revelation began in
February, 1885, this country has seen the
fertile domain at OUR threshold ravascd by
'hre and sword in the COURSE of IL struggle
'ulequaled i'll the history of the island and
fp 1n n, ,,n ,n 1t.1.,.1 ,, T.. A. 4. A.
combatants and the bitterness of the con-
test by any revolution of modern times
where a dependent people, striving to lie
free, have been opposed by the power of
the sovereign state. Our people have be-
held Il once prosperous community reduc-
ed to comparative want, its vir-
tually paralyzcd, its exceptional produce
tlveness diminished, its fields laid waste,
ITS mills in ruins and its people perishing
by tens of thousands from hunger and
restitution. We have found ourselves
constrained, in the observance of that
strict neutrality which our laws enioin
and which the law Of nations commands,
to police our OWE waters and watch our
own seaports in prevention of any unlaw-
full act in aid of the Cubans. Our trade
mas suffered, the capital invested by our
citizens in Cuba has been largely lost and
the temper and forbcarance Of our pco-
pie have been SO sorely tried us to becet
a perilous unrest among our own citi-
gems, which has inevitably found its ex-
preston from time to time in the national
legislature, so thai issues wholly external
TO our own body polite engross attention
and stand In the way of that close dcvo.
tion to domestic advancement that he.
comes a self-contented commonwealth
whose primal maxim has been the avoid
'ance of all foreign entanglements. All
This must needs awaken, and has. indeed.
aroused the utmost concern on the mart NJ
this Government as we'll during nv nreda.
'cessOr's term MS my own.
Evils of Recommendation.
In April, 1896, the evils from which onr
country suffered through the Cuban war
became SO onerous that my predecessor
made an effort to bring about n neace
through the mediation Of this Government
in any way that might tend to an honor
able adjustment Of tho contest b~etveon
Spain and her revolted colony on the
basis of some effective scheme of self.
government for Cuba under the flag and
sovereignty of Spain. 1t failed through
the refusal of the Spanish GovernY ent
then in power to consider any form of
mediation, or. indeed, any plan of settle.
ment which did not begin with the actual
submission of the insurgents to the mother
country, and then only on such terms MS
Spnin herself might see fit to grant.
The war continued urabated. The. re-
s%:stance Of the insurgents was in no wise
diminished. The efforts of Spain were
Increased, both by the dispatch Of fresh,
levics to Cuba aud by the addition to the
horrors of the strife of a new and inhn.
man phase. happily unprecedented in the
modern history Of civilized Christian neo.
sics. The policy of devastation and cor.
centration %inauyurated by the captain
generals bando Of Oct. q. 1890. in the
extended to embrace all OF the isIand
which the power Of the Spanish arms was
abe to reach BY occupation or BY military
operations. The ~peasantry. including iii
dwelling In the open agricultural interior,
were driven into the garrison towns or