The silver star., 1898-04-14

StCsSs III i. " SiOth io-oays ~ 10 40 AOA
lows:
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 to the
Congress information of the state of
the Union and to recommend to their
consideration such measures as he
shall judge necessary and expedient,
1t becomes my duty to address your
body with regard TO the grave crisis
that has arisen in the relations OF the
United States to Spain, brought about
by the warfare that for more than
three years has ragged in the neighbor-
ing island Of Cuba. l do so because of
the intimate connection of the Cuban
question with the states Of this Union
and the grave responsibility which it
is now incumbent upon the nation to
adopt. must needs bear to the tradi-
tional policy of our government. 1t is
in accord with the precepts laid down
by the founders of the republic and re-
ligiously observed by succeeding
Americans to the present time.
The present revolution is successor
TO other similar ones which occurred in
Cuba under the dominion of Spain. ex-
tending over period of nearly a half
century, each Of which. during its
progress, has subjected the United
States to great effort and expense in
enforcing its neutrality laws. caused
enormous losses to American trade and
commerce. caused agitation and dis
turbance among our citizens and by the
exercise of cruel barbarous and unciv-
ilized practices Of warfare. shocked
the sensibilities and offended the hu-
man sympathies OF our people
Since the present revolution began.
in February. 1895. this fertile domain
has at every threshold been ravaged
by fire and sword in the course of a
struggle unequaled in the history of
the island and rarely paralleled MS to
the number of the combatants and the
bitterness of the contest.
All this must needs awake and
has indeed aroused the utmost concern
on the part of this government. rs well
Turing my predecessors term. as in
my own.
In April. 1896. the evils by which
our country suffered through the Cuban
war became so onerous that my prede-
cessor made an effort to bring about n
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
under the flag and sovereignty of
Spain.
1t failed. The war continued unabat-
ed and the army of the insurgents in
no wise lessened. a once prosperous
community has been reduced to com
parative want and its people have per-
ished by tens of thousands from hun
ger and destitution. Our trade has
suffered: the capital invested by our
in Cuba has been entirely lost
and the temper and forbearance OF our
people nave been so sOrely tried as to
Deget perilous unrest among our own
citizens which has inevitably found its
expression from time TO time in the
hatiohal Legislature. so that issues
were not wholly external to our own
body polite, demanding attention and
standing In the way of that close devo-
ton to domestic advancement.
The policy OF devastation nm. con-
inaugurated by the CAPTAIN
generals order to PandO of October oI.
1896, In the province of Pinar del Rio
was extended to embrace all OF the
island to which the power of the Span-
ish arms was able to reach. Every
thing that could desolate the land and
render II unfit for human habitntIon or
support was commanded by one or the
other OF the contcnding parties and -
ecuted by all the powers at their dis
pOsal.
by the time the present ndmInIstra.
tion TOOK office year ago. the agrIcul-
lurnI population, to the estimated num-
Der OF 3oO.OOO or more was herded
within the towns and their Immediate
deprived Of the means OF sun
port. rendered destitute OF shelter. left
poorly clad and exposed 10 the
most unsanliary conditions. BY March
!. 1897, n conservative cstimate from
spanish sources. the mortality among
the reconcentrados from stnryntIon
ana the diseases thereto incident. ex-
c+deu 30 per cent. of their total num-
Der. So-cnllcd "zoncs of cultivation
within the immediate aren
oi eHectlve military control nbout tho
cities and fortified camps proved illu.
sorry.
The unfortunntcs. being for tl,c mos,
.'n'" "hu 'iiiiuTen, WIFI aged
ana helpless men. enfeeblcd by hun.
ger, could not have titled the soil with
out tools, seed or shelter for their own
support or for the supply OF the cItics
adopted nvowcdIy nv
u war measure IN order to cut ON the
resources Of the insurgents. worked liz
predcstIned results.
As said In my message OF Inst De.
cenber, II wns not civilized warfare.
u wns determination. The only pcncc
II could beget wns that VI the wilder.
ness and the grave.
Meanwhile the military sItuntIon IN
the island Ind undergone noticenbic
changc. The extraordinary activity
that characterized the second ycnr or
wnr. when the insurgents inyn.le,i tho
nitherto unhnrmed fields Of PInnr ,I"i
Rio md carried havoc nnd Destruction
Up 70 the wnlls Of the city Of Hnvnnn
Itself, had rclnpsed into n dovve,i
struggle In the central and cnstern
provinces.
Even thus partially restricted. the
rev0Iutionlsts held their own nn6 their
conquest and submission. put forward