The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-12

WASHINGTON. Arrii Ia.-Tns presi-
osnt today sen. the following message %
lie congress- OF tas United States:
os,asess 10 that precspt OF the rorssi-
eA,iIn wEicf requires the rFsssGsfs 70
I've from tine 10 Esrse the congress M
formation OF the state OF ne lnisn aha
a. recommend TO their confederation sscn
saeseares as fe ssaali judge necessary and
expssisrt, Il becomes my duty now 10 aa-
6rcss your body with regard 10 the grave
condition that has arisen ia the feiAoons
81 the United States and spain By reason
OF the warfare that for more than three
years has RACED in the neSsbbornz island
Of Cuba do 90 tscause Of the intimate
vounertfcn OF the Cuban question with the
esate OF our Union and the grave relation
Che course which - now incumbent upon
che natian 10 adopt must needs bear Ia
che traditional policy Of our government.
II II In 20 accord with the pr~-epfs laid
down by the founders OF the republic. and
yel!gsousiy observed by succeedsng admin
tstrationg.
J. The present revolution "a but the sue
&4ssor Of ether similar Instructions watch
have occurred against the domination o.
0pain extending over period Of nearly
half a century. each OF which during it,
progress has subjected the United States
90 great Effort and expense In maintain
ing Ha neutrality laws and has caused
great loas 10 commerce. Irritation. annoy
ance and disturbance among our citizens
ard by the exercise of cruel. bsrbarons
ana unciyiNzed practices OF warfare has
shocked the sensIbllities and offended the
human syr1paihies Of cur people.
AMERICA SUFFERS FROM CUBAN
WAR
Since this revolution began IN Februa-
~. 1886, this country has seen the fertile
domain at our threshold ravaged by fire
and sword in the course Of a struggle I'M
equaied IN tho history Of tbs island and
rarely paraileled In number Of combat
ants ard the bitterness Of the contest. by
eng revolution Of modern times, where a
dependent people striving to be free have
been opposed by the power Of the scver-
e!gn state. Our people have beheid once
prosperous couriry reduced TO want. Its
commerce virtually paraiyged- It's excep-
4ional produetivsness diminished. Its fields
laid waste. Its mills III rui1ss and It's PEG
pie persshlng by tens OF thousands from
hunger and desti.ution. We have found
ourselves constrained In the observance
OF that strict neutrality which cur laws
eGiQin, ard which the law OF nations
commands. 20 police our own waters and
watch our own ports In preventing I'M
lawful acts IN aid OF the Cuhans. Our
trade has suffered; capita, Invested by
our citizens In Cuba has been largely
host, and the temper and forbearance or
our people have been so soreiy tried az TO
bcKst q perilous unrest among oar owa
citizens, which has inevitably found It's
explosion from time to time In the nation
81 legislature, so that issues wholly exter-
nal 20 our body polite engro~s attention
and stand In the way of more close de-
xot5on 10 the democratic advancement
that becomes sclf-sontented common
wealth whose primal maxim has been the
avoidance OF al foreign entangIements.
All this must needs awaken aud has In
deed aroused the utmost concern on the
part OF this government, as we'll during
my predecessors term az my OWE.
SPAIN RESORTS To lNHUMANITY.
In April. 1886, the evils from which our
country suffered through thu Cuban war
became so enormous that my predecessor
made an effort 10 bring about a policy
through the mediation OF this government.
In any way that might tend 10 an honor
able adjustment of the contest between
Spain and her revolving colony on the
bass or some effective scheme OF self-Eov-
eminent for Cuba, under the nag and
sovereignty OF Spain. II failed, through
the refusal of the Spanish government
then In power 10 consider any form Of
mediation or Indeed any plan Of settlement:
which did not begin With the actual SUBJ
en.ssion or the Insurgents, and then only
on such terms as Spain herself might see
~ 10 grant. The war remained undated
Tho resistance OF the insurgents was i'm
no wise diminished. The efforts OF Spain
were increased beth by The dispatch OF
fresh irvies 10 Cuba and by the addition
20 the horrors OF the strife. The new and
1nhnman phase. happily unprecedented in
the modern history OF civilized Christian
psonle. the policy OF devastation and con-
ccutratior, .naugurated by the captain
general Oct, 81. isS In the province
OF Pinar Del RIo WAS thence extended TO
enabrare all Of the iss1ns, which the power
o. the Sraniards was able To reach hy &C.
cnpaiion or by military operations. The
peasantry. including all dwellers In IN.
open agricultural Interior were driven
snto the Rasrssnnea towns or isolated
places held by the troops. The raising ~
provisions or all kinds was .nterdtctss
Fields were laid waste, dwellings unroof-
I'd and fired, mills DESTROYED ana In ssor.
everything that could desolste the Lard
ana render II unit for human hah..a.sap
or support was commanded by enc or ma
osissr contsndtag parties. and executed by
al the powers 80 their disposal until. by
sne ofne the present administration took
cffsce year ago, reesarerfratIa,,-~s6 saf.
ed-had been made effective ever IRA
greater part * the four central ara VEST
ern provinces. Santa Clara, Mantsnzss
Havana and f!naT del Rio The agrieui-
tnia4 population 70 she nurslber Of :ssl $50
or more was hfrded vthin The towns IN
their immediate vicinity deprived az the
tnesns OF support. rendered destitute ~
shelter, jeff p@atly clad and exposed ~
fhe most unsatisfactory conditions
HORRORS or nECoNCExrR AT,ox
A the scarcity of faaf Increased with
the devastation az the appropriated AREAS
a. production, dnsgltusser aud want be
came misery aGG efsFyatgon. Month hy
taenth the 6eaih rate increased In alarm.
!ng rasfa. aata by Match. 5ssS acrosafnx
10 conservative estimates from oFnnsa3
Spanish sources, ths iIsaT5ais:v aneax ~.
rseonccatrades from starvation ana ,,ts.
eases thereto irciaeot exceeded 81 ~
eertum 81 the sc,al number
No practical relief was Afforded :. -.
destfsGse. Tho oxe:hurdessa tae'as
ressiy suffering fro0 the erss-sl a..
ctGsa ktse 0e AL 50 s-S.fs,f s,.,..s- - -
fiVati0n sstahi'sh q w.tAsa go s-sa - -,
nary control saoWt ihe elsfes saa g..,t,si's
esa4ps proved i,tessayy rs 4 -en..,s,. -
re suffering. The p-forrpystas -