Richmond planet., 1898-04-16
MGINLEY ON CUBA.
The Presidents Message to Con-
gress on the Subject.
FAvoRs EARNED INTERVENTION,

Weyle-'s Concentration order and
Refers Briefly TO the Maine Horror.
washington, April 12.-President Nc
Rinley's message to congress on the
cuban question. which was transmitted
yesterday. reviews at length the revo-
luton which has waeed on that island
for more than three years past, which
is bat a successor OF similar fnsurrec-
tions which have occurred in Cuba dur
Ing nearly half a century," and de-
ciares the latest outbreak "a struggle
unequaled In the history OF the ISL
and which has subjected the Uni
ted States to great effort and ex-
pense in enforcing its neutrality
laws, caused enormous losses to
American trade and commerce. caused
irritation, annoyance and disturbance
among our citizens, and by the exer-
else OF cruel. barbarous and unclvilized
practices of warfare, shocked the SEN
abilities and offended the humane sym
pathies OF our people"
The message then proceeds In sub
stance as follows:
"A once prosperous community has
been reduced to comparative want and
its people have perished by tens OF
thousands from hunger and destitu-
ton. Our trade has suffered: the cap
-ital invested by our citizens in Cuba
has been largely lost, and the temper
and forbearance OF our people have
been SO sorely tried as to beget a peril
Gus unrest among our own citizens,
which has inevitably found It's express
sion from time to time in the national
legislature"
After referring to the futile efforts
OF his predecessor TO bring peace In
Cuba he dwells at length on the order
OF concentration Of General Weyler, of
which he saws:
by the time the present admins
tration took ofiice a year ago the agri-
cultural population, to the estimated
number OF S0o. 900 or more, was herded
within the towns and their immediate
vicinage. deprived Of the means of sup
port. rendered destitute OF shelter, left
poorly clad and exposed to the most
unsanitary conditions. AS the scarcity
OF food increased with the devastation
| OF the depopulated areas Of production
destitution and want became misery
and starvation. Month by month the
death rate increased in an alarming
ratio. BY March. 1897, according to
conservative estimates from Spanish
official sources. the mortality among the
reconcentrados. from starvation and
the diseases thereto incident. exceeded
/ 90 per cent of the total number. No
practical relief was accorded to the
| destitute The overburdened towns, al
ready suffering from general dearth.
could give no aid.
Inusory Zones or CuItfvatfon.s'
1.-THE so called zones of cultivation
| established within the immediate area
1 OF effective military centrol about the
4 o6t
4 lusory as a remedy for the suffering
The unfortunates, being for the most
| part women and children. with aged
4 and helpless men, enfecbled by dis
1 ease and hunger, could not have TILED
| the soil. without TOOLS seed or shelter
for their own support or for the supply
| OF the cities Recommendation. adopted
i avowediy as a war measure IN order
to cut OF the resources OF the insur-
gents. worked its predestined result. As
I said In my message OF last December,
it was not civilized warfare: IL was
determination. The only peace 1t could
beget was that OF the wilderness and
the grave
Referring to the assassination or Pre-
mier Canovas and the accession to
power in Spain of more liberal party,
the message deals with the pledges OF
autonomy Of the Sagasta cabinet and
then discusses the work of the char
liable people in this country in reliev-
| ing the distressed reconcentrados,
which has resulted in saving thousands
OF lives The president declares fur
ther that 'the war in Cuba is of such
a nature that. short OF subjugation or
military determination. q final military
victory for either side seems imprac-
ticable''
"Realizing xhis," he declares, "it
appeared to be my duty in a spirit OF
true friendliness. no less TO Spain than
to the Cubans who have so much to
lose by the prolongation OF the struggle,
to seek to bring about an immediate
termination OF the war To this end
I submitted on the 27th ult., an a result
OF much representation and correspond
ence through the United States min
lister at Madrid, propositions to the
Spanish government looking to an
armistice until Oct. for the negotia-
ton OF peace with the good offices OF
the president"
II The reply OF the Spanish government
to the above was to the effect that they
would accept at once q suspension OF
hostilities II applied for by the insur-
gents. Then the efforts OF General
Woodford in the interest Of peace are
Fecounted, and then the president, after
arguing at length against either the
] recognition OF Cuban belligerency OF
Independence. and citing numerous pre-
! cedents In support OF his position. con-
, tinues:
There remain the alternative forms
OF Intervention to end the war, either as
, an impartial neutral by imposing q
: rational compromise between the con-
, testants, cr as the active ally OF the
one party or the other.
IL Reasons For Intervention.
''The forcible Intervention OF the Uni.
ted States as a neutral, to stop the war
according to the large dictates or hu-
manity and following many historical
precedents where neighborinE states
have interfered to check the hopeless
, sacrifices Of life by internecine con.
fiicts beyond their borders, is justifabI,
on rational grounds. The grounds fol
such intervention may be briefly sum.
married as follows:
1 "First-In the cause Of humanity anS
, to put an end to the barbarities. blood
{ shed. starvation and horrible miserie.
| now existing there, and which the par.
ties to the conflict are either unable OF
unwilling to stop or mitigate. 1t is nc
I answer to say this is all In another
, country, belonging to another nation
and Is therefore none OF our bu, less
II is specially our duty. for It is T.. It a
our door.
. "Second-We owe II to our citizens II
Cuba 70 afford them that protection
: and indemnity for life and propert,
which no government there can or will
: afford, and to that end to terminate tn
conditions that deprive them OF lega
protection.
'Third-The right TO intervene may b
Justified by theyery serious injury to tn
commerce. trade and business os ou
people and by the wanton destruction
\ OF property and devastation OF the ISL
and
spour.h-Asa wn,.h A. ~ ~. ,,t,,o.