Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-11
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

the Cuban situation was sent to Con-
gress to day.
The President in the preface to the
document gives summary of the his
tory of Cuba for the past half cen
tury, the last three years. conflict in
that island, the desolate picture now
presented, the paralying of tradein Cuba
and the disastrous effects upon that OF
the United States, as we'll as the inter
ests of citizens of this country who
have investments in the island now in
the throes of war He then reviews
the action of the United STATES in its
efforts to bring about satisfactory
state of affairs in Cuba, the money ex-
pended in endeavors to prevent fiIibus-
tering and the patience with which
this country has viewed the scene and
the desolation which has gradually
grown darker in that unhappy island.
He says
"The policy of devastation and con-
centration, inaugurated by the Captain
Generals bando Of October 81, 1896, in
the province of Pinar del Rio was
thence extended to embrace all of the
islands to which the power of the
Spanish arms was able to reach by &C.
cupation or by military operations.
The peasantry, including all dwelling
in the open agricultural interior, was
driven into the garrison towns or iso-
lated places held by the troops.
The raising and movement of provs.
ions OF all kinds were interrupted.
The fields were laid waste, dwellings
unroofsd and fred, mills destroyed
and, 10 short, everything that could
desolate the land aud render it unfit
for human habitation or support was
commanded by one or the other of the
conteDding parties and executed by all
the powers at their disposal.
by the lime the present administration
took Office a year ago, reconcentration-so
called been made effective over the bet.
| ter part of the four central and western prov
| inces Santa Clara, Matanzas, Havana and
Pinar del BIO.
The agricultural population, to the esti-
mated number of 100000 or more, was
| herded within the towns and their immediate
| vicnage, deprived of the means of support,
rendered destitute Of shelter, left poorly clad,
| and exposed to the most uusani;ary cond.
| tons AS the scarcity of food Increased with
! the devastation Of the depopusted areis of
| production, restitution and want became mis-
ely and starvation. Month by month the
death rate increased in an alarming ratio.
| By March, 1897, according to conservative
estimates from official Spanish sources, the
| mortality among the reconccntradoes from
starvation and the diseaaes thereto incident
exceeded so per centum of their total mum.
| ber"
The President then proceeds to re.
view the military operations in Cuba.
and refers to messages of his own and
his predecessor; to the efforts of Gen.
| Woodford to bring about an ameliora-
| ton of the condition of the island,
their futility; to the movement looking
towards the sending of relief to the
destitute of Cuba; the work of the Red
Cross Society, and the fact that thou
sands of lives had been saved by the
| muniGcence of the United States. The
| President then refers to the suggestion
sent to Madrid for an srmistice until
| October 1st in order to have the COZ
1icl brought to close; also for an i'm
mediate revocation of the order Of re
concentration. The replies of the
Spanish Cabinet were by no means sat-
| -tactory, and the diplomatic relations
between that country and the United
States were brought to an end The
President then proceeds to review the
history of similar cases which have
come to the notice of the United States
when Spanish dominion on this side OF
the ocean has been thrown of. He
says:
From the standpoint of experience do not
think it would be wise or prudent for this
government to recognize at the present time
the independence of the so.called Cuban re-
pubic. ouch recognition is not necessary in
order to enable the United States to intervene
and pacify the island. To commit this
country NV to the recognition of any particu
lar government in Cuba might subject US to
embarrassing conditions of international obi
CATION toward the organization so recognized.
In case of Intervention our conduct would be
subject to the approval or disapproval of such |
government; we would be required 10 submit |
to its direction and Ito assume to it the mare |
re alton of friendly ally. When it shall |
appear hereafter that there is within the |
island a government capable of performing |
the duties and dscharging the functions of |
sepera.e nation, and having as a matter OF |
fact, the proper forms and attributes of ma. |
tionality, such government can be promptly |
and readily recognized, and the relations and |
Interests of the United States with such ma
ton adjusted. There remain the alternative |
forms OF intervention to end the war, either |
as an impartial neutral by imposing rational
compromise between the contestants, of as the |
active ally of the one party or the other"
This action, he believes, would be on
the grounds of humanity, duty to our
selves and the Cubans, and the removal
of a menace to our own peace. The !
President in abiding to the destruction
of the Maine says:
"The naval court of inquiry, which |
it is needless to say commands the un-
qualified confidence of the government,
was unanimous in its conclusion that |
the destruction of the Maine was caused |
by an exterior explosion, that of sub.
marine mine. 1t did not assume to
place the responsibility. That remains
to be fixed. In any event, the destruc
ton of the Maine, by whatever exterior
cause, is patent and impressive proof
of state of things ih Cuba that is in
tolerable. That condition is thus shown
to be such that the Spanish government
cannot assure safety and security to
vessel of the American navy in the har-
Dor of Havana on mission OF peace
and rightfully there"
He refers to this act as corroberatiye
of the picture he has drawn OF affairs in
Cuba, which shows the inability of
Spain to protect neutral vessel in the