Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-12-10
THE MESSAGE.
Sent to he Senate and House of Rep
uesentative> by the President.
To the Senate and House of Representa-

lives.
Notwithstanding the added burdens
rendered necessary by the war. our peo-
pie rejoice in a very satisfactory ana
steadily increasing degree OF prosperity
evidenced by the largest volume OF pusl-
ness ever recorded. Manufacture mas
been productive, agricultural pursuits
have yielded abundant returns. lapor IN
all fields of industry Is better rewarded,
revenue legislation passed ny the present
congress has increased the treasur!
receipts to the amount estimated py lts
authors: the finances CT the government
have been successfully administered ana
its credit advanced to the fiist rank.
while its currency has been maintained
at the worlds highest standard. Mill
tary service under common tiag ana lcr
q righteous cause has strengthened the
national spirit and served to cement more
closely tnan ever the fraternal bonds be-
tween every section of the country.
In my last annual message, very 1uil
consideration was given to the question
of the duty Of the government OF the
United States toward Spain and the Gu
ban insurrection as being by far the most
important problem with which we nave
been called upon to deal. The considera-
tions then advanced and the exposition
of the views therein expressed. disclosed
my sense of the extreme gravity or the
situation. Setting aside. as loglcaiiy
unfounded or practically inadmissaD!e.
the recognition of the independence OF
Cuba. neutral intervention to end the
war by imposing a rational compromise
between the contestants. intervention in
favor of one or the other party, and
forcible annexation of the island. con-
cluded it was honestly due to our friend :
ly relations with Spain that she should
be given a reasonable chance to realize
her expectations of reform to which she
had become irrevocably committed.
Within a few weeks previously she had
announced comprehensive plans which 1t
was confidently asserted would be effica-
cious to remedy the evils so deeply af-
fecting our own country, so injurious to
the true interests of the mother country
as we'll as to those of Cuba. and so re-
pugnant to the universal sentiment of
humanity.
The ensuing month brought little sign
of real progress toward the pacification
of Cuba.
The autonomous administration set up
in the capital and some of the principal
cities appeared not to gain the favor
of the inhabitants nor to l.e able to ex-
tend their influence to the largest extent
of territory held by the Insurgents. while
the military arm. obviously unable to
cope with the still active rebellion. con-
tinued many of the most objectionable
and offensive policies Of the government
that had preceded 1t. No tangible relief
was afforded the vast numbers of un-
happy recOncentrados. despite the re-
iterated protestations made in that re-
gard and the amount appropriated by
Spain to that end. The preferred ex-
pedient of zones of cultivation proved
illusory; indeed. no less practical nor
more delusive promises of succor could
well have been rendered to the exhausted
and destitute people, stripped of all that
made life and home dear herded in a
strange region among unsympathetic
strangers hardly less necessitous than
themselves.
BY the end of December the mortality
among them had frightfully increased.
The war continued on the old footing
without comprehensive plan, developing
only the same Spasmodic encounters.
barren of strategic result. that had
marked the course Of the earlier 10
ycars' rebellion as we'll as the present in
surrection from its start. No alternative
save physical exhaustion of either COM
Blatant and Herewith the practical ruin
OF the island. lay in sight. but how far
distant no one would venture to con-
lecture.
At this juncture. on Feb. Is last. oc-
Cured the destruction of the battleshir
Maine. while rightfully lying in the har-
Dor of Havana on mission Of interna-
tional courtesy and good villa catas
trophe the suspicious nature and horror
of which stirred the nations heart pro-
foundly. 1t is striking evidence Of the
poise and sturdy good sense distinguish
ing our national character that this
shocking blow, falling upon a generous
people. already deeply touched by pre-
ceding events in Cuba, did not move them
to an instant desperate resolve to tolerate
no longer the existence of a condition of
danger and disorder at our doors that
made possible such deed. by whumso-
ever wrought. Yet the instinct of jus stice
prevailed, and the nation anxiously
awaited the result of the searching in
vestlgatiOn at once set on foot. The
finding of the naval board of inquiry
esta bllshed that the origin Of the eX-
plosion was external by subma rine
mine, and only halted. through lack of
positive testimony. to fix the RESPONSE
bility of its authorship.
All these things carried conviction to
the most thoughtful. even before the
finding of the naval court that a crisis
in our relations with Spain and toward
Cuba was at hand. So strong was this
belief that it needed but brief executive
suggestion to the congress to receive i'm
mediate answer to the duty Of making
instant provision for the possible and,
perhaps, speedily probable emergency of
war and the remarkable, almost unique,
spectacle was presented of a unanimous
vote Of both houses on March 9 ap-
propriating $50, 600, 900 "for the national
defense and for each and every purpose
connected Herewith. to be expended at
the discretion of the president"
That this act Of provision came none
too soon was disclosed when the applica-
tion of the fund was undertaken. Our
coasts were pra ctically undefended. Our
navy needed large provision for increased
ammunition and supplies and even num-
bers to COPE with any sudden attack
from the navy Of Spain which comprised
modern vessels of the highest type of con.
tinental perfection. Our army also re.
quired enlargement of men and muni-
tions. The details Of the hurried prep
aration for the dreaded contingency are
told in the reports Of the secretaries of
war and of the navy and need not be re-
the outbreak of war, when II did come,
found our nation not unprepared to meet
this conflict.
Grieved and disappointed at this barren
outcome of my sincere endeavOrs to
reach practicable solution, felt 1t my
duty to remit the whole question to con-
gress. In the message Of April II. 1898,
l announced that with this last overture
in the direction of immediate peace in
Cuba and its. disappointing reception by
Spain. the effort of the executive was
brought to an end. Iagain reviewed the
alternative course of action which had
been proposed. concluding that the only
one consOnant with international policy
and compatible with our firm-set his
torical traditions. was intervention as a
neutral to stop the war and check the
hopeless sacrifice of life even though
that resort involved hostile constraint
upon both the parties to the contest as
we'll to enforce truce as to guide the
eventual settlement"
In view of all this the congress was
asked to authorize and empower the
president to take measures to secure a
full and final termination of hostilities
between Spain and the people of Cuba
and to secure in the island the establish
ment of u stable government. capable
of maintaining order and observing its
international obligations. insuring peace
and tranquility, and the security OF its
citizens as well as our own, and for the
accomplishment of those ends to use the
military and naval forces of the United
States as might be necessary. with added
i ,-;s 70, itlt, inf IN