Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
10 the Senate and uorso o,,

10 the Senate and House
atives: represent
No'"ithstanding the added burder
"usreo necessary by the war orr moo
pc .eJoice IN very satisfactory n,
S'eaoiiy increasing degree OF nrosnor,t,,
evidenced by the largest volume Of husi
ness ever recorded. Manufacture bo,
oSeh productive, agricultural nursrit
nave yielded abundant returns lahor +,
Ill heids OF industry is better rewordoa
revenue legislation passed by the pres
Gil. congress has increased the treasu
w receipts to the amount estimated
Wy ils authors. the finances of the gov.
erhment have been successfnl,v adn,i,,
''e'eu ana It's credit advanced to the
iirSt rank, while it's currency has heer
maintained at the worlds highest stand.
ara Military service under a comuor
mas ana Tor a righteous cause has
'-'e"s 'hehed the national spirit and
served to cement more closely than
ever the fraternal bonds between every
section of the country.
A review Of the relation re w. 1-.,.
states to other powers, always appro.
pirate, IS this year of primary imnor-
lance IN view of the momento1s issues
winch have arisen, demanding in one
instance the ultimate determination by
arms and involving farreaching conse-
quences which will require the earnest
attention of the congress.
In my last annual message very FIJI,
consideration was given to the cues
uon or the duty of the government of
the United States toward Spain and the
cuban instruction as being by far the
most important problem with which we
nave been called upon to deal. The con-
slderations then advanced and the ex-
position of the views therein expressed
disclosed my sense of the extreme grav-
ity OF the situation.
Spuin's Due.
setting aside as logically unfounded
or practically inadmissible the recog-
milton of the Cuban insurgents as bel
ligerents, the recognition of the indie
pendence 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, / concluded ii was
honestly due to our friendly relations
with Spain that she should be given a
chance to realize her expec-
tations of reform, to which she had be-
come irrevocaby committed. Within a
few weeks previously she had an
nounced comprehensive plans which it
was confidently asserted would be effica-
cious to remedy the evils so deeply af-
'ecting our own country, so injurious to
the true interests of the mother coun-
try as well as to those of Cuba, and so
repugnant to the universal sentiment
If humanity.
The ensuing month brought little sign
If real progress toward the pac fication
If Cuba. The autonomous administra-
lion set up in the capital and some of
he principal cities appeared not to gain
he favor of the inhabitants nor to be
able to extend their influence to the
arge extent Of territory held by the In
,urgents, while the military arm, OBJ
lctive rebellion, continued many of the
most Objectionable and offensive poll
les of the government that had preced-
ID it. The war continued on the old
ooting without comprehensive plan,
developing only the same spasmodic en-
counters, barren of strategic result,
hat had marked the course of the ear
Ter ten years rebellion as well as the
present instruction from its start. No
alternative save physical exhaustion OF
either comhatant and therewithal the
practical ruin of the island lay in sight,
,ut how far distant no one could VEN
ure to conjecture.
The Names Destruction.
At this iuncture. on the 18th of Febru-
ary last. occurred the destruction or the
,attleship Maine while rightfully lying
In the harhor of Havana on mission
II international courtesy and good VIII
"A catastrophe the suspicious nature
!, nd horror of which stirred the nation 8
heart profoundly Yet the instinct OF
iustice prevailed and the nation anx-
ously awaited the result OF TIE seafch-
ing investigation at once set on foot.
The finding Of the naval board OF IN
,uiry established that the origin OF the
sxnlosion was external, by a submarine
mine and only halted through lack OF
nosltiye testimony to fix the RESPONSE
bility of it's authorship.
All these things carried conVlctlon 10
the most thoughtful, even before the
nndlng of the naval court, that crisis
In our relate ns with Spain and toward
ruha was at hand. So strong was TINS
belief that it needed but brief exec
,tive suggestion to the congress to re-
ceiva immediate answer to the duty OF
,,,oLinp instant provision for the posi-
Bile and perhaps probable emergency oi
war. and the remarkable, almost UNIQUE
.nectacle was presented or unanimous
vote of both houses on the 9th or March
concentrating $50.O000o0 for the ma
t,onal defense and for each and every
,urnose connected Herewith, to be ex-
handed at the discretion of the presl-
dent"
That this act of provision came none
Loo soon was disclosed when the appll-
cation of the fund was undertaken
NV coasts were practically undefend-
nd Our navy needed large provision
,or Increased ammunition and supplies
= Nd even numbers to cope with any
.,,ddar attack from the navy of Spain,
which comprised modern vessels of the
,,rhest tvpe of continental perfection.
1ur army also required enlargement or
,,ar and munitions. The details of the
buried preparation for the dreaded
are told in the reports OF the
.aoretar ies of war and Of the navy ana
need rot be repeated here. 1t is suill-
lent 10 say that the outbreak of war
when 1t did come found our nation not
to meet the conflict.