Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-04-21
oxertures aIade Last December.

Oveftares Made Last December.
My message of last December reviewed the
situation and detailed the steps taken with a
view of relieving its acutenesS and opening the
way to form of honorable settlement
The assassination Of the prime minister, Cano-
vass, led TO a change OF government In Spain
The former administration pledged to suhju-
CATION without concession gave place to that OF
a more liberal party, committed long in adj
vance to policy of reform involving the wider
principle of home rule for Cuba and Puerto
Rico. The overtures of this government made
through its new envoy, Gen. Woodford and
looking to an immediate and effective amelorla-
ton Of the condition of the island although not
accepted to the extent OF admitted mediation
in any shape, were met by assurances that
home rule. in advanced phase would be
forthwith offered to Cuba without waiting for
the war to end, and that more humane methods
should thenceforth prevail in the conduct of
hostilities Incidentally with these declara-
tionS, the new government OF Spain continued
| and completed the policy already begun by its
predecessor of testifying friendly regard for
| this nation by releasing American citizens
held under one charge or another connected
with the insurrection, so that by the end of
November. not single person entitled in any
way to our national protection remained in a
Spanish prison.
The Starving Cubans Fed.
While these negotiations were in progress
the increasing restitution of the unfortunate
reconcentradoS and the alarming mortality
among them claimed earnest attention The
success which had attended the limited meas
ure of relief extended to the suffering Ameri-
can citizens among them by the judicious ex-
penditure through the consular agencies OF the
money appropriated expressly for their succor
by the joint resolution approved May "a,
1897, prompted the humane extension of
similar scheme OF aid to the
great body Of sufferers A suggestion to
this end was acQuiesced in by the Spanish au-
thorities. On the 2ith OF December last
caused to be issued an appeal to the American
people, inviting contributions in money in
+ he Of t|o SY.fo IL,
Cuba; following this on the Sth OF January by
similar public announcement of the forma-
ton of central Cuban relief committee,
with headquarters in New York city, COM
posed of three members representing the
American national Red Cross and the religious
and business elements of the community. The
efforts of that committee have been untiring
and have accomplished much Arrangements
for free transportation to Cuba have greatly
aided the charitable work. The president of
the American Red Cross and representatives
OF other contrfbutory organizations have gen.
erouSly visited Cuba and cO-Operated with the
consul general and the local authorities to
make effective distribution of the relief collect
ed through the efforts of the central committed
Nearly 100000 in money and supplies has al
ready reached the sufferers and more is forth
coming. The supplies admitted duty
free. and transportation to the interior has
been arranged. that the relief, at
first necessarily confined to Havana and
the larger cities, is now extended through most,
If not all, of the towns where suffering exists.
Thousands of lives have already been saved.
The necessity for a change in the condition of
| the reconcentrados is recognized by the Span
! ish government Within few days past the
orders OF Gen. Weyler have been revoked, the
reconcentradOS are, it is said. to be permitted
| to return to their homes and aided to resume
| the self-supporting pursuits Of peace public
| works having been ordered to give them en-
| ployment and sum of 1900, 900 has been appro-
| prfated for their relief.
The war in Cuba is of such nature that
| ext in Att fin
military victory for either side seems imprac-
| ticable The alternative lies in the physical
exhaustion of the one or the other party. or
| perhaps OF both-a condition which, in effect,
ended the ten years war by the truce OF Fan
| jon. The prospect of such protraction and
conclusion of the present strife is a contingency
hardly to be contemplated with equanimity by
the CIVILIZED world, and least or all by the
| United States, affected and injured are,
| deeply and intimately by it's very existence.
PROPOSITIONS Submitted tn the Spanish.
Realizing this, it appears to be my duty. in a
spirit OF true 1r1endl1neSS, no less to Spain than
! to the CubanS who have much to lose by the
! prolongation of the struggle, to seek to bring
about an immediate termination of the war. To
this end submitted. the 27th ultimo, as
| result OF much representation and correspond
ence. through the United States minister at
| Madrid, propositions to the Spanish govern
| ment. looking to an armiStice until October 1,
for the negotiation of peace with the good Of
fees of the president In addition. asked the
! Immediate revocation of the order of reconcen-
tration, as to permit the people to return to
their farms and the needy TO be relieved with
| provisions and supplies from the United States,
| cooperating with the Spanish authorities SO
as to afford full relief.
| The reply of the Spanish cabinet was re-
ceived on the night of the 31st ultimo It Of
! fers. as the means to bring about peace in
| Cuba. to confide the preparation thereof to the
| insular department.. inasmuch as the concur
renee of that body would be necessary to reach
| a final result. it being however, understood
| hat "a hvt he tifl1tiO RI
| the central government are not leSSened or di-
minished AS the Cuban parliament does not
meet until the 4th of May next the Spanish
government would not object for its part. to
accept at once suspension of hostilitieS, If
asked for by the insurgents from the general
| in-chief. to whom it would pertain, in sue
case to determine the duration and conditions
of the armistice
| The propositions submitted by Gen. Wood
| ford and the reply of the Spanish government
| were both in the form of brief memoranda
| the texts of which are before me. and SUBJ
stantially in the language above given. The
| function of the Cuban parliament in the matter
| of preparing peace and the manner of doing
| so are not expressed in the Spanish memo
| randum; but from Gen. Woodfor1's explana-
| tory reports of preliminary discussions proceed
| ing the final conference it is understood that
| the Spanish government stands ready to give
| the insular congress full powers to settle the
| terms of peace with the insurgents, whether
by direct negotiation or indirectly by means OF
legislation does not appear With this last
overtures in the direction of immediate peace
and its disappointing reception by Spain the
executive was brought to the end OF his effort
What Was Said In the Last Message.
In my annual message of December last
said: ''Of the untried measures there remain
! Recognition of the insurgents as beiligerents
recognition of the independence of Cuba
neutral intervention to end the war b,
imposing rational compromise between
the contestants and Intervention in favor
OF one or the other party" I speak mo-
4 Of 60.
thought Of That by our code of morality
would be criminal aggression Therefore. re-
viewed these alternatives. in the light of Presi
dent Grants measured words uttered in 1875