The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1898-04-15

snlheu sna al measure of control in Pinar del Rio
eilu parts OF Havana, but, under the existing
| conditions of the rural country. without inn
| euiaSS ,I improvement of their productive situa-
t',ia n Even thus partially restricted. the revo-
| sS uSe.oiists m heiu their own. and their submis-
% SION put for@ by Spain as the essential and
,p oasis OF peace. seemed far distant as at
Confronted with a Grave Problem.
IN TINS state OF Affairs, my administration
| ena teuna itselt confronted with the grave problem
| vi lts uuty. My message OF last Deeenhe- re
tai,sn Tn, tne situation and detailed the steps
| ealsen, with view OF relieving its acuteness
| ana opening the way to some form of honorn-
Dle settlement The assassination Of the nrine
mant ;r SSanoVas, led 10 change OF govern
Pleaged TO subjugatlon without concession
| gave place 10 that of "a more liberal
PC pssf.y; committed long in advance to policy
! W reform, involving the principle of home
RUE RUE ior cuba and Puerto Rico. The overtures
% VI tnlS government made through its new en-
Si9y,, SSi1y, zen, Moodford, and looking to an imme-
uiate ana eHectiye amelforation Of the condi-
lloh OF the island, although not accepted TO the
extent OF admitted mediation in any shane
S,e mere met Dy assurances that home rule, in an
| auVanced phase, would be forthwith offered to
| 1uud, without waiting for the war to end and
that more humane methods should thenceforth
prevail IN the conduct of hostilites.
Policy of the New Government of SpaIn.
incidentally with these declarations, the new
| government OF Spain continued and completed
the policy already begun by its predecessor OF
testliylng friendly regard for this nation by re-
ieaslng American citizens held under one
charge or another connected with the insur-
lecton, so that, by the end OF November, not a
single person entitled in any way to our ma
lional projection, remained in Spanish prison.
-, WINE these negotiations were in progress
ene increasing destitution of the unfortunate
asooncenlr rauoes ana the alarming mortality
among them claimed earnest attention. The
success winch had attended the limited meas
ure OF relief extended to the suffering Ameri-
can citlzens among them by the judicious ex-
pesI penui.ure through consular agencies of money
approprlated expressly for their succor by the
!olnt resolution approved May "A, 1897 prompted
1he humane extension of similar scheme of
.. alu 70 The great body Of sufferers A sugges-
eion 10 TINS end was acquiesced in by the
Spanish authorities.
An Appeal to the American People.
On the 24th of December last caused to be
issued an appeal to the American people, in
vItlhg contributions in money in kind for
Ine succor OF the starving sufferers in Cuba.
roliowing this, on the 8th OF January by
siIniiar 81 pubic announcement OF the formation
OF central cuban relief committee, with head
quarters in New York city, composed of three
members representing the American national
M lsea cross and the religious and business ele-
ments OF the community. The Efforts of that
committee have been untiring and accom-
pilshed much. Arrangements for free trans
portatlon to Cuba have greatly aided the charita-
PIE work. The president of the American
hed Cross. and representatives of other con-
trlDutory organizations have generously visited
Cupa ana co-operated with the consul-general
ana the local authorities to make effective dis
position or the relief collected through the ef-
forts OF the central committee. Nearly 500 900
IN money and supplies has already reached the
sufferers, and more is forthcoming. The sup
plies are admitted duty free, and transporta-
tlon TO the interior has been arranged, so that
the relief at first necessarily confined to Ha-
vana and the larger cities. is now extended
through most, II not all, of the towns where
suffering exists. Thousands OF lives have al
ready been saved
Necessity for Change Recognized.
The uarpQSitv for a oh in ba %
the reconcentradoes is recognized by the Span
ish government. Within few DAYS past the
orders of Gen. Weyler have been revoked the
reconcentradoes are it is said to be permitted to
return To their homes and aided to resume the
seif-supporting pursuits of peace; public works
have been ordered to give them employment
ana sum OF sbOO,O0O has been appropriated for
their relief.
The war in Cuba is of such a nature that
short OF subjugation or determination final
military victory for either side seems impracti-
cable. The alternative lies in the physical ex-
haustion OF the one or the other party, or per-
haps OF both-a condition which, in effect. ended
the ten years war by the truce of Zanjon The
prospect OF such protraction and conclusion
of the present strife is contingency hardly to
be contemplated with equanimity by the civil
anected and injured as we are deeply and inti
mately by its existence.
Friendly Duty to Both Sides.
Realizing this, 1t appeared to be my duty, in
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 submitted, on 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 |,
for the negotiations OF peace with the good
offices OF the president
In addition ask the immediate revocation of
the order OF reconcentration, so as to permit
the people to return to their farms and the
needy to be relieved with provisions and sup
plies from the United States cooperating with
the Spanish authorities so as to afford full re-
lief.
Reply of the Spanish Cabinet.
The reply OF the Spanish cabinet was re-
ceived on the night OF the 3lst ultimo. 1t offers,
as the means to bring about peace in Cuba. to
confide the preparation thereof to the insular
department inasmuch Us the concurrence OF that
body would be necessary to reach a iinaal result,
it being, however understood that the powers
reserved by the constitution to the central
government are not lessened or diminished. As
the Cuban parliament does not meet until the
fourth OF May next, the Spanish government
would not object for its part To accept at once
n suspension of hostilities, II asked for by the
insurgents from the general in chief, to whom IL
would pertain, in such 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 are substan-
TALLY in the language above given. The
function of the Cuban parliament in the mat
ter of preparing peace. and the manner of its
doing so are not expressed in the Spanish
memorandum; but from Gen. Woodfords ex-
planatory reports of preliminary discussions
preceding the final conference, it is understood
that the Spanish government stands ready to
give tn insular congress full powers to settle
the terms OF peace with the insurgents, wheth-
er by direct negot iation or indirectly by
means of legislation does not appear
Disappointing Reception of Overtures.
With this last overture in the direction of
immediate peace and its disappointing recep-
tion by Spain the executive was brought. to
the end of his effort
In my annual message of December last
said ''Of the untried measures there remain:
Recognti II of the insurgents as belllgerents
recommendation of the independence of Cuba;
neutral Intervention to end the war by fmpos-
ing "a rational compromise between the con-
testants and intervention in favor of one or the
other party" l speak not of forcible annexa-
tion, for that can not be thought of That, by
our code OF morality, would be criminal aggres-
sion.
Thereu reviewed these alternatives. in
the light OF President Grant measured words,
uttered in 1873. when after seven years OF san
culinary, destructive and cruel barbarities in
Cuba he reached the conclusion that the recog-
milton OF the independence OF Cuba was i'm
practicable and indefensible. and that the
recognition OF belligerency was not warranted
nv the facts according TO the tests of public
Iav commented especially upon the