The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-04-07
SPAIN MUST YIELD
BY surrendering Cuba or War Can Not BE
-McKinley's Message will BE
Ringing Document


Averted-McKinley's Message Will BE
Ringing Document
WASHINGTON, April 5.-The Wash
ington Post says that. unless Spain,
within 4s hours, yields all, by sur
rendering Cuba, war can not be avert
ID. 1t sums up the situation as fol-
lows:
president McKinley's message to
congress will be a ringing, vigorous
document that promises TO meet the
full expectation of congress and the
country. 1t will be a scathing ar
raignment of Spain, showing how she
has demonstrated her utter incapacity
to govern; that her colonies have
declined in population as the
result of misrule and oppression; that
American commerce has been damaged
and American lives and property inn
periled, and that existing conditions
should not and will not be tolerated by
this government. The destruction OF
the battle ship Maine and the slaugh-
ter of 266 officers and seamen serving
under the United States flag will
be commented upon in strong lam
guage, and Spain will be held
responsible for that disaster. The
president will make no direct
recommendation. but his message
will point clearly to the necessity
of armed intervention to restore order
and peace. He will not recommend
the recognition of the independence OF
the island, for the insurgents have no
established form of government, and
the president and cabinet believe that
a travesty would be presented to the
world if, following the recognition of
independence, the United States
should, as the result of war, take that
independence away by seizing or an
nexing the island.
The presidents message viii be
equivalent 70 a declaration of war, and
hostilities can now only be averted by
Spain yielding all.
Pope Leo XIII. is mediating be-
tween Spain and Cuba. The efforts of
his holiness have already resulted in
an appeal from Spain to the insur-
gents, through the autonomic cabinet,
for an armstice pending an agreement
for peace and independence.
1T is learned that his holiness has
represented to Spain that it is the part
of wisdom TO make every possible con-
cession, even to surrendering the
island absolutely, rather than go to
war with the United States, which
would inevitably result in the loss of
Cuba and other Spanish colonies, and
at the same time endanger the dynasty
"The United States has ceased all
negotiations and will not accept medl-
alton.
THE administration and congress
see no alternative but war
The president has completed his
Cuban message, and it will be present
cd to congress on Wednesday. Secre-
: tary Long after the special cabinet
meeting Monday night authorized the
statement The message which in It.
self is long, will not be accompanied
: by the consular reports dealing with
: the state of affairs in Cuba. These
will 20 TO the committee on foreign
: relations of the senate for their private
information and will not be made pub
i lie lust now. The diplomatic cores
) pondence between the United States
and Spain will not be submitted al
present
The cabinet meeting lasted from
t till after II and was devoted entirely
: to the careful reading and discussion
: of the presidents draft of his mes
: SAGE. Every member of the cabinet
l was present. The document was gonC
over point by points and met with the ap
proval of the cabinet in every materla
3 respect The only changes made were
: in a few points of verbiage. When th'
a meeting was over and the member
I dispcrsed there was general air o
s relief and satisfaction on all faces a
9 though the air had been cleared &
r doubt and the members, firmly re
C solved on what they deemed the prope
r course of action, had set out to fol
c low the course to its logical conclu
5 sion. The suspense evidently wa
q over.
G Secretary Long apparently had boN
!. deputcd as spokesman for the meetni
d and gave tho above brief statement
:, As to the char acter of the message l.
d refused TO speak. 1t was learned fror
|, other sources, however, that the mes
:. sagc is in part IA review OF SPAN
c course in the present and preuou
S wars in Cuba. That it viii conta
}, some definite recommendation ma
IL he inferred from the remark OF OF
h member. "Whilc | can say nothn
n explicitly concerning the details
r the message" said he, Il may say tina
r. it is strong. explicit statement az
l. one with which congress will be thor
u oughly in accord.
IS 1t was suggested that congress wa
y pretty thoroughly in accord with II
It Foraker resolution, but nothing MOI
u explicit could be obtained.
Is WASHINGTON, April 5. - Chairna
y Cannon Monday moved to suspend II
y rules Of the house to pass the JON
lie resolution allowing the erection
lie Notifications on private property aft'
unanimous consent for its consider
a. ton had been refused by Mr.. Bailey.
rs The chief of engineers recommcndt
n the passage of the resolution. u
a resolution, after debate, was passed.
d. Mr.. Grout rep, w Monday inir
ID duced the following: Joint resolutit
t. recognizing the independence of Il
err republic OF Cuba, and for other pu
u poses:
so Resolved, By the senate and hou
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