Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-04-13
beget was that of the wilderness and the
Doggedness of the Insurgents.

grave.
Doggedness of the Insurgents.
Meanwhile the military situation in the
island had undergone a noticea bic change.
The extraordinary activity that charac-
teriZed the second year Gf the war, when
| the insurgents invaded even the hitherto
unframed fields of Pinar del Rio and car
ried havoc and destitutiOn up to the walls
of the city of Havana itself, had -olapsed
into a logged struggle in the central and
eastern provinces. The Spanish arms re-
gained a measure of control & Pinnr del
Rio and parts of Havana, but. under the
existing conditions of the rural country,
without immediate improvement of their
productive situation. Even thus partial
ly restricted the revolutionists held their
own, and their submission, put forward
by Spain as the essential and sole basis
of peace seemed as far distant as at
the outset.
In this state of affairs, my administra-
ton found itself confronted with the
grave problem of its duty. 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 some form of honorable settle
ment. The assassination of the prime
minister, Canoyas. led to change of
government in Spain. The former admin
lstration pledged to subjugation without
concession gave place to that of more
liberal party. committed long in advance
to a policy Of reform involving the wider
principle of home rule for Cuba and
Porto Rico.
The Oyertures of this government, made
through its new envoy, Gen. WoOdfOrd.
and looking to an immediate and effect
i've ameliOratiOn Of the condition of the
island. although not accepted to the eX-
tent OF admitted mediation in any shape
were met by assurances that home rule
HH w JNl,., lNo
with offered to Cuba, without waiting for
the war to end. and that more humane
methods should thencefOrth prevail in the
conduct of hOsulities. incidentally with
these declarations. the new government
OF Spain continued and completed the
policy already begun by its predecessor
OF testifying friendly regard for this ma
ton by releasing American citizens held
Under one charge OF another connected
with the InSurrectiOn, 50 that, by the end
OF November. not Il single person entitled
III any way to our national protection re-
manned IN Spanish prison.
While these negotiations were in prog
ress, the increasing restitution of the
unfortunate reconcentradOs. and the
alarming mortality among them. claimed
earnest attention. The success which had
attended the limited measure of relief ex-
tended TO the suffering American citi-
zens among them by the judicious ex-
pendlture through the consular agencies
OF the money appropriated expressly for
their succor by the joint resolution an
proved May n, 1891 prompted the hu-
name extension of a similar scheme of
aid to the great body of sufferers.
A suggestion for a suspension of hos
tlIities. if asked for by the insurgents
from the general-in-chief. to whom it
would pertain, IN such case, to determine
the duration and conditions of the arm
lstice: The propositions submitted by
Gen. WoodfOrd and the reply of the Span
Ish government, were both in the form of
brief memoranda, the texts of which are
before me, and are substantially in the
language above given.
The function of the Cuban parliament
in the matter of preparing peace. and
the manner of its doing so, are not ex-
pressed in the Spanish memorandum; but
from Gen. WOodfOrd's explanatory re-
ports of preliminary discussions preceding
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 in
surgents.
Relief from the United States.
On the Oath Of December last, I caused
to be issued an appeal to the American
people inviting contributions in money or
in kind for the SuccOr of the starving sIIf-
ferers in Cuba following this on the 9Th
y
ment of the formation of central Gu
ban relief committee with headquarters
III New York city, composed of three
members representing the American Ma
tionaI Red Cross and the religious and
business elements of the community.
The efforts of that committee have been
untiring and accomplished much. Ar
rangements for free transportation to-
Cuba have greatly aided the charitable
work. The President of the American
Red Cross and representatives of other
cOntributOry organizations have genpr-
Ously visited Cuba and c0-operated with
the consul-general and the local authori-
ties to make effective distribution of the
relief collected through the efforts of the
central committee. Nearly 100000 in
money and supplies have already reached
the sufferers and more is forthcoming.
The supplies are admitted duty free. and
transportation to the interior has been
arranged, so that the relief al first nee,
essarily confined to Havana and the
larger cities, is now extended through
most, if not all, of th towns where suf-
fering exists. Thousands of lives have
already been saved.
The necessity for a change in the cor
dition of the recOncentradOs is recognized
by the Spanish government. Within a
few days past the orders of Gen. Wey-
Ter have been revoked and the reconcen-
trados are, it is said, to be permitted to re-
turn to their homes and aided to resume
the self-suDporting pursuits of peace; pub
lie works have been ordered to give them
employment and a sum of 100000 has
been appropriated for their relief.
War to the Death.
The war in Cuba is Of such a nature
that, short of subjugation or extermina
ton, a final military victory for either
side seems impracticable. The alterna
tive lies in the physical exhaustion of the
one or the other party, or perhaps of
both, condition which in effect ended
the ten years war by the truce of Fan
jon. The prospect of such a protra ction
and conclusion of the present strife is
contingency hardly to be contemplated
with equanimity by the civilized world
and least of all by the United States, af
fected and injured as we are, deeply and
intimately, by its very existence. Real
izing this, it appeared to be my duty, i'll q
spirit of true friendIiness, no less to Spain
than to the Cubans, who have so much
to lose by the proongation of the strug-
gle, to seek to bring about an immedi-
ate termination of the war. To this end
L submitted on the 9th ultimo as q re-
suit Of much representation and
correspondence, through the United States