The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-19

| army ana from tudL tmc OH ulAlt Ni'
middle OF 1897 there was hot fighting
| without scarcely any-advantage on either
side. unless it were in favor Of the in
/ surgents.
Last August trouble began In Spain.
! Premier CanOvas was boldly assassinated
! one day. Cruelty cut of! And Tor the
| next three months Spain was - taken
| up with internal quarrels that IL could
| pay little attention 20 tho cuban trou-
| bic. Weyler In the meantime went 81 in
| his course Of intolerable barbariey in
| Cuba, butchering women and Children
| starving old men. and treating United
| states citizens as though they were ooEs
/ Finally last October Weyler was recall
| cd by the Sagasta Liberal ministry an
! the demand OF the United States, and
| Bianco came over 20 take his place.
"BlancO started I'm as mild rs Weyfar
| had been warlike. He sent peaceful mes-
| sages TO the United States and on our
| Thanksgiving day last November. i'm
! formed us that the government at Mad
| rid had granted autonomy 20 Cuba. Poor
| old Gomez enraged at this wrote a let
/ ter 20 President Mckinley describing tho
! autonomy rs an rot and telling tho
! President that the insurgents would fight
TO tho death before they would give In
! 70 Spain.
THE NAMES MISSION.
Things were now I'm worse condition
/ than ever. as far as the United states
was concerned Angulo, the queens au-
/ tonOmv representative. called upOn the
/ President and told him that the insur-
rectiOn IN Cuba was at an end: tho peo-
| pie had been granted autonomy. he said.
and only the poorer classes. and lower
| classes IN fact. were now fighting.
AT the same time rumors OF war and
| bloodshed, riot and devastation were
reaching Washington. Commerce was
completely destroyed and the valuable
import trade shut Off. American inter-
ests I'm Cuba were worthless and even
the steamship lines had given up doing
| business.
Confused by so many diverse rumors
| the President and war board determined
TO investigate Cuba for themselves. and
on January a. they sent the United
! states battleship Maine 10 Havana on
what was called a peaceful mission
| The Maine was 20 go there. pay her
respects to the gOvernor-gencral. and in
cidentally take note ~ the real state
of affairs I'm Cuba The insurgents hail
ed her with joy for they felt that she
would see that they were in the right.
The Spanish. on the other hand, looked
upon her with suspicion.
"WlNle the Maine lay IN Havana har-
Dor. SEN Depuy De LONE. the Spanish
Minister vote an impudent letter abus-
Ing President Mckinley. This letter
was intercepted and sent back 90 wash
inEtOn. DE LONE resigned and took
passage for Spain. Matters were con-
stantly getting n little more strained
between the United States and the Dons.
a few days later the whole country
was Mortified 10 hear that the battle
ship Maine was blown mp I'm Havana
harbor with terrible loss OF life and
property A Board Of Inquiry was im-
modiately appointed by the President
and proceeded at once TO Havana 20 de-
tcrmine the cause OF the explosion. -Four
weeks later # presented n sealed report
tO the President. which placed the blame
nc Spanish doors. IL was plain that
there had been treachery In dealing with
our Maine.
THE FINAL STEPS.
Suddenly on March 9th. Congress sur
prised the whole country by the Emer-
gency BIZ. which gave 100000 TO the
Government for coast defence. This
raised SO much stir abroad that General
Fitzhugh Lee and his attaches thought
81 prudent 10 leave cuba. and at the
same time Minister Woodford ar Madrid
received orders 20 sail for home. This
meant that there would be no more dip
iomatic relations between the two coun-
tries.
"senor Polo Bernabe. who had come
over 20 take De LOme's place also pre-
pared 10 leave and all hands We're eFl-
IDENTIFY on the brink of war. But our
President stll hoped for peace. Never
in tine history of nations has the presi-
dent OF a nation tried SO desperately
% prevent a passage ar arms. But all
Of McKinley's diplomatic endeayors
however. proved futile and on April
2d. the North Atlantic Squadron set
sail 10 blockade Havana harbor The
same day the first shot was fired by the
United states gunboat Nashville I'm cap
turing the Spanish coast trader Buena
Ventura.
"The war was now declared and the
President ISSUED n proclamation 20 all
nations declaring the blockade OF Cuban
ports. and the following day he called
for 125oo0 American volunteers.
"The third day of the war Spain
fired the first shot ar the United States
from itq batteries NJ Matanzas. The
United states gunboat Foote was fired
at although not struck and Admiral
Sampson took revenge by dwelling the
forts OF Matanzas by his big guns.
"On April 9th. Admiral Dewey OF the
A~iastic Squadron stationed at Hong
Kong was ordered 20 meet the Spanish
fleet ar tho Philippine Islands and on
Nav 1st. occurred the great battle Of
Manila when Admiral Monteio was de-
feated and utter annihilated by Admiral
Dewey.
HOT WAR.
"This news terrorized Madrid and
riots broke out and the crown became
endangered. Don Carlos, the Pretend
err went 10 Madrid and what was called
martial law was proclaimed in tho city
Admiral Dewey the great American,
of in the Philippines. received recogni-
ton by Congress and was told 10 go
on bOmDarding Cavite and get posses
sion OF the Philippines.
This brings tho war nearly up 10
date On May 18th a new Spanish Cab
irs was formed in Madrid at the same
time the United States called for more
troops and appropriated more money
for the war. An expedition OF relief
for Dewey IN the Philippine Islands was
dispatched from San Francisco and the
North Atlantic Squadron was ordered
20 hunt out SPANS feet in the Gulf of
Mexico and defeat &.
"That is the war history up TO date
with the addition OF the great doings
OF the North Atlantic Squadron now so
We'll known 20 you. Il has been a
quick war and an exciting war.
But. though both sides are hot IN
earnest now. I repeat what I said in the
beginning-that war would have been
1verted had it not been for the assassi-
nation Of Maceo and tho blowing up OF
the Maine"
CLARENCE s. RUSSELL
or that dismal success 'rho Beauty