Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-12-16
II the Senate and House Of Rcprsscnta.

Increasing degree of prosperity evidenced
by Tie largest volume Of business ever re-
corded. Manufacture has been produce
tive. agricultural pursuits have yielded
nhuuiaur returns. labor in the fields OF
industry is better rewarded, revenue lesis-
lat:on passed by the present Congress has
Increased the trcasury's receipts 10 the
amount estimated by it's authors, the
finances Of the Government have been
successfully administered. and its credit
advanced to the first rank. while it has
been maintained at the worlds highest
standard. Military service under Il COM
moa ilas and for a righteous cause has
strengthened the national spirit and serv-
ell 10 cement moro closely than ever the
fralevnal bonds between every section of
the couutry. A review of the relations OF
ihr lrn.cd States To other powers, always
appropriate, is this year of primary lmpor-
tafirc. in view of the momcntous issues
Which nave arisen, demanding in one III
stance the ultimate determination by arms
AND involving fnr-reaching consequence
Which will require the earnest attention of
,ite Congress.
.ailure of A%utononny in Cuba.
IL NY last annual message very full con-
s..larttion was given to the question of the
A.tv Of the Government OF the United
St $ toward Spain and the Cuban insur-
r.ciion as being by far the most important
PFC, lerl with which We were then called
uron TO deal. 7 concluded it was honestly
duc to our friendly relations with Spain
,;ai she should he given q reasonable
%,i..tpcc To realize her expectations OF re-
fo.in to which she had become irrevocably
committed.
'fiic cnsuing month brought little sign of
real progress toward the paciiication of
Cilha by the autonomous administration.
NJ fangiblc relief was afforded the vast
nHsrhcrs of unhappy rcconccntrados, and
ny the end of December the mortality
n.tt.ng them had frightfully increased.
NItA the acquiesccnce Of the Spanish au-
,~aor.iics Il scheme was adopted for relief
H. charitable contributions raised in this
country. Thousands OF lives were thus
saved, but the val continued on the old
footing without comprehensive plan. No
alternative save physical exhaustion of
either combatant ard thcrewithal the
practical ruin Of the island lay in sight.
Destruction of the Maine.
Al this juncture, on the 18th of Tebru-
niry last. occurred the destruction OF the
iai,lcship Maine, while rightfully lying
H. ike l,arhor OF HAVANA catastrophe,
tte Suspicious nature and horror of which
s;irgad The nations heart profoundly. Yet
IL ~assinct OF justice prevailed and the
MAJ ia anxiously awaited the result OF the
81 sri.iIg investigation n once set on foot.
Ihe ar,,img of tho naval board of inquiry
established that tho origin of the explosion
YVES external by Il submarine mine. and
Only halted through lack Of positive tcsti-
tnesy Ia liz the responsibility of its author
snip.
An these things carried conviction to
~, most thoughtful, even before the find
:tes of the naval court. that a crisis i'll
otf relations will, Spain and toward Cuba
Was at hand. SO strong vas this belief
;hat ii needed but Il brief executive sug-
ges!ion to the Congress to receive immcdi-
.te answer to the duty of making instant
provision for the possible aud perhaps
speedily probable emergency OF war. The
s~rtails ~ the hurried preparation for the
dreaded contingency is told in the reports
OF the Secretaries of Wal and of the
May. 1t is sufficient 10 say that the out
break of war. when it did co,ne found
our nation not unprcpared to meet the
conflict.
Negotiations with Spain.
SILL, animated by the hope of a peaceful
Hsai--t Thu " ING taiC tt VI ht.tS =
No effort was relaxed TO bring about n
speedy ending Of the Cuban struggle. Ne
gotiations to this object continued active
IL with the Government of Spain, looking
70 the immediate conclusion of n six
months almisticc in Cuba, with a view 10
ELECT the recognition OF her peoples right
to Independence. Negotiations continued
cor some little time at Madrid, resulting
in Offers by the Spanish Government
which could not hut be regarded as made
gaate. Grieved and disappointed at this
hassen outcome of my sincere endeavoYs
4, rcach u practical solution. l felt it my
daily 10 remit tine whole question to Tie
{ 1arcss. In the message of April ii,
1888. ] reviewed the alternative course of
action which l had proposed, concluding
that the only one consonant with %interna-
tional policy and compatible with our firm
srt historical traditions was intervention
ia a neutral to stop the war and check the
hopeless sacrifice Of life.
In view OF nll this. the Congress was
agl,r,i to authorize md empower the Pres
!.lent 10 take measures to secure II full
and finn! termination Of hostilitics Ic-
tween Spain and the people of Cuba, and
20 secure in the island the establishment
OF Il stable government.
Congress Declares War.
rie response of the Congress. after
nine days of earnest dclibcration. during
which the almost unanimous sentiment OF
your body was developed on every point
gave rs to the cypediency of coupling the
proposed action with a formal recosni-
ion Of the Republic of Cuba rs the true
aM.l lawful government of that island
n proposition which failed of Gdoption-
the Congress, after conference, April 10,
by a vote of Dc to 30 in the Senate and :s11
70 6 in the House Of Representatives,
passed tho memorable Joint resolution, de-
cla.ing war.
This resolution was approved by the
executive on the next day, April 30. A
copy was at once communicated to the
Spanish minister at this capital, who
forthwith announced that his continuance
in Washington had thereby become impos-
si.sc. and asked fo- his passports, which
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