The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-12
taer side. unless st were in favor of the
insurgents.

Last August, trouble began in Spain.
Premier CanOvas was assassinated one
day. and for the next three months
Spain was so taken up with internal
quarrels that It could pay little attention
to the Cuban trouble. Weyler in the
meantime went on In his course Of In
tOlerabIe barbar1ty In Cuba. butchering
women and children, starving old men,
and treating United States citizens as
though they were dogs Finally, last
October Weyler was recalled by the
Sagasta Liberal ministry on the demand
OF the United States and Blauco came
over to take his place.
"Blanco started In as mild as Weyler
had been warlllSe. He sent peaceful
messages to the United States, and on
our Thanksgiving day, last November,
informed US that the government at
Madrid had granted autonomy to Cuba.
Poor old Gomez enraged az this. wrote
TO President Mckinley, describing the
autonomy as "all rot" and telling the
President that the insurgents wonid
fight to the death before they would give
in to Spain.
"Thlngs were now in a worse condition
than ever, as far as the United States
was concerned. Angulo, the queens
autonomy representative, called upon
the President, and told him that the
instruction In Cuba was at an end; the
people had been granted autonomy. he
said, and only the poorer and lower
classes were now fighting.
"At the same time rumOrs OF war and
blndshed, riot and devastation were
reaching Washington. Commerce was
completely destroyed, and the valuable
import trade shut of. American inter-
ests were worthless. and even the steam
ship lines had given up doing business.
"Confused by 50 many diverse ru-
mors the President and war board de-
termined to investigate Cuba for them
selves, and on January "a they sent the
United States battleship Maine to Ha-
vana on what was termed "a peaceful
mission" The Maine was to go there
and pay her respects to the governor
general, and incidentally take note of
the real state Of affairs in Cuba. The
insurgents hailed her with Joy, for they
felt that she would see that they we're
in the right. The Spanish, on the other
hand, looked at her with suspicion.
while the Maine lay in Havana har-
Dor. Senior Dupuy De LONE, the Spanish
minister, wrote an impudent letter abus-
ing President Mckinley. This letter was
intercepted and sent back to Washing
ton, De LONE resigned and took pas
sage for Spain. Matters were constantly
getting a little more strained between
the United States and the Dons.
"a few days later, the whole country
was horrIhed to hear that the battle
ship Maine was blown UP IN Havana
harbOr, with terrible loss OF life and
property, a board OF inquiry was i'm
medIately appointed by the President
and proceeded at once to Havana TO de-
tnrmfne the cause Of the explosion. Four
weeks later II presented sealed report
to the President which placed II lame
at spanish doors. It was pla that
there had been treachery in dealing
with our Maine,
"suddenly. on March 9. Congress sur
prIsed the whole country by the emer-
gency bill, which gave S5O,OOO.OOO to the
government for coast defense. This
raised so much stiff abroad that Gener-
al Fitzhugh Lee and his attaches
thought It prudent to leave Cuba, and
at the same time Minister Woodford at
Madrid received orders to sail for home.
This meant that there would he no
more diplomatic relations between the
two countries.
'senor Polo y Bernabe, who had come
over to take De Lome's place, also pre-
pared to leave, and all hands were evil
IDENTIFY on the brink OF war. But our
President still hoped for peace. Never
in the history OF nations has the Presi-
dent OF q nation tried so desperately
to prevent a passage at arms. But all
of McRinley's diplomatic endeavors.
however, proved futile, and on April
% the North Atlantic squadron set sail
TO blockade Havana harbor. The same
day the ilrst shot was fred by the Uni
ted States gunboat Nashville in captur-
ing the Spanish coast trader, Buena
Ventura.
"The war was now declared, and the
President issued a proclamation to all
nations, declaring the blockade at Gu
ban ports. and the following day he
called for 125OOO American volunteers.
"The third dag OF the war Spain fred
the first shot at the United States from
its batteries mt Mutanzas. The United
States gunboat Foote was fired at. al
though not struck, and Admiral Samp-
son took revenge by leVellng the forts
OF MatanZas' by his big guns
"on April % Admiral Dewey, OF the
Aslatic squadron. stationed at Hong
Kong. was ordered to meet the Spanish
fleet Mt the Philippine Islands, and on
May occurred the great battle OF Ma
nIla. when Admiral MOntcjo was de-
feated and utterly nnnihllated by Adj
mIral Dewey
riot broke out and the crown became
endangered. Don Carlos, the pretender,
went to Madrid and what was called
martial law was proclaimed In the city.
Admiral Dewey, the grent American. on
in the Philippines received recognition
hy Congress, aud was told to 20 on
bombardIng CavIte and get possession
OF tho Philippines.
.gThls brings the war nearly up to
date ON Nav IS \ new Spanish cabinet
was formed in Madrid NJ the same time
tho limited States called for more troops
and appropriated more money for the
war. An expedition OF relief for Dewey
I'm tho Philippine Islands was Dispatch
cd from San Francisco, and the North
Atlantic squadron was ordered TO hunt
ont Spain's fleet in the gulf OF Mexico
and defeat It.
"Thnt is tho war history up to date,
with tho addition Of the great dolngs
of the North Atlantic squadron now so
well known to you, II has been quick
war and an exciting war.
But. though both sides are hot In
earnest now. repeat what said In tho
beRinntng-that war would have been
averted had It not been for the nssas-
slnatlon Of Mnceo and the blowing up
OF the Maine"
FOR YOUR summer outing don't forget
TO order a case of Cooks Imperial
Champagne. Nothing equals II