Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-04-22
trade and business Of our people and by the
wanton destruction Of property and devasta.

trade and business OF our people and by the
Fourth.-And which is Of the utmost linz
portance. The present condition Of affairs
In Cula is a constant menace to our people,
and entails upon this government an enor-
NOUS expense. With such a conflict. waged
for years In I'M island so near US, and With
which GU. people have such trade and bust.
ness relatiOns-when the lives and liberty Of
our citizens are In constant danger, and
their property destroyed and themselves
ruined-wilere our trading vessels are liable
war ships Of u foreign nation. the expedf-
lions OF dlibustering that we are powcrless
to prevent altogether, and the Irritating
questions and entanglcments thus arising
all those. and others that I need not men-
tion. with the resulting strained relations.
are Il constant menace to our peace and COM
pei us to keep on II semi-war footing with
a nation with which we are ut peace.
Destruction of the Maine.
These elements or danger and disorder al.
ready pointed out have been strlklngly illus
and justly moved the American people. I
have already transmitted to Congress the
report Of the naval court of inquiry on tho
destruction Of the battle ship Maine in the
larbor of Havana during the night of the
18th of February. The destruction of that
noble vessel has Allied the national heart with
ineNpresslble horror. Two hundred and fifty
eight brave sailors and marines and two
officers OF our navy. rcposing in the fancied
security Of a friendly harbor. have been
hurled to d~eath-grief and want brought to
their homes and sorrow to the nation.
The naval court OF inquiry which. 1t Is
needless to say. commands the unqualified
condolences OF the government. was unani-
nous in Its conclusion that the destruction
of the Maine was caused by an exterior ex-
plosion, that of Il submarine mine. 1t did not
assume to place the responsibility. That re-
mains to be fixed.
In any event the destruction Of the Maine.
by whatever exterior cause. is Il patent
and impressive proof of II state of things
in Cuba that Is intolcrable. That condition
is thus shown to be such that the Spanish
government cannot assure safety and So
cnrity TO IL vessel of the American navy in
the liariOr of Havana OH Il mission of peace
and rigltfully there.
Further referring In this connection to re.
cent diplomatic correspondence, II dispatch
from our minister to Spain of the 10Th u!timo
contained the statement that the Spanish
minister for foreign affairs assured him pos
itively that Spain will do all that the highest
honor and justice require in the matter OF
the Maine: The reply above referred to of
Of the readiness of Spain to submit to an
arbitration of all the differences which can
arise in this matter. which Is subsequently
explained by the note of the Spanish minis.
ter at Washington of the 10th inst, as fol-
lows:
Gas to the question of fact which springs
from the diversity of views between the re-
port of the American and Spanish boards.
Spain proposes that the fact be ascertaincd
by an impartial Investigation by experts.
which decision Spain accepts In advance"
To this I have made no reply.
The long trial has proved that the object
for which Spain has wagcd the war cannot
be obtained. The fire of Instruction may
flame or may simoidcr with varying seasons.
cannot be eStingnislcd by present methods.
The only hope of relief and rcpose from n
condition which cannot longer he endured Is
tie enforced paciiication of Cuba. In the
tppNn nf npnnrff In thn tny,n - I'll
tini. In behalf of endangered American in-
terests which give us the right and the duty
to speak and to act, the VAR in Cuba must
stop.
Asks Authority Use Force.
In view of theea facts and these considera-
tiois, ask Congress TO authorize and en-
power the President to take measures to Sc
cure a full and final termination of hos
~tilities between the government of Spain
| and the people of Cuba. and to secure In the
island the establishment of a stable gov
ern,nent capable of maintaining order and
observing its International Obligations, In
surfing peace and tranquility and the security
of Its citizens rs well as our own, and to
use the military and naval forces of the
United States as may be necessary for these
purposes.
And IN the interest of humanity and to aid
in preserving the lives of the starving people
or the Island, recommend that the distri-
button Of food supplies he continued and
that am appropriation he made out of the
public Treasury to supplement- the charity Of
Cur citizens.
The issue is now with the Congress. 1t is
Il solemn responsibility. i have exhausted
every effort to relieve the intolcrablc condi-
ti"n of affairs which is ut our doors. Pre-
pared to execute every obligation imposed
upon me by the constitution and the law, 1
| await your action.
Yesterday, and since the preparation OF the
forcgoing message. official information was
received by me that the latest decree of the
Queen Regent of Spain directs General
Elanco: in order to prepare and facilitate
peace. to proclaim Il suspension of hostilities.
The duration and details of which have not
yet been communicated TO me. This fact.
with every other pertinent consideration.
will, ! am sure. have your just and careful
attention In the solemn deliberations upon
which YOU are about TO enter. If this meas
nrc attains a successful result, then our as
pirations as Il Christian. peace-loving people
another Justification for our contemplated
action. WILLIAM M'lIINLllY.