Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-12-09

y Z M y 8 h 7I
This nation has assumed before the world Z
grave responsibility for tho future good gov.
eminent Of Cuba. We have accepted trust
the fulillment Of which calls for the sternesi
integrity Of purpose and tho exercise OF thu
highest wisdom. Tho now Cuba yet 10 arise
from the ashes Of the past must needs DO bound
10 US by ties Of singular intimacy and strength
II It's enduring welfare Is 10 be assured
Whether those ties shall DO organic or conven'
tlonal, the destinies OF Cuba arc In some right
full form and manner irrcvocabiy linked with
our own, but how or how far Is for the future u
determine In the ripeness Of events. Whatever
DO the outcome, we must see TO it that free Cuba
DO reality. not name, o perfect entity. not
hasty experiment bearing within itself the ele-
ments OF failure. Our mission. 70 accomplish
which we took up tho wages Of battle, is not "a
be fulfilled by turning ndrift any loosely framed
commonwealth 10 face the vicissitudes which
too often attend weaker states whose natural
wealth and abundant resources nre Offset by tho
incongruities OF their political organization ind
the recurring occasions for internal rivalrtcs 70
sap their strength and dlssipate their energies
The greatest blessing which can come TO Cuba
Is the restoration OF her agricultural and indus
trial prosperity, which will give employment 70
idle men and re.cstablish the pursuits OF peace.
This is her chief and immediate need.
by the treaty OF peace the Spanish people on
the island have until April II, 1870, TO elect
whether they will remain citizens OF Spain or
become citizens Of Cuba. Until then It cannot
be definitely nscertained who shnll be entitled
TO participate In the formation OF the gov
eminent OF Cuba. by that time tho results OF
the census will have been tabulatcd. and we
shall proceed TO provide for elections which
will commit the municipal governments Of the
island to the officers elected by the people. The
experience thus acquired will prove Of great
value in the formation OF q representative con-
vention OF the people TO draft q constitution
and establish general system OF independent
government for the island. In the meantime
and 40 long rs we exercise control over the
island the products OF Cuba should have q
market In the United States on rs good terms
and with rs favorable rates Of duty Us IRE given
TO the w est India islands under treaties OF re-
ciprocitv which shall be made.
The Question OF Pensions.
The Grand Army Of the Republic ut its re-
cent national encampment held nc Philadelphia
has brought to my attention and to that OF con-
gress the wisdom and justice OF u modification
Of the third section of the act of June "a. 1870.
which provides pensions for the widows of
Officers and enlisted men who served o. DAYS or
more during the war OF the rebellion and were
honorably discharged, provided that such
widows are without other means of support
than their daily labor and were remarked 10
the soldier. sailor or marine on account of
whose service they claim pension prior to the
date Of the act.
The present holding Of the department is that
II the Widows income aside from her daily labor
does not exceed In amount what her pension
would DC 10 VII: s'o per ahhum' she woulu DC
,har na. Ill. ,a,,. ,rS ,ro,,iS na or,,,,od 90 a
ncnsion under ibis me-, while n tho widows In
comc indcncndcr, n, The ,mnunt rcccIvcl nv
her ns tho result Of her daily labor exceeds soG.
She wound no, be ncnsionnblc under the act. I
nm advised nv The commissioner of pensions
that tho amount az the Income allowed before
lille "a nension vou,d no barred has varied
wIde,v undcr ds,crcn, admipistr n,ions NJ the
nersjo, oTico ms we'll ns DURING djIerer, nerioas
~ tho same admjnistrn,Ion ana has heen the
cause NJ ms, comnjnin, nnd crIticism win the
onnrovni NJ the secretarv NJ the in,er,or tho
cammiss,oncr ~ nens,ons recommends Inn, in
order "a make the nrncticc NJ ali Times uniform
and 10 do Justice 70 tho dependent widow the
nmonn, NJ ,ncomc allowed indonendent ~ tho
n-oceods M her a,iIv lohor shoulJ no M, loss
,hon sss0 nor anrum and no urycs Inn, conyrcss
shai, 90 omond tho No, ne 10 ncrri, Tho nension
oSirc N cram, ncns;onahle status N widows
under Tho ,ext n, tho ,bIr, section a, the net NJ
limo q ,spo whose income inside from the nro-
cccds n, daiiv labor Is moi in cxccss on ssSl ner
nnn,,u. bcl,cvc This 70 mo n sImnle net Of i,,s-
Too ami 7 bo,r,,I, racommcna 4,
F"ors -A'sor NA'S'
heartily concur III the recommendations lot
the Increase Of the navy us suggested by the
secretary.
The AiI-Absorbing Philippine Question.
On tho nth NJ December. 1895 the trentv of
neace between tho IInited states and Snain
,xns stoned II uroyided. Among other thin.s.
Inn, Snnin shouid cede N tho United States tho
nrchipe npo known Ms the Philippinc islands:
mai Tho ITnitnd states should nav 10 Spain the
aim nj So ara Oo0 and TINT The civil rights and
noitical status OF the native inhnbitan Is OF the
territories they coded 10 the United States
should be determined by the congress. The
treaty was ratified by the senate on the 9th Of
February. 1859. and by the government OF Spain
on the 10Th OF March followiu. The ratiiica.
lions were exchanged on the 18th Of April and
the treaty publicly proclaimed. On the ID OF
March the congress- voted the sum contem-
plated by the treaty, and the amount was paid
over to the Spanish government on tho LIST OF
May.
In this manner the Philippines came to the
United States The islands were coded by tho
government Of Spain, which had been In undis-
puted possession Of them for centuries They