The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-12-15


and scope of the measures to that en-,
shall treat in another part of this mes
sage.
"The withdrawal of the authority O
Spain from the island of Cuba was eff
fected by the LIST of January, so that tn,
full establishment of peace found tn,
relinqlaished territory held by us in trus
for the inhabitants, maintaining unde
the direction of the executive, such gov
eminent and control therein as should
conserve public ORDER restore the produc
tive conditions of peace so long disturbed
by the instability and disorder which pre-
vailed for the greater part of the preced
ing three decades and build up that tran
quill development of the domestic state
whereby alone can be realized the high
purpose as proclaimed in the joint reso
luton adopted by the congress on the
10Th of April, 1885, by which the United
States disclaimed any disposition or in
tention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdic
ton or control over Cuba, except for the
pacifcation thereof, and asserted it's de.
termination that when that was accom-.
| plished to leave the government and con.
troll of the island to it's people The
pledge contained in this resolution is of
the highest honorable obligation and
must be sacredly kept.
81 believe that substantial progress
has been made in this direction. All the
administrative measures adopted in Gu
ba have aimed to fit it for a regenerated
existence by enforcing the supremacy of
law and justice by placing wherever
practicable the machinery of admin
istration in the hands of the inhabitants.
by instituting needed sanitary reforms,
by spreading education, by fostering in
dustry and trade, by intoxicating public
morality and, in short, by taking every
rational step to aid the Cuban people to
attain to that place of self conscious re-
spect and self reliant unity which fits
an enlightened community for self gov
eminent within its own sphere, while en-
aiding it to fulfill all outward obliga,
tions.
AN OBLIGATION ASSUMED.
"This nation has assumed before the
world grave responsibility for the fu.
ture good government of Cuba. We have
accepted a trust the fulillment of which
calls for the sternest integrity of pur.
pose and the exercise of the highest wis
dom. The new Cuba yet to arise from
the ashes of the past must needs be
bound to us by ties of singular intimacy
and strength if its enduring welfare is to
be assured. Whether those ties shall be
organic or conventional, the destinies of
Cuba are in some rightful form and man.
ner irrevocably linked with our own, but
how and how far is for the future to de-
termine in the ripeness of events. What
ever be the outcome, we must see to il
that free Cuba be a reality, not a name,
a perfect entity not hasty experiment,
bearing within itself the elements of fail
ure. Our mission, to accomplish which
we took up the wage of battle, is not
to be fulfilled by turning adrift any loose
ly framed commonwealth to face the
vicissitudes which too often attend weak
er states whose natural wealth and
abundant resources are offset by the in
congruities of their political organiza-
ton and the recurring occasions for in
ternal rivalries to sap their strength and
dissipate their enGrgies The greatest
blessing which can come to Cnha 10 tho
restoration of her agricultural and in
dustrial prosperity, which will give EN-
ployment to idle men and re-establish
the pursuits of peace. This is her chief
and immediate need
"On the 18th day of August last an or
der was made for the taking of the CEN
sus in the island, to be completed on the |
Both of November. BY the treaty of
peace the Spanish people on the island |
have until April II, 1900, to elect whether
they will remain citizens of Spain or be-
come citizens of Cuba. Until then it can
not be definitely ascertained who shall be |
81 =
the government of Cuba BY that time
the results of the census will have been
tabulated, and we shall proceed to pro-
vide for elections which will commit the
governments of the island to
the officers elected by the people. The
experience thus acquired will prove of
great value in the formation of repre-
sentative convention of the people TO
lraft constitution and establish gen
aral system of Independent government
'or the island. In the meantime, and so
ong as we exercise control over the is
and, the products of Cuba should have
market in the United States on as good
erms and with as favorable rates of
luty as are given to the West India is
ands under treaties of reciprocity which
hall be made.
AID TO THE DESTITUTE.
"For the relief of the distressed in the
sland Of Cuba the war department has
ssued supplies to destitute persons
through the officers of the army which
AVE amounted to 5,493,0 900 rations, at
ost of 81, All ,554.07.
'"To promote the disarmament of the
Cuban volunteer army, and in the inter-
st of public peace and the welfare of the
,eople, the sum of S75 was paid to each
yuban soldier borne upon the authenti-
ated rolls, on condition that he should de-
,ost his arms with the authorities desig-
ated by the United States. The sum thus
aggregated S2.547, $50, which {
vas paid from the emergency fund pro-
idcd by the act of Jan. 5, 1899, for that
purpose.
"Out of the Cuban island revenues
uring the six months ending June 80,
800. S1.712O1420 was expended for I
anitation. S293. SS1. 20 for charities and
osnitals and $SS,944.03 for aid to the t
estitute.
1.-THE international commission or arbi-
ration appointed under the Anglo Ven :
zuelan treaty of 1897 rendered an award /.
n Oct. last whereby the boundary line |
etween Venezuela and British Guiana |
, determined. thus ending a controversy
,hich had existed for the greater part of