Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1906-12-13

government to intervene, and finally was
notified by. the president OF Cuba that
ne INTENDED to resign; that his decision
was irrevocable that none of the other
constitutional officers would consent to
carry on the government, and that he
was powerless to maintain order. IL was
evident that chaos was impending. and
there was every probability that If steps
were not Immediately taken by this gov
eminent to try to restore order, the rep
resentatves of various European nations
IN the island would apply to their re-
spective governments for armed interview
ton in order to protect the lives and
property Of their citizens. Thanks to the
preparedness of our navy, / was able
Immediately to send enough ships to
cuba To prevent the situation from hecom-
ing hopeless and l furthermore. dis
and the assistant secretary of state. In
order that they might grapple with the
situation on the ground All efforts to
secure an agreement between the con-
tending factions, by which they should
themselves come to an amiCable under
standing and settle upon some modus
NlNendi-some provisional government OF
their own-failed. Finally the president
or the republic resigned The quorum of
congress assembled failed by deliberate
purpose OF its members, so that there
was no power to act on his resignation,
ana the government came to halt In
accordance with the so,called Plat
constitution of Cuba, thereupon pro
claimed provisional government for
the island, the secretary of war acting
as provisional governor until he could he
replaced by Mr.. Magoon, the late minis
ter to Panama and governor of the canal
zone on the isthnus; troops were sent
70 support them and to relieve the navy,
the expedition being handled with most
satisfactory speed and efficiency. The
insurgent chiefs Immediately agreed that
their troops should lay down their arms
and disband; and the agreement was car
ried out The provisional government
has left the personnel of the old
hn alh In To-
might be, unchanged and will thus add
minister the island for "a few months
until tranquility can be restored, a new
election properly held. and a new govern
ment inaugurated Peace has come in
the island; and the harvesting of the
sugar cane crop. the great crop Of the
Island, is about to proceed.
Provisional Government TO End.
When the election has been held and
the new government inaugurated In
peaceful and orderly fashion of the provi-
sional government will come to an end.
! take this opportunity Of expressing
with all possible solemnity, our most
earnest hope that the people of Cuba
Will realize the imperative need of pre-
island. The United States wishes moth
ing OF cuba except that II shall prosper
morally and materially, and wishes noth-
be able to preserve order among them
selves and therefore to preserve their
independence. II the elections become a
farce and If the insurreCtionary habit
becomes confirmed in the island, II is alb
solutely out of the question that the
island should continue independent and
the United States, which has assumed
the sponsorship before the civilized world
for Cuba's career as a nation, would
again have to intervene and to see that
the government was managed in such
orderly fashion as to secure the safety
OF life and property. The path to be
trodden by those who exercise self-gov-
n ard a 81.
have every charity and patience with the
Cubans as they tread this difficult parth.
have the utmost sympathy with, and
regard for, them: but | most earnestly
adJure them solemnly to weigh their re
sponsibihties and to see that when their
new government is started Il shall run
smoothly, and with freedom from ha-
grant denial Of right ON the one hand.
and from insurrectonary disturbances on
the other.
The Rio Conference.
The second international conference OF
American republics. held in Mexico in
the years 1902, provided for the holding
of the third conference within five years,
and committed the fixing of the time and
place and the arrangements for the con-
ference to the governing board of the
bureau of American republics composed
of the representatives of all the Ameri-
can nations in Washington. That board
with marked fidelity and painstaking
care, and upon the courteous invitation
OF the United States of Brazil, the con-
ference was held At Rio de Janeiro, con-
tnuing from the 23d of July to the 18th |
of August last. Many subjects of COM |
mon interest to all the American nations |
reached, embodied IN a series |
of resolutions and proposed conventions. |
will be laid before you upon the coming |
I'm of the final report of the American |
delegates They contain many matters |
OF importance relating to the extension |
of trade, the Increase of communication,
the smoothing away of barriers To free |
intercourse and the promotion of bet
ter knowledge and good understanding |
between the different countries represent
ed. The meetings of the conference Wer |
reached with substantial unanimty. 1t |
Is interesting to observe that in the sue
cessiNe conferences which have been
held the representatives of the different
American nations have been learning to
work together effectively, for, while the
first conference in Washington in 1889,
and the second conference in Mexico in
1902. occupied many months. with much
time wasted in an unreguated and fruit
less discussion the third conference at
Rio exhibited much of the facility in the
practical dispatch of business which
the permanent deliberative
bodies, and completed its labors within
the period of six weeks originally allot-
quite apart from the specific value OF
the conclusions reached by the confer
ence, the example of the representatives
Of all the American nations engaging in
and kindly consideration and
discussion OF subjects of common inter-
EST is itself of great and substantial
value for the promotion of reasonable
and considerate treatment of all interna-
lional questions The thanks of this
are due to the government of
Brazil and to the people of Rio de ia
neiro for the generous hospitality with
which our delegates. in common with
The others, were received, entertained, and
in their work. ut "7'Y s) Ii
Incidentally to the meeting of the con-
ference the secretary of state visited the
city of Rio de Janeiro and was cordially
received by the conference, of which he
was made an honorary president. The
of his intention to make
this visit was followed by the most cour-
locus and urgent invitations from near
" all the countries OF South America to
visit them as the guest Of their govern
nents. II was deemed that by the ac-
,eptance of these invitations we might
express the real respect
and friendship In which we hold our sis
Ter republics OF the southern continent
and the secretary, aceordingly,, visited !
Panama. and Colombia. He refrained
from visiting Paraguay, Bolivia and
Ecuador only because the distance to .
heir capitals from the seaboard made IL
With Ne NJ q |