The Oregon mist. (St. Helens, Columbia County, Or.) 188?-1913, April 15, 1898, Image 1

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VOL. XV.
ST. HELENS, OREGON, FRIDAY, APIUL 15, 1898.
NO. 17.
FOR CUBA LIBRE
President's Message in
the Cause of Hu
manity. ARMED INTERVENTION ASKED
pain' Armlstlc Users Bspnrtsd
t Without Rseonsatandatlen Ilseogal
: tloa of Cuban Indepsadea Declared
, tw Ho Unwarranted and Inexpedient.
President MuKhiley Mumlxy vent the
fdlowlng luessitga to tbe congreM of
the United Status:
Obedient to that precept of the constl
tut Ion which command the prealdunt to
give from time to time the congress In
formation of the atate of the Union and
to recommend to ita consideration euch
meaiurea aa he ahall judg necessary and
einerilent, It become my duty now to
addrvaa your body with Mtard to the
grav condition that ha arisen In the
relation of the United State and Spain,
by raon of the warfare that for more
than three year haa raced In the neigh
boring Island of Cuba. I do ao because ol
the Intimate connection of the Cuban
question with the atate of our Union, and
because of the grave relatione which the
oourae which la Incumbent upon the nation
to adopt mut need bear to the tra
ditional polley of our government, If It
la to accord with the precept laid down
by the founder of the republic and ro
Itgtouely observed by succeeding admlnln
trattona to the present day.
Tat Cnbaa Hevolailoa.
The preeenl revolution la but the auo
cessor of other almllar Insurrections which
have occurred In Cuba againat the do
minion of Hpoln. titendtng over a period
of nearly half a century, each of which,
during Ita progress, haa i subjected tlie
United States lo groat effort and expenae
In enforcing Ita neutrality lawa, caud
normoua los to American trade and
commerce, caused Irritation, annoyance
and dlaturbar.ee among our cltlsens, and
by the exerclea of -cruel, barbaroua and
uncivilised practice of warfare, ahoclted
the sensibilities and offended the humane
sympalhtrs of our people.
Since the preaent revolution began, In
February, !, till country haa aeen the
fertile domain at our threshold ravaged
by fir and aword In the courae of a
struggle unequuled In the history of the
island, and rarely paralleled aa to the
number of the combatant and the bitter
ness of the content by any revolution of
modern time, where a dependent people
atrivtng to be free hnve hvrn opposed by
the power of the aoverelgn atate. Our
people have beheld a, once prosporou
community reduced to comparative want,
Ita commerce virtually paralyaed, It ex
ceptional productiveness diminished, It
fields laid waste, II a mill In rulna and
It peoplo perishing by ten of thousand
from hunger and destitution.
Dmiisi Americas Interests,
W have felt ourselves constrained. In
the observance of that strict neutrality
which our law enjoin and which the law
of nations command, to polio our own
water and watch our own seaports In
prevention of any unlawful act In aid of
Cuba. Our trd h suffered; the capi
tal Invested by our cltlsen In Cuba has
been largely lost, and the temper and for
bears nee .of our people have been o
sorely tried as to beget a perilous unrest
among our own cltlsen. which ha Inevl
tebly followed It expresilon from time
to time In the national legislature so that
Issues wholly external to our body poll
tie engross attention and stand In the way
of more close devotion to domesllo ad
vancement that becomea a self-contented
commonwealth, whose primal maxim ha
been the avoidance of all foreign en
tanglement. All this must need awaken
and ha Indeed aroused the utmost con
cern on the part of this government aa
well during my predecessors aa Dur
ing my own administration.
A Previous Kffort to Restore) Peace.
In April, 18D6, the evlla from which our
country suffered through the Cuban war
became so enormous that my predecessor
made an effort to bring about peace
through the mediation of the government
In any way that might tend to an honor
able adjustment of the contest between
Spain and her revolting colony on the ba
il of some effnctlv aohome of self
government for Cuba, under tha flag
and sovereignty of Spain. It failed,
through the refusal of the Spanish gov
ernment then In power to consider any
form of mediation or Indeed any plan
' of settlement which did not begin with
' tha actual aubmlsalon of tha Insurgents
to the mother country and then only on
uh term as Spain herself might sea fit
to grant.
Wlr's Inhuman Policy.
The war continued unabated. The re
sistance of Insurgent wa In no wiae
diminished. The effort of Spain were In
creased, both by the dispatch of fresh
levies to Cuba and by addition to the
horrors of the strife. The new and in
human phase, happily unprecedented in
the modern history of civilised Christian
people, the policy of devastation and con
centration, inaugurated by the captain
general's ban of October 21, 1866, in the
province of Plnar del Rio, was thence
extended 10 embrace all of the island to
which the power of the Spaniards was
bis to reach by occupation or by mili
tary operations. The peasantry, includ
ing all dwelling In the open agricultural
Interior, were driven Into the garrisoned
town or Isolated plaoea held by the Span
; Ish troops. The raising of provisions of
all kind wa interdicted. Field were
laid waste, dwellings unroofed and fired,
mills destroyed, and, In short, everything
that cou.u desolate the land and render It
Unfit for human habitation or upport
waa commanded by one or the other con
tending partlea and executed- by all the
powera at their disposal.
By the time the preaent admlnlHtrntton
took office a year ngo, reconcentratlon
so called had been effective Over ths but
ter part of four central and western prov
luces. Santa Clara, Matanaas, Havana
and plnar del Bio. The agricultural pop
ulation, to the estimated number of J00,
m or more,, was herded within the towns
and their Immediate vicinity, deprived of
all means of support, rendered destitute
of sholter, left poorly clad and exposed
to the most unsatisfactory condition.
Buffering of lleeonoeulradoe,
Aa tho scarcity of food Increased with
the devastation of the dcpcoplod areas of
production, destitution and want became
mUcry and starvation. Month by month
the death rt increased In alarming ra
tlo, and by March, 18l, according lo con.
servatlv estlmatca from official Spanish
sources, the mortality among the recon
centrndoa from starvation enri in hi..
eassa thereto Incident exceeded M per
centum oi tne total n urn her. No practical
relief was accorded to ths destitute. The
overburdened towns, alr.a.iv a,,rr...-i, 1
from ths general dearth, could give no
aia. no-called sones of cultivation, estab
fished within the ImmMllsts r
Ive military control, about the citle and
fortified enmps, proved Illusory aa a rem
edy for the suffering. The unfortunates,
being for the most nsrt .nm.ii nA i,n
dren, With aged and helpless, -
'eoieu iiy Disease sna nunger, couiu not
hVS tiller! Ihs anil nftthw, Innl. mAa
or shelter, for their own support or for
tne supply or the cities.
Reconcentrutlon adopted avowedly as a
war measure, to cut off the resource nf
the Insurgents, worked Its predestined re
sult. Aa 1 said In my message of last
December. It was not civilised warfare:
It was extermination, and the only peace
It could beget waa that of the wlldernaa
and the griive.
Progress of the War,
Meanwhile the military situation In the
Island has undergone a noticeable change.
The extraordinary activity that charac
terised the second year of the war. when
the Insurgents Invaded sven the hitherto
unharmed fields of Plnar del Rio and car
ried havoc and destitution up to the walla
of the city of Havana Itself, had relapsed
Into a dogged struggle In the central and
eastern provinces. The Spanish army re
gained a measure of control In Plnar del
Klo and parts of Havana, but under the
existing condition of ths rural country,
without Immediate Improvement of their
productive situation. Even thjs partial
ly restricted, the revolutionists held their
own, and their submission, put forward
by Spain as the essential and sols basis
of peace, seemed as far distant as at the
outset. In this state of affair my ad
ministration round itseir confronted with
the grave problem of Ita duty. My mes
sage of last December reviewed the sit
uation and detailed the atens taken with
a view of relieving the acutenesa and
opening the way to some form of hon- t
orabl settlement. ,
gagasls's Vain Promises.
Tfe ...aa.ln.tlnfi nf IV.- 1m. minis
ter, Canovaa, led to a change of govern
ment In flnsln! The former administra
tion, which pledged subjugation without
concession, gave place to that of a more
liberal party; committed long In advance
u m nnllntf nf ..fnrm Invnlvtntr (ha wirier
principle of hem rule for Cuba and Porto
KIC0.
The overturea of thla government made
ltiM..-li l nam mv.V fAtiiml Wftftd-
ford, and loklng to an Immediate effective
amelioration of the condition of the
Inland, although not accepted to tne cs
t.i, nt AmttA -mediation In any shnoe.
were met by aasurancea that home rule
In an advanced phase should be forthwith
offered to Cuba, without walling for the
war to end, and that more humane meth
od should thenceforth prevail In the con-
luct or nosiintiee.
inntrtHnialtv wtth theaa declarations the
...irhmMit nf Knalll continued and
completed the policy already begun by
Ita predecensor of testifying friendly re
gard for thl nation by raleaslng Ameri
can cltlaens held under ons charge or
a.kA MwinwMl wtth the Insurrection.
so that, by the end of November, not a
ilngle person enlltleo in any way to our ,
lattonal protection remaineu in a npauwu
prison.
The Relief Move-mewl.
Ti'hilatheaa neaotls tlons were In progress
tho Increasing destitution of the unfor
tun. racnncentradoa and the alarming
mortality among them claimed earnest at
tention. Tbe auccess which had attended
the limited measure of relief extended to
the ufferlng American cltlsena among
them by the Judicious expenditure,
through the consular agencies, of the
money appropriated expromsly for their
succor by tho Joint resolution approved
May M, HOT, prompted the humane ex
tension of a similar scheme to that great
i i.. -. .....mM A aiiB-oreattun to this
end wa acquiesced In by the Spanish au
thorities. On the Mth of December I
caused to be Issuca an appeal 10 me
American people, Inviting contributions In
mnn.v or In kind for ths succor of th
tnrvlng sufferers In Cuba.
Following tnta, on in sin oi jimrjr,
- aimii.i. niihtlc announcement of the
formation of a central Cuban relief com
mittee, which had hoadquartera In New
Xork cliy, composes oi bivuium. .
resenting the national Red Cross and th
religious and business; elements of the
community. The efforts of that com
mittee have been untiring and have accom
plished much. Arrangements for free
transportation to Cuba have greatly aided
the charitable work.
The president of the American Red Cross
and representative of other contributory
organisations have generally visited Cuba
and co-operated with the consul-general
and the local authorities to make effective
distribution of th relief collected through
the effort of th central committee. Near
ly $300,000 In money end aupplleo ha
reached the ufferer. and more to forth,
coming. The aupplies are admitted duty
free, an transportation to the Interior
ha been arranged o that th relief at
Brat necessarily conflned to Havana and
the larger citle U now extended through
most, If not all, of the towns where suf
frin exlHta. Thousand of lives have
already been saved.
The neoeesity ior a cnongo . -dltlon
of the reconoontrados Is recognised
. a.., a.... luK niariinip)llf Wit nlll m
Dy uia pyRines.
few day past th orders of General Wey-
ler have heen revoaeo, m
dos are, it Is said, to be permitted to re
turn to their homes, and aided to resume
the self-supporting pursuits of peace; pub
lic works have been atarted to give them
employment, and a sum of KOO.OUQ haa been
appropriated for their relief.
-. . Spain's Cause Hopeless. . ';:
; Th war In Cuba I of such a nature
that, short of subjugation or extermlna-
. . mtntnev viotorv for the other
ide'eeems Impracticable. The alternative
Ilea In tne pnysicm nuunm. ...... ....
or the other party, or perhaps both, a oon-
Kini. i.i .ita .nded the 10 years'
U111UII wiiiv" ... " ' " --- " - -
war by the truce of Zan Jon. The pros
pect of U0n a pruirsuuuH v
ion of th present trlfa 1 a contingency
, ji.. . t.. -nntemniated with equa
nimity by the civilised world, and leaat of
all by the untteu ouiibs,
objected a w are deeply and Intimately
by It very existence. ' ;
An OHor of Mediation.
Realising this, It appeared to be my
duty, In a spirit of true friendliness, no
. oln nnM ... tha PlllianS. WhO
lesD IU ....... ' , -
have so much to lose by ths prolongation
of the struggle, to seen m .rum """
an Immediate termination of the war. To
.4.1. I -nl.mlt lr.it nn the 27th Ultimo.
as a result of much ropresentatlon and
correspondence tnrougn ins uuuw n'"
minister st Madrid, proposition to the
Spanish government looking to an armls
tio until October 1, for th eroUtlon
of peace with th good offices of the
president.
In addition, I asked tho Immediate revo
cation of the order of reconcentrutlon, so
as to permit the people to return to their
farms and ths needy to be relieved with
6 revisions and supplies by the United
lnte, co-operating with the Spanish
authorities ao a to afford full relief.
The reply of the Spanish cabinet was re
ceived on the night of the list ultimo. It
offers as th means to bring about peace
In Cuba to confide the preparation there
of to the Insular department, lnasmn
OS the concurrence "f that body would
be necessary to establish a tlnal result,
It being however understood that the
powers reserved by the constitution to the
central government are not lessened or di
minished. Aa th Cuban parliament does
not meet until the 4th of May next, the
Spanish government would not object, for
Us part, to accept at once a suspension
of hostilities if asked for by the Insur
gents through tho general-ln-chlf, to
whom It would pertain In such cases to
determine the duration and condition of
tha armistice.
The proposition submitted by General
Woodford and tho reply of the Spanish
government wer both In the form of
brief memoranda, the texts of which ere
before mentioned and subslantlally in th
laiieMia above glvon. The function ot
the Cuban puninment In th matter of
"preparing" peace and the manner of do
ing so are not explained In the Spanish
memorandum, but from General Wood
ford's explanatory report of preliminary
discussion preceding the final conference
It i understood that the Spanish govern
ment stands ready to give the insular
congress full power to settle th terms of
peace with the Insurgents, whether by di
rect negotiation or Indirectly by means of
leglxlatton does not appear. With this
last overture In the direction of Immedi
ate peace and It disappointing reception
by Spain, the executive wa brought to
th end of hi effort. ,,
Reroataltlasi Not Warraated.
In my annual message of December last
I said:
"Of th untried measures there remain
Recognition of th Insurgents a bellig
erents, recognition of th independence of
Cuba and intervention to end the war by
Imposing a rational compromise between
the contestants, or Intervention in favor of
one or the other party. I apeak not of
forcible annexation, for that cannot be
thought of. That, by our code of mor
ality, would be criminal aggression."
Thereupon I reviewed these alternatives
in the light of President -Grant menus se
in th word uttered in 'lira, when after
several years of sanguinary, destructive
and cruet barbarltlea In Cuba, he reached
the conclusion that th recognition of the
Independence of Cuba was Impracticable
and Indefensible, and that the recognition
of belligerence was not warranted by ths
fact according to the text of publio law.
I commented especially upon that phase
of the question, pointing out th incon
veniences and positive dangers of recogni
tion of belligerence, which, while adding
to the already onerous burdens of neu
trality without our own Jurisdiction, could
not In any way extend our influence or
effective offices In th territory of hostili
ties. Nothing ha sine occurred to change
my view in this regard, and I recognise
aa fully now a then that the Issuance of
a proclamation of neutrality, by which
process the so-called recognition of bellig
erency Is published, could, of Itself and
unattended by other action, accomplish
nothing toward the one end for which we
labor, th Instant pacification of Cuba, and
the ceaaatlon of th misery that afflicts
the Island. ,
A Freetseat Cited.
' Turning to the question of recognising
at this time th Independence of the pies
nt Insurgent government In Cuba, w
llnd safe precedent In our history from
an early day. They ere well summed up
In President Jackson' measag to con
gress December 21, 1KW, on th subject of
the recognition of the Independence of
Teas. He said:
"In all the contest! that have arisen
out of the revolution of France, out of
th dispute rotating to Portugal and
Spain, out of th separation of the Amer
ican possessions of both from the Eu
ropean government, and out of the nu
merous and constantly recurring strug
gles for dominion In Spanish-American
countries, so wisely consistent with
Just principles ha been tho action of our
government that wa have under the most
critical circumstance avoided all censure
and encountered no other evil than that
produced by a transient estrangement
of good will In those against whom we
hav been, by fore of evidence, com
pelled to decide.
"It haa thua been made known to the
world that the uniform policy and practice
of th United State I to avoid all Inter
ference In dispute which merely relate
to the Internal government of other na
tion, and eventually to recognise the au
thority of th prevailing party without ref
erence to our particular Interest and
view or to th merit of the original
controversy. But in UiIb, a In every
other occasion, safety I to be found In a
rigid adherence to these principles. In
the contest between Spain and the revolt
ing colonies) we stood aloof and waited
not only until tho ability of the new atate
to protect themoelvea wo fully estab
lished, but until the chanc of their being
again subjugated had entirely passed
away. Then, and1 not until then, were
they recognised. Such wa our course in
regard to Mexico herself. It la true that
with regard to Texas the civil authorities
of Mexico had been expelled, ita Invading
army defeated, the chief of the republic
hltr-ielt captured, and all present power
to control th newly organised govern
ment of Texas annihilated within It con
fine. But, on the other hand, there Is. In
appearance at least, an Immense dispar
ity of physical force on the side of Texas.
The Mexican republic again Is rallying Ita
forces under a new leader and menacing
a fresh invasion to recover Its lost do
main. .
"Upon the Issue of thl threatened In
vasion, the Independence of Texaa may
be considered a suspended, and were
there nothing peculiar In the relation be
tween the United States and Texas, our
acknowledgment of its Independence at
auch a crisis could scarcely be regarded
as consistent with the prudent reserve
with which w have hitherto held our
selves bound to treat all similar ques-
''Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceeded
to consider the risk that there might be
Imputed to the United States motives of
eelflsh Interest In view of the former
claim on our part to the territory of
Texas, and of the avowed purpose of th
Texana In aeeking recognition of Inde
pendence aa an incident to the Incorpora
tion of Texa In th Union, concluding
thus! - ' ,
"Prudence, therefore, seem to dletat
that wa should stand aloof and maintain
our present attitude, tf not until Mexico
itself or one of th great power shall
recognise th Independence of the new
government, at leaat until th lapse of
time or the course of events shall hav
proved beyond cavil or dispute the ability
of tha people of that country to maintain
their aeparat sovereignty and to uphold
the government constituted by them.
Neither of th contending partlea oah
Justly complain of this oourse. By pur
suing It w are but carrying out the long
established policy of our government, a
policy which ha eoured to us respect
and Influence abroad and inspired confi
dence at home."
These are the words of Andrew Jackaon.
They are evidence that th United State.
In addition to the test Imposed by pub
lio law a tha condition of ths recognition
of tho Independence of a neutral state,
to wit, that ths revolted atate shall "con
stitute In fact a body politic, having a
government In substance as well as in
name, possessed of the elements of sta
bility," and forming de facto "if left to
Itself a state among the nation, rea
sonably capable of discharging ths duties
of a state, has Imposed for Its own gov
ernance In dealing with caees like these,
the further condition that recognition of
an Independent state Is not due to a re
volted dependency until the danger of
It being again lubjugated by the parent
stat ha entirely passed sway." This ex
treme test wa, In fact, applied in the
case of Texa.
Th congress to whom President Jack
on referred tho question as one probably
leading to war, and therefor an appropri
ate subject for a "previous understanding
with that body by whom war can alone
be declared, and by whom ell the provis
ion for stietalnlttg Its perils must be fur
nished, left the matter of recognition of
Texas to the discretion of the executive,
providing merely for th sending of diplo
matic agent when th president vhould
be (atlsfied that the republic of Texa bod
become n "Independent itats."
It w so recognised by President Van
Buren, who eommlselaoned a charge d'af
faires -March 7, pan, after Mexico had
abandoned an attempt to conquer the
Texa territory, and then there wa at the
time no bona fide contest going on be
tween tho insurgent province and Its for
mer sovereign. . -
Coba Not Rightly a State.;
I said In my message of December last:
"It is to be seriously considered whether
the Cuban government possesses beyond
dispute the attributes of statehood, which
alone can demand th recognition of bel
ligerency. In its favor." i:
The same requirement must certainly
be no less seriously considered when the
graver Issue of recognising Independence
I In question, for no lens positive, test
can be applied to the greater act than to
the lesser, while on the other hand the
Influences and consequence of the strug
gle depending upon the Internal policy of
the recognizing state, which form Impor
tant factora when the recognition of bel
ligerency i concerned, ar secondary If
not rightly eiimlnable factors when the
real question I whether the community
claiming recognition 1 or is not independ
ent beyond peradventure.
Recognition Inexpedient. '
Nor from the standpoint of expedience
do I think It would be wise or prudent
for this government to recognise at the
preseJit time the independence of the so
called Cuban republic Such recognition
I not necessary In order to enable the
United State to Intervene and pacify the
Island. To commit thl country now to
the recogniti6n of any particular govern
ment in Cuba might subject us to em
barrassing conditions of Interest obliga
tion toward the organisation so recog
nized. In case of Intervention, our con
duct will be subject to the approval or
disapproval' of such government. - We
would be required to submit to Its direc
tion and to assume to It the mere rela
tion of a friendly ally. When It shall
appear hereafter that there I within
the island a government capable of per
forming the duties and discharging the
functions of a nation, and having, a a
matter of fact, the proper forma and at
tribute of nationality, such government
can be promptly and readily recognised
and the relations and Interest of the
United States with such nation adjusted.
Possible Alternative.
- There remain the alternative form of
Intervention to end the war, each a an
Impartial neutrality, by Imposing a ra
tional compromise between th contest
ants or as the active ally of the one party
or th other. A to th first. It is not to
be forgotten that during the -last
few months the attitude of , the
United States has virtually been one
of friendly Intervention In many way,
each not of Itself conclusive, but all tend
ing to the exertion of a potential Influ
ence toward an ultimate pacific result.
Just and honorable to all interests con
cerned. The spirit of all our act hither
to ha been an earnest, unselfish desire
for peace and prosperity In Cuba, untar
nished y difference between the United
State and Spain and unstained by the
blood of American citixen. Tho forcible
Intervention of the United State a a neu
tral to stop the war according to- the
large dictates of humanity and following
the hlstorioal precedent wherein - the
United State ha Interfered to check th
hope lee sacrifice of life by Internecine
conflict beyond their borders, Is Justifi
able on national groundn. It involves,
however, hostile constraint upon both par
tlea to the contest, as well as to enforce
a truce as to end the eventual settle
ment. The grounds for such Iniarventton
may be briefly summarised as follows:
First In the cause of humanity and to
put an end to the barbarities, bloodshed,
starvation and horrible mlaeriea now ex
isting there and which the parties to the
conflict are either unable or unwilling to
stop or mitigate. It Is no answer to say
this is all In another country, belonging
to another nation, and Is therefore none
of our business. It Is explicitly our doty,
for It is right at our door.
Second We owe It to our cltlaens In
Cuba to afford them that protection and
Indemnity for lite and property which1 no
government there can or will afford, and
to that end terminate the condition that
deprive them of legal protection.
Third The right to intervene may be
justified by the very serious Injury toj th
commerce, trade and business of our peo
ple and by th wanton destruction of prop
erty and devastation of the Island.
Fourth And which 1 of foremost im
portance, the condition of affairs in Cuba
la a constant menace to our peace, and
entail upon thl government enormous ex.
pense. With such a conflict waged for
years in an Island ao near us and with which
our people have such trade and business
relations when th live and liberty, of
our cltlsen are In constant danger, their
property destroyed and themselve ruined
when our trading vessels ar liable to set,
urs and are seised at our very door by war
ships of a foreign nation, the expeditions
of filibustering that we are powerless to
prevent altogether, and the irritating ques
tions and entanglements thus arising all
these and others are a constant menace to
our peaoe and tend to keep us on a war
footing with that nation with which we are
at peace. .
: The Mains Incident.
Thes elements of danger and disorder
already pointed out have been strikingly
Illustrated by a tragic event which ha
deeply and justly moved th American
people: I have already transmitted to con
gress the report of the naval court of In
quiry on the destruction of the battle-ship
Mnln In the harbor of Havana during the
night of the 16th of February. The de
struction of that noble vessel ha filled
the national heart with inexpressible hor
ror; 268 brave sailors and marines and
officers of our navy, reposing In the fan
oied security of a friendly harbor have
been hurled to death. Grief and want are
brought to their home and sorrow to the
nation. ,
The naval court of Inquiry, which, it Is
needless to say, commands tbe unqualified
confidence of th government, wa unan
imous In It conclusion that th destruc
tion of the Main wa caused by an ex
terior explosion, and also by a submarine
mine. It did not aseume to place th re
sponsibility. That remains to be fixed. In
sny event, the destruction of the Maine,
by whatever exterior cause, Is a patent and
impressive proof of a state of things In
Cuba that Is Intolerable. That condition
is thus shown to b such that the Spanish
government cannot assure safety and se
curity t a vessel of the American navy
In th harbor of Havana on a mission f
page, and rightfully reference in thl con
nection I made to recent diplomatic cor
respondence, A dispatch from our minister to Spain
of tha 20th ultimo contained that the
Spanish minister for foreign affairs as
sured him positively that Spain will do all
that the highest honor and Justice re
quire In ths matter of the Maine.
Th reply also referred to of th 31st
ultimo also contained an expression of
the readiness of Spain to submit to arbi
tration all the difference which can arise
in this matter, which Is subsequently ex
plained by the note of the Spanish minis
ter at Washington of the 10th Inst., aa
fpllows:
"A to the question of fact which
springs from the diversified views between
representatives of the American and the
Spanish boards, Spain proposes that tha
fact be ascertained by an Impartial In
vestigation by experts, which decision
Spain accepts In advance. To this I have
made no reply." "
Another Precedent
President Grant, In 176, In discussing the
purposes of the Cuban contest as it then
appeared, and the bopeles and apparent
indefinite prolongation of such event, said:
"I am of the opinion that other nations
will be compelled to assume the responsi
bility which devolves upon them, and to
seriously consider the only remaining
measure possible mediation and Inter
vention. Owing, perhaps, to the large ex
panse of water separating the Island from
the peninsula, the contending parties ap
pear to have within themselves no depos
itory of common confldenc to suggest
wisdom when passion and excitement
have their sway, and thus assume the
part of peacemaker,"
In this view in the early days of the eon
test the good offices of the United States
as the mediator were tendered in good
faith without any selfish purpose In the
interest of humanity and sincere friend
ship for both parties, but were at the tlm
declined by Spain with the declaration
nevertheless, that at a future time trTey
would be Indispensable. No Intimation hat
been received that In the opinion of Spain
that that time has been reached: yet the
strife continues with all Ita dread horrorr
and its Injures to the United States and
other notions. Each party seems quite
capable of working great Injury and dam
age to the other as well as to all the rela
tion and Interest dependent on the exist
ence of peace In the island: but they
seem Incapable of reaching any agreement,
and both have thus far failed of achieving
and success whereby one party shall pos
ses and control the Island to the exclu
sion of the other.
Under the circumstances the agency of
other, either by mediation or by Inter
vention, seem io be the only alternative
which must sooner or later be Involved
for the termination of the strife,
In the last annual message of my Im
mediate predecessor during the pending
struggle. It waa said:
"When the Inability of Spain to deal
successfully with the insurrection has be
come manifest, and ft demonstrated that
her sovereignty to extinct in Cuba, for all
purpose of its rightful existence, and
when a hopeles struggle for its re-establish
men t has degenerated Into the strife
which means nothing more than the use
less sacrifice of human life and th utter
destruction of th very subject-matter of
the conflict, a situation will b presented In
which our obligations to the sovereignty
of Spain will be superseded by higher ob
ligations which we can hardly hesitate to
recognise and discharge."
In my annual message to congress De
cember last, speaking to thla question, I
said:
"The near- future will demonstrate
whether the Indispensable condition of a
righteous peace, Just alike to the Cubans
and Spain, as well aa equitable to all our
Interests, so Intimately Involved In the
welfare of Cuba, is likely to be attained.
If not, other action by the United States
will remain to be taken; when that time
comes the action will be determined In the
line if Indisputable right of duty; It will
be faced without misgiving or hesitancy
in the Itgltt of the obligation this govern
ment owes to itself, to the people who con
fided the protection of their Interests and
honor and to humanity.
"Sure of the right, keplng free from all
offense ourselves, actuated by upright
and patriotic considerations, moved neith
er by passion nor selfishness, the govern,
ment will continue Its watchful care over
the rights and property of American cits
sens, and will abate none of Its -efforts
to bring about by peaceful agencies a
peace which shali be honorable and endur
ing. If It shah hereafter appear to be a
duty Imposed by our obligations to our
selves, ' to civilisation and to humanity
to intervene with force. It shall be without
fault cn our part and only because the
necessity foi such action will be so clear
ss to (.on-r.iiiiKl the support and approval
of the civilised world."
. ., Intervention the Only Howe.
The long trial ha proved that tit ob
ject for which Spain haa . waged war
cannot be attained. The fire of Insur
rection may flame or may smolder with
varying seasons, but It haa not been and
It i plain that It cannot be extinguished
by present methods. The only hope of re
lief and repose from a condition which
cannot longer be endured la the enforced
pacification of Cuba.
' In the name of humanity. In tha name
of civilisation, fn behalf of endangered
American Interests, which give ua the
right and the duty to speak and to act,
the war In Cuba must stop; In view of
these facts, and these considerations. 1
ask congress to authorise and empower
the president to take measures to se
cure a full termination of hostilities be
tween the government of Spain and the
people of Cuba, and to secure In the
Island the establishment of a stable gov
ernment capable of maintaining, order
and observing Ita International obliga
tion, Insuring peace and tranquillity and
the security of Ita cltlsena as - well as
our own, and to use the military and
naval force of the United Btatea as may
be necessary for these purposes and In
the Interest of humanity, and to aid In
preserving th lives of the starving peo
ple of the Island I recommend that the
distribution of food and supplies be con
tinued and that an appropriation be made
out of the publio treasury to supple
ment the charity of our citizen.
The issue I now with congress; It I
a solemn responsibility; I have exhausted
every effort to relieve the intolerable con
dition of affair whtch is at our door.
Prepared to execute every obligation Im
posed upon me by the constitution and
law, I await your action. y
Spain's Last Snhterlase.
Yesterday and since the preparation of
the foregoing message, official information
waa received by me that the latest decree
of the queen regent of Spain directs Gen
eral Blanco, In order to prepare and facil
itate peace, to proclaim a suspension of
hostilities, ths duration and details of
which have not yet been communicated
to me. This fact with every other point
In consideration will, I am sure, have
your careful and just attention In the
solemn deliberations upon which you are
about to enter. If this measure attains a
successful result, then our aspirations as j
a Christian, peace-loving people will be
realised; If It falls. It will he only another
justification for our contemplated action.
william Mckinley.
Eieoutlv Mansion, Washington. April
U, It--.
AN ARMISTICE.
Th Queen Regent I. sues Aaotne
Decree.
Washington, April 11. President
MeKinley received a cablegram flora
Minister Woodford, at Madrid last
night, announcing that tha Spanish
government had granted an Armistice
(or Cuba. In making this announce
ment, Mr. Woodford, conveyed it a a
piece of new in wnlch this country
was vitally interested, but not as an offi
cial communication from the Spanish
government to this government. Nona
tbe leas it conveyed the essential (act
that Spain had conceded what the pow
er and the pope bad been urging npon
her tor many days, and that the con
cession dispelled for tbe moment the
darkness of the war clouds and brought
in their stead what was regarded as at
least hope of a peaceful solution of the
pending difficulty. ,
The receipt of this news has not,
however, resulted in any change of
tho administration's programme telat
ing to sending the message to congress.
Ths Situation Complicated.
The exact terms of the armistice are
felt to be the most essential feature of
Spain's concessions. At tbe outset, it
waa supposed to be an unconditional
grant of armistice. Later, however,
tbe press advice from Madrid and
London stated conditions of a material
character. If these conditions prove
to be accurate, they will doubtless
complicate tbe situation here and leave
the crisis quite as acute as it has been
at any time heretofore. A cabinet
officer said recently that the adminis
tration had never considered tbe propo
sition of withdraw!), the American
Beet from Key West, and while this
was some days ago, it :s not believed
now that such s proposition would
meet with any serious consideration.
Tbe fact that Spain has granted this
armistice as tbe result of influence
exerted by the great powers of Europe
and the pope, leads to much conjec
ture as to bow far the material influ
ences of the powers vill be given in
support of fipain, now that she ha
yielded to their earnest solicitation. It
has been understood thus far that the
movement of the powera was purely
disinterested and neutral, but the
press dispatches from abroad indicate,
that Spain's yielding to those Conti
nental influences had established a
closer bond than had hitherto existed.
Assistant Secretary Day was non
committal tonight on the armitsice
granted by Spain, and refused to dis
cuss it or the bearing it would have on
the situation in any way.
Arasistlee Spanish Trleh. .
Washington, April ll.Senor Que
sada, the diplomatic representative of
the Cuban insurgents in this city, when
asked today what he thought of tbe
Spanish armistice, said:
"It is only a Spanish trick. They
want to put ns before the American
people in the altitude of being unrea
sonable, but we do not believe the
American people will so consider us,
for we think they know it is a last
effort to force some kind of Spanish
home rule on ; us. We have fought
three years for independence; we know
this ia a Spanish trick and we will not
give in now." ..
LEAVING FOR HOME.
Americans Jeerea by Spaniards as ths
;;. Party JLef Havana.
' Key West, April 11. "Tell the Oli
vette to get under way at once, Captain
Cowles, - signal tbe Baobe that tha
United States fleet is ready to clew out
of Havana, and please follow tbe Baohe
out." - ''.'- '
These were the words of Consul
General Lee at 5:45 yesterday, as he
stood on the poop with a group around
him. ' It was evident that General Lea
intended to be the last to leave, and a
murmur of applause went around in
support of his intention. The Evelyn
had already passed Morro cootie when
the Olivette weighed anchor. Tha
Baohe was close behind, and the Fern
waa the last of the line. - '
: The wharves and boats on both sides
of the narrow entrance to the harbor
were crowded with Spaniards, who
hissed and jeered as each boat passed
out. ' "
As the Fern rounded the heads for
the open sea, she passed , the Maine
wreck. The group on deck had been
laughing and talking, expressing their
satisfaction at leaving Havanaa, With
one accord each man doSed his hat in
salute to the brave dead, while silence
fell on all for the space of several min
utes. ...
General Lee, being on board the
fern, made that boat a target - for re
doubled hisses, groans, catcalls and
whistles from the crowds on shore.
"Wet out, Yankee swine," was
about the most modest expression nsed.
This seemed to strike everyone on
board as ludicrous, Vice-Consul
Springer, who bad been in the island
80 years, waved his bat to a particu
larly abusive group, Buying in tones
loud enough for all to hear:
"Wait, wait, my friends; we shall
all be back soon."
There was one pretty incident. On
the Cabanas shore a British sleamer
was unloading at her wharf. As tbe
Fern passed, the union jack was' dipped,
while tbe English ?rew gave a hearty
cheer. It is needless to say that the
compliment was returned with all pos
sible gusto.
Colored Troop Btart South.
Helena, Mont., April , 12 the
Twenty-fifth United States Infantry,
which has been stationed iu Montana
for the last 10 years, left today for its
new post at Chickamanga. That por
tion stationed at Missoula left via the
Northern Pacific, while the troops at
Fort Harrison and ABsinaboine went
ovei the Great Korthorn. The regi
ment will consolidate at St. Paul, from
where it will proceed sou th., and be iq
leadincag. - --
WAR SIGNS INCREASE
Our Relations With Havana
Severed.
LEE HAS BEEN RECALLED
Joint Hots by th Power Received
War Feeling Bun High la
Madrid Official Circles.
Washington, April 0-There is no
longer any doubt as to the purpose of
this government with, respect, fthe'
situation in Cuba. . War, in tbe 'opin
ion of tiie administration, is inevita
ble, except in the unlocked for event
of the surrender on the part of Spain.
The president's message, which he had
intended to send to congress, bag not
been changed in sny particular what
ever, and embodies the unanimous
views of the cabinet, without the
slightest variance or excerpt. " A
movement to avert war now must come
from Madrid, and must concede Amer
ican demands,- including an end to
Spain's dominion in Cuba. .
The features stand out plainly in the
developments of today. At noon to
day, the six great powers of Europe,
through their representatives here,
called at the White House and present
ed to President McKinley a joint note,
expressing argent hope for a peaceful
adjustment between the United States
and Spain, to which the president re
plied with nnmiBtakable plainness as
to the duties and unselfish efforts of
this government to terminate the pres
ent situation in Cuba.
Revering Relatione With Havana.
Another, and probably the most sig
nificant straw showing the finality
reached by the United States govern
ment, was the authoritative statemoiit
that Consul-Qeneral Lee would leave
Havana Saturday. This step, it is
known, will be regarded by .Spain as
akin to an overt act' preceding war, as
it will terminate the medium of official
intercourse between the United States
and the island.
Third, and almost equally import
ant, was the ominous tones of press ad
vices from Madrid, where the war fuel
ing seems to dominate. Instead of
concessions, the opening of prison
doors, and the other manifestations of
peace and good will which Holy Thurs
day was expected to bring forth, and
the more definite announcement of ac
tion that would bring peace to Cuba,
the heavy guard about Minister Wood
ford's house, tho imperative character
of the semi-official note, tbe war utter
ance of Minister Correa and the turbu
lence at the Spanish capital, left little
hope that pacific counsels would pre
vail. No negotiations are proceeding at
Madrid on the part of this government,
but the powera of Europe ate doing
their utmost to persuade the Spanish
government to yield and avert war.
On the highest authority it can be
stated that no instructions have been
given as yet to Minister Woodford con
templating his withdrawal, tbe only
step in that direction being the deter
mination that General Lee shall leave
Havana today. '
Th Koto of ths Fowers. J
The note of the European powers
presented to tbe president today, has
not, in the opinion of members of the
administration, changed the situation
in tbe slightest degree. What pressure
was brought to bear in this mildly ex
pressed hope that further negotiations
would result in the maintenance of
peace, is not known, but it is confident
ly believed that it ia the result of per
sistence on the part of Spain ior some
expression of peace between the two
countries. The note is not regarded in
any sense as a protest against the
course this . government has pursued
thus far or is likely to adopt to secure
a stable government in Cuba.
Some of the governments represented
in the note are known to be in full accord-with
this government in its pur
poses with respect to the Cuban ques
tiou and therefore any theory that the
note was intended as a remonstrance is
not regarded as tenable.
.The reply of this government, which
had previously been read and approved
by members of the cabinet, in not con
sidered as indicating any change in the
fixed purpose of the president to inter
vene in Cuba at onoe, nor is it believed
it was the expectation of the majority
of the foreign representatives present
that the United State should change
its policy or regard the joint note-as
other than an expression in behalf of
peace and withont significance.
Mediation Will Not He Accepter!,
So far as known in administration
circles no further representations on the
subject are expected. No offer of
mediation on the part of the European
powers has been received, and there is
gome authority for the statement that
none will be accepted if proffered.
This has been the fixed policy from the
first, and there is no prospect of a
change in this regard.
. At the embassies and legations, the
presentation of the joint note of the
powers was rgarded aa the event of the
day. An ambassador from one ol the
great powers of continental Europe
stated that it was without a parallel in
history. That it waa the first and only
time that six great nations, represent
ing in the aggregate tiie powers of co
nization, had united in thla solemn
manner to secure the ponce of the no' i !.
This was, this authority staled, a move
ment historical in character and ot o
fitting to .have occurred in tbe advits.
of the 30th contury.
' Madrid, April 8. Fi ( Byw.l-'i
man-of-war will leave Ca1t imn.5t
taly for the Cape Wrda i. .'."i.