Newspaper Page Text
VOL. VIII. NO. 10.
» # «oo.rVe>e>e>e>e>
TERRIBLE
...CUT...
On the Best and Largest Stock of1
Dry Goods
Notions, and
Gent's Furnishings 3
in the Northwest.
■I I Mil
Are making room for
the Largest Shipment
that will cross the
mountains this spring.
We Are Going to Do Business
and this is the starter.
A few prices for your
careful consideration:
Yard wide Bleached Muslin, 4>£c a
yard, regular 7c quality.
Yard wide Bleached Muslin, s}£c a
yard, regular 7 loC quality.
Yard wide Bleached Muslin, 6c a yard,
regulai 8 l-3c quality.
Yard wide Bleached Muslin, 7^c a
yard, regular 9c quality.
Yard wide Bleached Muslin, 7%c a
yard, regular 10c quality.
2 yards wide Bleached Sheeting, 15c a
yard, regular 22' 2 c quality.
2% yards wide Bleached Sheeting, 18c
a yard, regular 27 1 2 c quality.
"Yar.l wide Tobacco Cotton, 2\v. a yard,
regular 3 l ß c quality.
Yard wide Sea-Foam Cotton, 3;* 4 c a
yard, regular 5c quality.
Yard wide Unbleached Sheeting, 4 3 4 c a
yard, regular 7c quality.
Yard wide Unbleached Muslin, 6c a '
yard, regular 8 l-3e quality.
Yard wide Unbleached Muslin, 7^'c a
yard, regular 10c quality.
Good Outing Flannel, 4>£c a yard, reg
ular 6^c quality.
Heavy Outing Flannel, 7}{c a yard,
regular 10c quality.
English Flannelette, 8c a yard, regular, !
12V2C quality.
Standard 64x64 Caiico, tic a yard, regu- !
lar To quality.
Standard 64x64 Gingham, 4)£c a yard,
regular 6i 4 c quality. "■ - - i]
Russian Fleeced Vicugna, a yard, I
regular 10c quality. • ::
Table Oil Cloth, 48-inch, 12,^c a yard,
regular 15 and 20e quality.
Curtain Scrim, 36-inch, 3>-'c a yard,
regular ti^e quality. " |
Fancy Curtain Cloth, 36-inch, 10c a 1
yard, regular 15c quality. , '.!
Table Damask, Bleached and Un-!
bleached, Turkey Red and Fancies,
all at reduced prices. -;,
DRESS GOODS.
All-Wool Fancy Drees Goods, :23c a,
yard; a good value at 30c. *"-*■* • .
All-Wool Henrietta, 42-inch, '27c*:*a
yard, regular value, 50c.
Ad colors English Henrietta, 36-inch,
l^ca yard, regular 25 cent quality.
Figured Mohair, 42-inch, 40c a yard,
regular 60c quality.
Figured Mohair, 44 inch, 48c a V yard,
regular 65c quality. | J
Figured mohair, 46-inche'a wide, 80c a
yard, regular $1 quality,
"lack and White novelties, 68c a yard,
regular $1 quality. |
Black. Blue and Brown Serge, 46-inch,
*»c a yard, regular 75c quality.
B'aek Cheviot, 54-inches wide, 62c a
yard, regular $1 quality.
ALL-WOOL FLANNELS. .
White Angora Flannel, 27-inches, 16c
a yard, regular 25c quality. ?^"u
'»te Gilbert Flannel, 27-inches, 20c
a yard, regular 27c quality. .'- -. v
«Jite A A Gilbert Flannel, 27-inches,
R 7>t yard ' re uJar 35c quality.
Ed Medicated Flannel, 27-inchea, 12o:
a yard, regular 20c quality. " l ":.. -
f ve ounce Medicated Flannel, 27
--j^bes, 28c a yard, regular 35c goal-
II is impossible to enumerate the
any extra good values we are going
•o offer Be "the early bird," that
™eang dollars in your pocket. No Bain-
Pea cut.
This Sale starts at once and
**11 last forashort time only.
Montague & Wagh
°*- Holly St and Railroad '' *;
Avenue.
N^WHATCOM - WASH.
£lk San luan Islander
MtBIDAY HARBOR, SAN JUAN COUNTY, WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1898.
FOR CDBA LIBRE
President's Message in
the Cause of Hu
manity:
ARMED INTERVENTION ASKED
Spain's Armistic* Decree Reported
Without Recommendation—Recogni
tion of Cuban Independence Declared
to Be Unwarranted and Inexpedient.
President McKinley Monday sent the
fjllowing message, to the congress of
the United States: . ;; V
Obedient to that precept ■ of the consti
tution which commands the president to
give from time to time the congress in
formation of the state of the Union and
to recommend to its consideration such
measures as he shall judge necessary and
expedient, it becomes my duty now to
address your body with regard to ", the
grave condition that has arisen in the
relations of the United States and Spain,
by reason of the warfare that:. for more
than three years has raged in the neigh
boring island of Cuba. I do so because of
the intimate connection of the Cuban
question with the state of our. Union, and
because of the grave relations which the
course which Is incumbent upon the nation
to adopt must needs bear to the tra
ditional policy of our government, if it
Is to accord ; with the precepts laid down
by the 'founders of the republic and re
ligiously observed by succeeding adminis
trations to the present day. , --
The Cuban Revolution.
The present revolution is but the suc
cessor of other similar Insurrections which
have occurred In Cuba against the do
minion of Spain, extending over a period
of nearly half a century, each of which,
during Its progress, 1 has subjected the
United" States to great effort and expense
in enforcing its neutrality laws, caused
enormous loss to American . trade and
commerce, : caused Irritation, annoyance
and disturbance among our citizens, and
by the . exercise of < cruel, barbarous and
uncivilized practices of warfa-e, shocked
the sensibilities and offended tne humane
sympathies of our people. ~ -
Since the \ present revolution began, In
February, 1895, this country has seen the
fertile domain at j our threshold ravaged
by fire and sword In the course of a
struggle unequaled In the history of the
island, and rarely paralleled as to the
number of the combatants and the bitter
ness of the contest by any revolution of
modern times, ; where a dependent people
striving to be free have been opposed \by
the. power -of the sovereign state. Our
people have beheld a ; once prosperous
community reduced to comparative want.
Its commerce virtually paralyzed, Its ex
ceptional productiveness * diminished, Its
fields laid waste, its mills in ruins and
Its people perishing by - tens of thousands
from hunger and destitution. • »«>
Damaare to American . Interests.
• We have felt ourselves constrained, in
the observance; of that strict neutrality
which our laws enjoin and which the laws
of \ nations : command, to j police our own
waters- and 1 watch our own seaports 1' In
prevention. of any unlawful act .In . aid of j
Cuba. Our trade ' has suffered; [ the capi
tal Invested by our citUens In Cuba has
■been largely lost, and the temper for
bearance .of our people have been so
sorely tried as to beget; a perilous ■- unrest \
among our own citizens, which has Inevi- j
tably followed its expression from time
to time in the national legislature so that •
Issues wholly ( external to our body poli
tic engross attention and stand In the way >
of more close devotion to domestic ad
vancement , that becomes a self-contented
commonwealth, whose primal maxim has ;
been the avoidance of all foreign en
tanglements. All this must needs awaken
and has indeed aroused * the J utmost con
cern on ' the part of '■ this government :as j
i well during my predecessor's as dur
ing my own administration. ' . :
▲ i Previous ; Effort to Restore Peace. ■
„ In April, : 1896, s the ; evils from which our
country suffered through the ] Cuban war
j became so enormous that my predecessor
I made an effort ;to bring about 1 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
; sis of ■ '• some effective scheme ot self
' government for Cuba, under s the ? flag
and sovereignty of ''Spain. It ,failed,
' through the refusal of the Spanish gov
ernment then In power 3to consider any
I form of mediation or Xndesd any plan
- of settlement which did not begin with
i the actual submission of the - insurgents
to the mother country and then i only on
such terms as Spain herself might see fit
to grant. : "-~ / .>f".V-. 3 i.- .• I*-;■?■{.;.■ _-'.-■' :"■■'■ :fj-^.:
Weyler*s , Inhuman Policy. .
The war continued unabated. s The re
sistance of insurgents * was in no wise
diminished/ The efforts of Spain were In
' creased, both by the dispatch of fresh
levies to Cuba and by 'additions to the
j horrors of the strife. The new and in
human 5 phase, : happily unprecedented |in
i the modern history of civilised Christian
people, the policy 'of devastation and con
r centration, inaugurated by the captain
' general's ban of October a,; 1896, In the
' province of Pinar del Rio. was thence
extended jto embrace all of the Island to
which the power of the Spaniards was
able to reach by occupation or by mili
tary operations. The peasantry, includ-
P ing all dwelling In the open agricultural
interior, were driven Into the garrisoned
towns or isolated place* held by the Span
-1 ish troops. The raising of provisions of
!»U kinds was interdicted. Fields were
laid waste, dwellings unroofed and fired.
mills destroyed, and. in short, everything
that T cou.a desolate the land and render it
1 unfit for human habitation or support
I was commanded by one or the other con
tending parties and .executed by all the
powers at their disposal.
By the time the : present administration
took office a year ago, wsoneentratlon-
ao called-had been effective over the bet
ter part of four central and western prov.
SX^-ta CUr*.^Uta»«|j. H.^.
and Ptaar 4W M* *■» afrlealtural pop
ulatlon, to the estimated number of 300,- I
i 000 or more, was herded within the towns
, and ; their immediate vicinity, deprived of
all means of support, rendered destitute
iof shelter, left poorly - clad * and \ exposed
to the most unsatisfactory conditions. ;
■ Sufferings of Reconcentradoi.
">?As the scarcity of food \ increased ! with
I the devastation of the depeopled areas of , |
' production, . destitution • and want became
misery and starvation. Month sby monthr
the death rate increased in alarming ira
tio, and by ' March, 1898, - according to con
servative estimates from official; Spanish
sources,? the mortality among 'J the recon
centrados from starvation and - the dis
eases | thereto | incident | exceeded 50 f per
turn of the total number. ,No practical
relief was accorded to the destitute. The
overburdened towns, already. suffering i
from the general dearth, could give no
I Rid. f So-called zones of cultivation, estab
j lished within the immediate area of effect
ive military control, about the cities and
fortified camps, proved illusory as a rem
edy for the suffering./ The unfortunates,
, being for the most part women and chil
( dren, with aged and helpless men, en
| feebled by disease and hunger, cculd not
j have tilled the soil without tools, seeds j
or shelter, for! their own support or for
j the supply of the cities. *■ •; -••■'■ ; •'; -
I Reconcentration adopted avowedly as a -■
, war measure, to cut off the resources of
• the insurgents, worked its predestined re
|sult. As I said in my message of last r
1 December, it was not civilized warfare; ;
it was extermination, and the only peace !
it could beget was that of the wilderness
and the grave. .- ./_••' ■' ..:-'*"-: ■Z% f■' '"•'.'■
. f, X ',\ Prog-re** of the War. ; ' ; '" :.
- Meanwhile the military situation in the
island has undergone a noticeable change.
The extraordinary activity ; that charac-
I terized the second year of the war, when
I the insurgents invaded even the ;■ hitherto
j unharmed fields 'of Pinar del Rio and car
ried havoc and destitution up to the walls
of the city of Havana itself, had relapsed
t lnto a dogged struggle in,the central and
eastern provinces. The Spanish army re- *
' gained a 'measure of control in Pinar. del i
I Rio and parts of Havana, but under the j
| existing conditions of .- the rural country, i
without immediate Improvement of their j
! productive I situation. Even thus partial- j
ly restricted, the revolutionists held their '
own, | and - their submission, * put forward j
by Spain as the essential and sole basis I
of peace, seemed as far distant as at the !
. outset. In this state of affairs my ad- I
ministration found itself confronted with !
• the grave - problem jof «its duty. iMy mes- '
j sage of last December reviewed j the sit-.
: uation and detailed the 'steps taken with J
a view of relieving the aciiteness and
opening the way to some form of hon- .
orable settlement.?:; :• '•- ■ ■/ 1 \
. SasjTMta's Vain Promiiei.
I The assassination of the prime minis- I
ter, Canovas, led to a change of govern- '
ment In ! Spain. The former administra- j
tion, which pledged subjugation without
concession,-gave place to that of a more
liberal party, committed long •in advance j
, to i a policy of reform involving the wider j
principle of home rule for Cuba and Porto
Rico. ,v y ; .': : . ■>--. ■-_: : ,_. .■•.-.-,"r~ ;i ,
i The overtures of this government made j
through its * new envoy. General Wood- !
ford, and loking to an immediate effective J
amelioration '■ of the condition "of the
island/although not accepted to the ex- I
tent of admitted mediation in any shape, j
were met by assurances that home rule j
In an advanced phase should be forthwith j
offered to Cuba, without waiting for the i
war to end, and that more humane meth- !
ods should thenceforth prevail in the con- |
duct of hostilities. ;
i Incidentally with I these declarations the i
new government of Spain continued and
completed :. the * policy already begun by
its predecessor .of {testifying friendly re
; gard ; for this nation by releasing Ameri
can I citizens • held under one I charge or
; another connected with the insurrection,
j so that, Iby the end :of November, not a
' single person entitled in any way to our j
[ national protection remained in a Spanish
■ prison. ' "--" *.■,"■■;'"" .' •-*.; -;
I / The Relief {Movement. - ; 'r^f.
j While these negotiations were in progress
the increasing destitution of the -unfor
tunate reconcentrados and the alarming ;
mortality among them claimed earnest at- j
': tentlon. The success which had attended
the limited measure of relief extended to
I the suffering American citizens jj among
them by the Judicious .j expenditure,
through the consular agencies, of ;.the
money: appropriated ■„ expressly ; for *, their
• succor by the ? Joint . resolution ■ approved
May 24, 1897, prompted the humane ex-
I tension of a ■ similar scheme to S that great
[ body of sufferers. A suggestion -to this
' end was acquiesced in by the Spanish au-
I thorities. On the - 24th *of : December " I
caused ?to ■ be ■ issued an appeal to < the
; American people, inviting contributions in
v money or in kind If or i the succor uof _■ the
' starving sufferers rin - Cuba. " . ' *
I i! Following [ this, on the Bth ;of January,
was a similar public announcement of the
| formation of a central Cuban relief com
r mittee, which had 1 headquarters •in ' New
l York city, ?i composed /of. members •" rep
-1 resenting l the national Red Cross and the
I religious s and I business, * elements •". of the
•'community. t r- < The 5; efforts '- of ; that '; com
mittee have been untiring and have accom
\plished much. Arrangements > for free
5 transportation to Cuba have greatly aided
the charitable work. ' i:. -;> y : l v
1 The president of the American Red Cross
and ' representatives ■ of other ■ contributory
! organizations have generally visited Cuba
' and co-operated i with the | consul-general
I and the local authorities to make effective
} distribution of i the relief collected through
I the efforts of the central committee. Near r
Jly 1200,000 In moneyg and /supplies % has
1 reached the sufferers,! and ; more ;Is I forth- *
' coming, i The supplies are admitted duty
I free and transportation |to % the ;, Interior
t has 'been arranged so that the relief at :
1 first necessarily confined to : Havana and
I the larger cities la extended t through;
! most. If not ■ all, 'of the towns; where suf
fering I exists. „ Thousands of lives have
already been saved. _>(«"/.-:"-V-V3,'^^':":;- »->::«--
U The necessity for a change; in; the J con
dition of the reconcentrados ;is recognised
by the | Spanish t government. Within 2 a
few days past the orders . of General Wey
ler have I been revoked, the I reconcentra
dos are, «It Is said, to ibe permitted to re
turn to their homes, and .aided to resume
the self-supporting pursuits of peace; pub
-1 lie works have been started *to give them
1 employment, and a sum of 1600,000 has been
appropriated «for their relief. --' ..',
Spain's Cmmmrn Hopeless. : .;;;
The war in Cuba Is of such a nature
that, short of subjugation! or extermina
tion. a final military victory for the other
aide seems impracticable. The alternative
lies in the physical exhaustion of the one
or the other party. 3 or perhaps^botb, a con;
dltion which in effect ended the 1« years
war by the truce of Jon. The pros
pect of such a, protraction and conclu
sion of the present strife Is a contingency
hardly ** contemplated with t equa
nimity by the civilised world, and least of
all by the United States, affected and
objected as we are deeply and intimateir
by Its very existence.
Am Otter of Mediation.
Realising this, it appeared to be my
duty, to * «l>*rit of true frtßodltaess, a©
taw to Spain than to the Cubans, who
hare so much to lose by the prolongation
of to seek to bring about
an Immediate termination of the war. To
this end I submitted, on the »th ultimo,
as a result of much representation and
correspondence through the United States
Stoteter iat Madrid, propositions to the '
Spanish government looking to an armhv
grJmUr October t, far tt. Mf«ttotte>
of peace with the good offices of the
president.
In addition, I asked the immediate revo
cation of the order of reconcentration, so
as to permit the people to return to their
farms and the needy to be relieved with
provisions and supplies by the United
States, co-operating with the Spanish
authorities so as to afford full relief.
The reply of the Spanish cabinet was re
ceived on the night of the 31st ultimo. It
offers as the means to bring about peace
in Cuba to confide the preparation there
of to the insular department, inasmuch
as the concurrence of that body would
be necessary to establish a final result,
it being however understood that the
powers reserved by the constitution to the
central government are not lessened or di
minished. As the Cuban parliament does
not meet until the 4th of May next, the
Spanish government would not object, for
its part, to accept at once a suspension
of hostilities if asked for by the insur
gents through the general-in-chi6f, to
whom it would pertain in such cases to
determine the duration and conditions of
the armistice.
The propositions submitted by General
Woodford and the reply of the Spanish
government were both in the form of
brief memoranda, the texts of which are
before mentioned and substantially in the
language above given. The function of
the Cuban parliament in the 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 reports of preliminary
discussion preceding the final conference
it is understood that the Spanish govern
ment stands ready to give the Insular
congress full power to settle the terms of
peace with the insurgents, whether by di
rect negotiation or indirectly by means of
legislation does not appear. With this
last overture in the direction of immedi
ate peace and its disappointing reception
by Spain, the executive was brought to
the end cf his efforts.
Recognition Not Warranted.
In my annual message of December last
I said:
"Of the untried measures there remain-
Recognition of the insurgents as bellig
erents, recognition of the 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 speak 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's message
in the words uttered in 1875, when after
several years of sanguinary, destructive
and cruel barbarities in Cuba, he reached
the conclusion that the recognition of the
independence of Cuba was impracticable
and indefensible, and that the recognition
of belligerence was not warranted by the
facts according to the texts of public law.
I commented especially upon that phase
of the question, pointing out the 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 the territory of hostili
ties.
Nothing has since occurred to change
my view in this regard, and I recognize
as fully now as 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, the instant pacification of Cuba, and
the cessation of the misery that afflicts
the island.
A Precedent Cited.
Turning to the question of recognizing
at this time the independence of the pres
ent insurgent government in Cuba, we
find safe precedent* in our history from
an early day. They are well summed up
in President Jackson's message to con
gress December 21, 1836, on the subject of
the recognition of the independence of
Texas. He said:
"In all the contests that have arisen
out of the revolutions of France, out of
the' disputes relating to Portugal and
Spain, out of the separation of the Amer
ican possessions of both from the Eu
ropean governments, and out of the nu
merous and constantly recurring strug
gles for dominion in Spanish-American
countries, so wisely consistent with
just principles has been the action of our
government that we have under the most
critical circumstances avoided all censure
and encountered no other evil than that
produced by a transient estrangement
of good will in those against -whom we
have been, by force of evidence, com
pelled to decide.
"It has thus been made known to the
world that the uniform policy and practice
of the United States is to avoid all inter
ference in disputes which merely relate
to the internal government of other na
tions, and eventually to recognize the au
thority of the prevailing party without ref
erence to our particular interests and
views or to the merits of the original
controversy. But in tils, as in every
other occasion, safety is 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 the ability of the new states
to protect themselves was fully estab
lished, but until the chance of their being
again subjugated bad entirely passed
away. Then, and not until then, were
they recognised. Such was our course in
regard to Mexico herself. It la true that
with regard to Texas the civil authorities
of Mexico had been expelled, its invading
army defeated, the chief of the republic
himself captured, and an present power
to control the newly organized govern
ment of Texas annihilated within its con
fines. 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 its
forces under a new leader and menacing
a fresh invasion to recover its lost do
main. -
"Upon the issue of this threatened in
vasion, the independence of Texas may
be considered as suspended, and were
there nothing peculiar in the relations be
tween the United State* and Texas, our
acknowledgment of its independence at
such a crisis could scarcely be regarded
as consistent with the prudent reserve
with which we have hitnerto held our
selves bound to treat all similar ques
tions."
Thereupon Andrew Jackson proceeded
to consider the risk—that there might be
Imputed to the United States motives of
selfish interests in view of the former
claim on our part to the territory of
Texas, and of the avowed purpose of the
Texans in seeking recognition of Inde
pendence as an incident to the incorpora
tion of Texas in the Union, concluding
thus:
"Prudence, therefore, seems to dictate
that we should stand aloof and maintain
our present attitude, if not until Mexico
itself or one of the great powers shall
recognize the independence of the new
government, at least until the lapse of
time or the course of events shall have
proved beyond cavil or dispute the ability
of the people of that country to maintain
their separate sovereignty and to uphold
the government constituted by them.
Neither of the contending parties can
justly complain of this course. By pur
suing it we are but carryingl out the long
established policy of our government, a
1 policy which has secured to us respect
1 and influence abroad and inspired oonfl
' dene* at hosae."
! These am the word* ef Andrew Jacksom.
They are erldeace that the United States.
in addition to the test Imposed by % pub
lic law as the condition of the recognition
Of the independence of a neutral state,
to wit, that the revolted state 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 nations, rea
sonably capable of discharging the duties
of a state, has imposed for its own gov
ernance In dealing with cases like these,
the further condition that recognition of
an Independent state is not due to a re
volted dependency until the danger of
its being again subjugated by the parent
state has entirely passed away." This ex
treme test was, in fact, applied in the
case of Texas.
The congress to whom President Jack
son referred the question as one probably
leading to war, and therefore an appropri
ate subject for a "previous understanding
with that body by whom war can alone
be declared, and by whom all the provis
ions for sustaining its perils must be fur
nished, left the matter of recognition of
Texas to the discretion of the executive,
providing merely for the sending of diplo
matic agents when the president should
be satisfied that the republic of Texas had
become an "Independent state."
It was so recognized by President Van
Buren, who commlssiaoned a charge d'af
faires March 7, 1837, after Mexico had
abandoned an attempt to conquer the
Texas territory, and then there was at the
time no bona fide contest going on be
tween the insurgent province and ita for
mer sovereign.
Cuba Not Rlarhtly 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 the recognition of bel
ligerency, in Ita favor."
The same requirement must certainly
be no less seriously considered when the
graver issue of recognizing Independence
is in question, for no less positive test
can be applied to the greater act than to
the lesser, while on the other hand the
influences and consequences of the strug
gle depending upon the Internal policy of
.the recognizing state, which form Impor
tant factors when the recognition of bel
ligerency is concerned, are secondary if
not rightly eliminable (actors when the
real question is whether the community
claiming recognition is or im not independ
ent beyond peradventure.
Recognition Inexpedient.
Nor from the standpoint of expedience
do I think tt would be wise or prudent
for this government to recognize at the
present time the Independence of the so
called Cuban republic. Such recognition
is not necessary in order to enable the
United States to Intervene and pacify the
island. To commit this country now to
the recognition of any particular govern
ment In Cuba might subject us to em
barrassing conditions of interest obliga
tion toward the organization 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 is within
the Island a government capable of per
forming the duties and discharging the
functions of a nation, and having, as a
matter of fact, the proper forms and at
tributes of nationality, such government
can be promptly and readily recognized
and the relations and Interests of the
United States with such nation adjusted.
Possible Alternative.
There remain the alternative forms of
Intervention to end the war, each as an
impartial neutrality, by Imposing a ra
tional compromise between the contest
ants or as the active ally of the one party
or the other. As to the 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 ways,
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 acts hither
to has been an earnest, unselfish desire
for peace and prosperity in Cuba, untar
nished by differences between the United
States and Spain and unstained by the
blood of American citizens. The forcible
intervention of the United States as a neu
tral to stop the war according to the
large dictates of humanity and following
the historical precedents wherein the
United States has Interfered to check the
hopeless sacrifice of life by Internecine
conflicts beyond their borders, Is Justifi
able on national grounds. It Involves,
however, hostile constraint upon both par
ties to the contest, as well as to enforce
a truce as to end the eventual settle
ment. The grounds for such Intervention
may be briefly summarized as follows:
First—ln the cause of humanity and to
put an end to the barbarities, bloodshed,
starvation and horrible miseries 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 duty,
for It is right at our door.
Second—We owe it to our citizens in
Cuba to afford them that protection and
Indemnity for life and property which no
government there can or will afford, and
to that end terminate the conditions that
deprive them of legal protection.
Third—The right to intervene may be
justified by the very serious Injury to the
commerce, trade and business of our peo
ple and by the wanton destruction of prop
erty and devastation of the island.
Fourth—And which is of foremost Im
portance, the condition of affairs In Cuba
is a constant menace to our peace, and
entails upon this government enormous ex
pense. With such a conflict waged for
years in an island so near us and with which
our people have such trade and business
relations—when the lives and liberty of
our citizens are In constant danger, their
property destroyed and themselves ruined—
when our trading vessels are liable to seiz
ure and are seized 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 peace and tend to keep us on a war
footing with that nation with which we are
at peace.
The Maine Incident.
These elements of danger and disorder
already pointed out have been strikingly
illustrated by a tragic event which has
deeply and Justly moved the American
people; I have-already transmitted to con
gress the resort of the naval court of in
quiry on the destruction of the battle-ship
Maine in the harbor of Havana during the
night of the 15th of February. The de
struction of that noble vessel has filled
the national heart with inexpressible hor
ror; 368 brave sailors and marines-, and
officers of our navy, reposing In the fan
cied security of a friendly harbor have
been hurled to death. Grief and want are
brought to their homes and sorrow to the
nation.
The naval court of inquiry, which, It is
needless to say, commands the unqualified
confidence of the government, was unan
imous in Its conclusion that the destruc
tion of the Maine was caused by an ex
terior explosion, and also by a submarine
mine. It did not assume to place the re
sponsibility. That remains to be fixed. In
any event, the* destruction of the Maine,
by whatever exterior cause. Is a patent and
impressive proof of a state of things In
Cuba that to Intolerable. That condition
Is thus shown to be such that the Spanish
government cannot assure safety and se
curity to a vessel of the American navy
to the harbor of Havana oa a mission of
••toe. and rightfully reference to this con
nectlon is made to recent diplomatic cor*
respondence.
A dispatch from our minister to Spain
of the 26th 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 the matter of the Maine.
The reply also referred to of the 31st
ultimo also contained an expression ot
j the readiness of Spain to submit to arbl
| tratlon all the differences 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., as
follows:
"As to the question of fact which
springs from the diversified views between
representatives of the American and the
Spanish boards, Spain proposes that the
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 1875, In discussing the
purposes of the Cuban contest as It then
appeared, and the hopeless 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
measures 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 confidence 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 con
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 time
declined by Spain with the declaration,
nevertheless, that at a future time they
would be indispensable. No intimation has
been received that in the opinion of Spain
that that time has been reached; yet the
strife continues with all its dread horrors
and its injuries to the United States and
other nations. Each party seems quite
capable of working great injury and dam
age to the other as well as to all the rela
tions and interests dependent on the exist
ence of seace 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
sess and control the island to the exclu
sion of the other.
Under the circumstances the agency ol
others, either by mediation or by inter
vention, seems to 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 was said:
'When the inability of Spain to deal
successfully with the insurrection has be
come manifest, and if demonstrated that
her sovereignty is extinct in Cuba, for all
purposes of its rightful existence, and
when a hopeless struggle for its re-estab
lishment has degenerated into the strife
which means nothing more than the use
less sacrifice of human life and the utter
destruction of the very subject-matter of
the conflict, a situation will be presented in
which our obligations to the sovereignty
of Spain will be superseded by higher ob
ligations which we can hardly hesitate to
recognize and discharge."
In my annual message to congress De
cember last, speaking to this 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 as 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 1 hesitancy
in the light of the obligation this govern
ment owes to itself, to the people who con
fided' the protection of their interests and j
honor and to humanity. ; "f ■'■■-■'.
- "Sure of the right, keping free from al! ;
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 citi
zens, and will abate' none of ; Its efforts
to bring about 'by peaceful agencies ; a
peace which shall be honorable and endur
ing. If it shah hereafter appear to be a
duty imposed by our obligations to ; our
• aelves, to civilization - and \to 5 humanity
to intervene with force, it shall be without
fault enooutr t part and only because the
necessity for.' such action will be so clear
as to coirrnaiid the support and approval
of the civilized; world." . . . _ j- : ;;
Intervention the Only Hope.
The long trial has proved that the ob
ject; for which Spain has iwaged war
cannot be attained. C The fire ■of j Insur
rection | may flame or ■ may smolder ; with
varying seasons, but tlt has not ] been and
it is plain that it; cannot ibe extinguished
by present methods. The only hope of re
lief and repose | from a condition which
cannot longer be endured Is the enforced
pacification of Cuba. •; *. •.- ;
■ i ln the name of humanity, In ;the "- name
of civilisation, In 'I behalf of endangered
American ? interests, .; which give ;us the
right and the duty to * speak and to act,
the war!, in Cuba must stop;- in t view of
these 5 facts, and , these i considerations, • 1
ask congress ■to 1 authorize i and empower
the president -to i take . measures hto £ se
cure -aJ full i termination of hostilities i be
,tween the government- of Spain and the
people \ of Cuba, and to f secure \ InS the
island the establishment of a stable gov
ernment capable of maintaining order
and' - observing i its * international r obliga
. tions, insuring peace and tranquillity and
the : security *of \ Its ; citizens \as well as
our own, and - to V use the _• military and
naval force 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 peo
ple :of i the i island )f I'; recommend \ that ; : the
distribution of food and supplies be con
tinued and that an appropriation be made
out of the public treasury 2to supple
ment • the charity of our citizens.; •
The Issue is now.with congress; it Is
a solemn responsibility; ] I [ have exhausted
every effort to relieve '■ the intolerable con
dition ; of affairs' which is .at our doors.
Prepared '■ to execute every obligation im
posed f upon me Jby the constitution and \\
law, I await your action.
■- -Spain's Last •nfcterfnsje.
Yesterday end. since , the i preparation of
the foregoing message, official information
was received by me that the latest decree
of tfco queen regent of Spain directs Gen
eral Biaaco, in order to prepare and facil
itate peace, to proclaim a suspension of j I
hostilities, the duration and details of
which have not yet 1 been communicated
to me. This fact with every other point ]
in consideration will, I am sore, have
your careful and Just attention In the
solemn deliberations upon which yon t are
about to enter. ;If 'this j measure attains a
successful result, then our aspirations as
a Christian, peaoe-lovlng people wUI be
! realised; if tt fails. It will be only another
justification for our contemplated action.
isoaS^r •- "r WILLIAM McKINLBT.
2imitin^ Mansion. Washington, April
PBICE 5 CENTS.
IT MEANS WAR
Congress Demands Ab
solute Freedom
of Cuba.
REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEES
Both Go Beyond the President's Rec
ommendations— The Only Thine Mow
to Avert • Conflict Will Be Spain's
Surrender of the Island.
Washington, April 14. —The burden
of responsibility foi the next move in
the Spanish crisis having been shifted
by the president's message upon the
shoulders of congress, the capitol today
became the storm center, with the for
eign affairs committees of the two
houses as the foci.
The struggle in eaoh committee was
long and bitter, with this marked differ
ence between that at the senate wing
and that at the house end of the capi
tol.
In the senate end, Democrats as well
as Republicans participated, while at
the house end the task was to secure
harmonious action among the Republi
cans, bo as to present, if possible, a
solid front when the Democrats were
finally called in for action. Pressure
from every quarter was brought to b«sar.
Radicals and sonservatives strained
every nerve. The vital point of the
contest hinged upon whether the reso
lutions should go further than the presi •
dent had gone and declare for the in
dependence of Cuba from Spanish
domination. Tonight a compromise
proposition was certain to be reported
at both ends of the capitol.
The senate committee's resolution
will be the more radical of the two. It
will declare for immediate interven
tion, a general recognition of the
rights of the Cftban people to freedom
and independence, and will demand the
withdrawal of the Spanish forces from
the island.
The Republicans of the house com
mittee practically united upon a reso
lution which alao directs immediate in
tervention (in that respect going be
yond the president's recommendation),
and for the establishment of a "firm
and stable government" in Cuba.
Smith of Michigan stood out stubbornly
for a recognition of independence, but
the committee did not yield. When
the resolutions were submitted to the
Republican steering committee, they
insisted that unless the words "and in
dependent" before "government" were
inserted, so as to read, "firm, stable
and independent government," they
would decline to accept it. Finally,
assurances that this would be conceded
were given, and in those words plain
sailing and harmonious action seems
probable. The Democrats of the com
mittee have agreed to antagonise the
majority report witb one declaring for
independence of the island and imme
diate armed intervention. The ulti
mate independence of the island, with
out the recognition of the independence
of the existing government, is the step
which both committees are to take be
yond the president's recommendation.
A significant feature of the day in
this connection was the delcaration of
General Grosvenor, of Ohio, the ad
ministration's spokesman, made during
the debate in the house, that the presi
dent's recommendations must be inter
preted as • declaration for the inde
pendence of the island from Spanish
dominion.
There is a strong* impression tonight
that the debate in the house will be
made short to prevent undue criticism
of the administration. Many of the
Republicans are in favor of no debate
at all, contending that the passage of a
resolution r : without debate would
strengthen oar '■ position before the
world. ' ..■ :--~ '.. ', •"- X\'.V r ';*'';
In the senate, it is impossible to pre
dict how long the debate will run. ;
There is a general feeling in Wash-
I ington tonight among public men that '
the action of congress, as foreshadowed
in tho resolutions, renders the situation
| extremely critical, and oonseravtive
leaders of both parties consider war in
evitable as a result of their adoption,
! unless I Spain makes a final and com
plete surrender by giving up Cuba. -.
v' The situation is regarded as so critical .■„, *,
that Republicans on the ways #nd
means committee, as a result of private
conferences, have reached an agreement ,
as to the method of raising \ $100,000,
---000 additional ? revenue annually for
the prosecution of the war by increasing
the tax on beer and tobacco, and plac
ing a tax on tea and coffee. ■ They also
agreed to authorise the issue of a popu
lar loan of $500,000,000, and the issue
of certificates of indebtedness to meet
the emergencies. j . .
Modesto, Cal., April l^Lr-ReT. P.
Smith, a priest of , St. Stanislaus cathe
dral,, dropped t dead of .. heart " disease
while celebrating , mass |his morning-
He had Just preached an eloquent ser
mon on the necessity of being prepared
M:aati«jS3asa£f : ' •- •-; -
Tfc« Ka«ekM* Pr»»«4 ratal.
Columbus, 0., April 14.—George
Stout, of Philadelphia, who was
knocked out by Oscar Gardner, the
Omaha Kid, in a fight last night, died
from the effects of the blow this morn
ing. It was in-the 12th round that
the fatal Jolt was delrwed, Stoat fall-;
ing heavily and never regaining con
sciousness. He ; was taken to a hospi
tal, but nothing coo Id be done for bin.
The kangaroo readily leaps from
sixty to seven tr fsst.
. » - : ••- % : <l- - .'. , ■■■;
