| Show ROFER OF MDIATOi Those Presented By Cleveland Rejected Re-jected Our Only Desires The existing Cln ions cannot but fill this go ernnunt and the American people with the gravest apprehension There is no dirt on the part of our people to profit ly I the misfortunes of Sjiii VVe have < tily th desire to Sve tie Cubans prosperous and contented trj j jying that measure of selfcontrol vxiiich is 111 inoli antic riht of man Tiroieeted in their right lo reap tho benefit < > f the exhiustiess treasures of their country MEDIATION FHJECTED The offer made ly my predecessor In April 3M6 tendering the friendly of k iices of tnis ov rrmient failed and t gia ntn mediation on our part via not ac cojted In btv 1 the answer rpeJ There iJ i ivi tunE way to pacify Cuba unies ii i > gins with the actual l j submih = in or th labels to the mother country hcr only could Spain act in the proiiiirfd dmcticn of tin own notion and aft I her own plan The crufl poliy of concentration was initiated Feb 16 1S 16 The productive pro-ductive districts controlled by the Spanish armies were depopulated and the agricultural inhabitants were aclclural I herdtd in and about the garrison I towns their lands laid waste and their l dwellings destroyed UNCIVILIZED WARFARE This policy the late cabinet of Spain I I Justified as a necessary measure of r war and as a means of cutting off supplies sup-plies from the insurgents I has utterly t ut-terly failed as a war measure I wa not civilized wal fare I was extermination exter-mination Against this abuse of the rights of war I have felt constrained on repeated occasions to enter the firm and earnest protest of this government TREATMENT OF AMERICANS 1 There was much of public condemnation I condemna-tion of the treatment of American citizens by alleged illegal arrests and long imprisonment awaiting trial or pending contracted judicial procedures J I folt it my lirst duty to make instant 1 ti rrfiiid for the Case or speedy trial I of 1 American citizens under arrest f Before the of the Bdj change Spanish cabinet cab-inet in October 2 prisoners citizens of I he Inited Static had been given their inidfm For t rolcf of our own citizens t s fitring because of the conflict the aid f lonertss 0 as sought in a special message and under the Upprmiriation i Apnl 4 IlfT effective aid has been fin 1 to t American citizens in Cuba ani nu iyif them at their own re lUst have been returned to the 3 l nittrd States |
