| Show mm wm TO core CONGRESS to the senate and house of representatives senta tives notwithstanding the adalid burdena rendered necessary by the war our people rejoice in a very satisfactory and steadily degre pe of pr ars s verity evidenced by the largest of business ever ewry manu J facture has been productive agriculture pursuits have yielded aln dant returns labor in the holds of industry is better rewarded revenue legislation vaso passed by the pre tint congress has increased the receipts to ni he amold amount rit estimated hy by its authorities the finances of the government abc boen been successfully administered and its t advanced to the first rank while its currency has been maintains maint main taini aind d at the worlds highest standard stary service under a comann ilag na dind tor for r righteous cause has strengthened the national spirit ind nd served serve i to ta cement more closely than ever the fraternal bonds between every section of the country aoun try A review of the relation of the united states to other powers always appropriate is this year of primary importance in view of the momentous issues which have bave arisen demanding in one instance the ultimate determination by arms and involving far reaching which will require the earnest attention of the congress jt DUTY TOWARD SPAIN in my last annual message very ver full consideration was given to the question of the duty of the government of the united states toward spain and the cuban insurrection as being by tar far the most important problem with which we were called upon to deal the considerations side rations then advanced and the exposition of the views therein expressed disclosed my sense of the extreme gravity of the situation setting aside as logically unfounded or practically nad anad the recognition of the cuban insurgents as belligerents the lecog ta of the independence of cuba neus he U 1 aral intervention to end the war by im posing a rational between the contestants ts intervention in favor of one or the other party and the forcible annexation of the island I 1 concluded it was honestly due to our friendly relations spain that ahe should be aven a reasonable chance to realize her expectations of reform to which she ehe had become irrevocably committed within sl a few weeks previous she had an r bounced comprehensive plans plana which it waa w confidently asserted would be effina clous to remedy the evils 0 ao o deeply af jec feeling ting our own country so injurious to ao the true interests of the mother country as well as those of cuba and so repugnant to the universal sentiment of humanity the ensuing months brought broughm little sign of real progress toward the cation of cuba the autonomous adi ministration set up in the capital and some of the principal cities appeared not to gain the favor of the inhabitants nor to be able to extend their influence to the large extent of territory held by the insurgents while the military arm arin obviously unable to cope with the hilll active rebellion continued many of the most objectionable and offensive princles rot of the government that had preceded it ano no tangible relief was affo afforded eded the vast A umbers of unhappy re concen trades despite the reiterated professions made I 1 in that regard and the amount ampro prial ted by spain to that nd th proffered expedient of zonas zon as ot of cultivation proved illusory indeed no less leas practical nor more delusive promises prom lies of succor could well have been tendered to 0 the exhausted and people stripped of all that made life alf and home dear and herded in a strange region araos strangers tra nW hardly less STARVING by the end of december ty among them had fright frightfully kully increased conservative estimates from spanish sources placed the deaths among these distressed people at over 40 per cent from the time gen wey lers decreed decree of re concen trades vas enforced with the acquiescence of spanish thorlies author am lUes a scheme was adopted for relief by charitable contributions raised in this country and dri buted under the th odthe of the consul general and the several consuls by noble and earnest individual effort through he organized agencies of the amera red cross thousands of lives live were thus saved but many thousands more were inaccessible ces sible to such form of aid the war continued on the old footing without comprehensive plan d developing only the same spasmodic encounters barren of strategic result that had marked the course ot of the earlier ten years of rebellion as well as the present insurrection from its start no alternative save physical at either combatant and therewith il tae practical ruin of the island lay in sight but how far distant no one could venture venture to conjecture destruction OF TF THE ae MA MAINE INE at this juncture on the of february last occurred the of the maine while rightfully lying in the harbor of havana on a mission of international co and goodwill good will a catastrophe the suspicious su nature and hommr of which stirred the natt ions heart profoundly fo if is ia a 0 striking drig evidence of the poise and sturdy good sense distinguishing our national character that this thia shocking blow flailing falling upon a generous people already deeply touched by preceding events in hi cuba did nat move them to bo desperate resolve to tolerate no longer the existence of a condition of danger and disorder at our doors that made possible such a deed by whomsoever wrought yet the instinct of justice ju artice prevailed and the nation anxiously avral awaited ted the result of the searching investigation at once set on foot the finding of the naval board of inquiry established that the origin of the explosion was waw ev external by y a submarine mine and only halted through lack of positive to fix the responsibility of its authorship all those things carried conviction to the most thoughtful even before the finding of the naval court that a crisis in our re rela la LO lions ns with spain and toward cuba were at hand so strong was ws this belief that tha it needed but birt a brief executive suggestion to the congress to receive immediate answer to the ditty of making instant provision for the possible and perhaps speedily probe probable emergency of war and the remarkable almost unique spectacle was presented of a vote of both houses on the ath of march appropriating affy maltion dollars diOU ars for the national defense and for each and every purpose connected therewith to be expended at the discretion of the pres idenie ap H NOT READY FOR WAR that this act of provA slon cams came none too 00 soon was disclosed when the application of the fund was waa undertaken our forts were undefended our navy needed large for increased ammunition and bvm ev numbers to cope with any sudden attack att ack from bom the of which comprised meders vedi seft of the ewh est cype pe of pelf our army also required t ot nn and the ot of khetar the r ried fat t conkin sway is told in them th repots of the ocre of wor war sui and of the vy aadi need not be repeated here jet X la aw to say that the outbreak of war when ft did come found our nation not unprepared to meet the conflict nor was the apprehension ot of coming strife confined to our own coun country itry it was felt by the contingent powers which on spirl ath through their ambassadors bass adors and envoys ed addressed dressed to the executive an expression of ho hope pe that hat hurna humanity nUy and moderation might mark the course of this government ind people and that further negotiations would lead to lo an attempt which while securing the maintenance of peace would affirm all ajl necessary guarantees tor for the re of order in cuba in spending responding re nl to bo that present presentation atlon I 1 also shares shared the hope that the envoys elvo had expressed that peace might bite be preserved in a ma manner inner to terminate the chromic condition of in cuba so co injurious and menacing to our interests and tranquility tranquil ity as awell as shocking to our sentiments of humanity and while appreciating ithe humanitarian ami disinterested character of the communication they had adopted on behalf of the powers it had stated the of this government on ats pant that equal appreciation would be shown tor for its earnest and flah endeavors to duall fulfil a duty of humanity by ending a the indefinite prolongation of which had become insufferable recognition OF CUBA cula SWI animated by the hope oi df a peaceful solution ami obeying the diot dit albea takes of f duty no effort was relaxed to bring about a speedy ending of the cubala negotiations to this effect continued actively sun the deverr ge aw verr versi ment of spain looking to the conclusion of a six months armistice un fai cuba with a view to effect the beoo of her peoples right to independence besides this the instant rew catlon cation of the order of was asked so that the sufferers ievers ret ing to their homes and aided by writ andt ed american and spanish effort might be put in a way to support therris themselves dIt and by orderly resumption of the well nigh destroyed productive energies eer gle of the island contribute to the restoration atlon of its ita and well being N aeao M taa Alone continued for some little time at madvid result re tog in octra bottera by tte tift spanish government which couta at but be regarded as lit it ws w PrOP proposed teed to coneda the peace to the insular P 4 ela yet to be convened under the decrees of november Novem iber 1897 but without impairment an any wise of the tut lonal ional powers of the madrid meta inch to that end would grant ain armid dee it if solicited BoMol ted by the angur ge genita ritts for such time as the general ta ir chief might see fit to fix now how and I 1 with what scope of discretionary powers the insular bartlam par Hannent ent was waa expiated to set about the of peace did not apeler if it was to be by ne I 1 wath the insurgents nta the lame issue to rest reat on the side ath a body I 1 chosen by that cantlon of the electors electon tn the dist districts rIots under spanish spa alah copt cottrol cog atrol rol and on o n the other oither ath the population holding the inter interior lar coun try in the so 00 called par ll ament and defiant def lanit at the suggestion ot oe suing for peace SPAIN IS S arved Gr ved end jed disappointed appointed 09 at this barren outcome of my sincere endeavors to teace tea oha a practicable solution i felt fek it my duty to remit the 1 que auton ettOn to the contress Conff reee in theme liea saKS wt akrit it 11 i I 1 annamee tart ehte laadt overt tiTe I ini ID D the of peace la in cua SM jd M ailt by tw efow of tho th exec uv a ai end I 1 again agan reviewed the tive course of action which ahad I 1 had jre hafed concluding ng t that at t the e only consonant 0 with international policy and compatible compa pa ble with our firm set historical tra ditimus was waa intervention as aa a neutral neu trial to stop stoop the war and check the hopeless sac sa crance rafice of life even though that resort involved hostile constraint upon both the parties to the contest as well to enforce a truce as to gulde guide the eventual settlement INTERESTS OF HUMANITY the grounds that step were the interest of huni amity the duty to protect efe and property of our olur citizens zens th in cuba the right to check injury y to our commerce and aind people through the devastation of the island and most the need of removing at once and forever the constant menace and the jhb burdens entailed eni tailed upon our government em by the and perils of the situation caused by the unendurable disturbance in cuba I 1 said the long trial has proved that the object f for ar which has waged the war cannot be attained the fire of insurrection avay flame or may with varying seasons but it has not been and it is plain that it cannot be extinguished by present methods me thoda the only hope of relief and repose from a condition which can no longer be endured is the enforced of cuba lia in the name of humanity in the name of civilization in behalf of endangered american interests which give us the right and duty to speak and to act the war to in cuba must stop in view of all this the congress was wag aaker to authorize and empower em the president pre to ibo take measures measure ito ibo secure ia a full and final termination ot of hostilities between spain and the people of cuba and to secure in the island the establishment of a stable government capable of order and observing its international obligations insuring peace and tranquility and the security of its citizens as well ea as our own and rw for the accomplishment of those owne ends to use the milf military tary and naval forces of the knitted states as ji right be necess necessary axy with added authority to continue co generous genero ois relief to the g people of cuba VERDICT OF CONGRESS the response of the Con congress gregs after liae days of ear earnest riest deliberation lon during ing which the almost unanimous sew sen of your body bodt was developed on every point save as ito to the expediency of coupling the proposed amon with wt a atal recognition of the republic of cuba as an the fhe true and lawful awful I government of that island a proposition which failed of adoption the congress after conference on the lath of april by fa a vote of forty two to thirty fo four ur in the senate and to six irk in the house of passed the memorable joint jodra revolution resolution declaring first Pi rat tw thie the people of the island of cuba are and by right ought to be free and independent seema Sec oBid that it to is the ithe duty of the mates sita tes and the govern of ote untied states hereby demands that the government of spain at once re its authority in the island of cuba and withdraw its land and naval forces from cuba and cuban watters waters thad that the president den of the united states be and ts is hereby directed and empowered to use the entire land wa and neval naval forces force of the states the of the several to such as may be necea necessary nry to carry these theme ms finito effect werthy that the united und ted states mates hereby disclaims wasy eavy disposition dispo or anten timae atoff aft exercise sovereignty jurisdiction Jurl edic or control over saad aid uland island ex capt aar the pacification thereof and warto JW its when that is to leav the government and control of C the to RD ita people MINISTERS th ig resolution baj was ed by the executive on the next day april 20 29 A copy was at once communicated to the spanish awater er st at this capital who forthwith his in washington had thereby become be e im possible po seible and asked for his passport which were given him he thereupon withdrew from washington leaving the protection of interests ta in the united states to the french ambassador bas gador and the austro hungarian mInJo minister ter simultaneously with ita to the general woodford Wood tord the american minister at madrid waw atte telegraphed confirmation fir firmat don of the text of the joint resolution and directed to it to the gov gove emmen immen of spain with the formal demand that it at onoe rellna quah hulsh its authority and government in the island of cuba and withdrew withdraw its ita forces coupling this demand with announcements of the th of this as to tho future tuitui re of the island in conformity with the fourth clause 0 af o the and giving spain until noon croon of april 2 23 to reply the demand although so as above shown officially made knoon to the spanish envoy here was not delivered deM debi vered ea at madrid after the instructions reached general woodford on the morning of april 21 but lyo fre he could present it the spanish minister min tater of f state no tilled hian that upon the bencs approval of the joint reso resolution ludon the madrid government ern er regarding the act as |
