etter
government made by the Spaniards. But these promises were never carried
out. Year after year the Cuban people bore with their oppression. But at
last their patience was worn out. In 1894 they again rebelled. The
Spaniards sent over an army to subdue them. Soon tales of cruelty on the
part of the Spaniards reached the United States. Finally the Spanish
governor, General Weyler, adopted the cruel measure of driving the old
men, the women, and the children from the country villages and huddling
them together in the seaboard towns. Without money, without food, with
scant shelter, these poor people endured every hardship. They died by
thousands. The American people sent relief, but little could be done to
help them. The Cubans also fitted out expeditions in American ports to
carry arms and supplies to the rebels. The government did everything in
its power to stop these expeditions, but the coast line of the United
States is so long that it was impossible to stop them all, especially as
large numbers of the American people heartily sympathized with the
Cubans. Constant disputes with Spain over the Cuban question naturally
came up and gave rise to irritation in the United States and in Spain.

[Illustration: THE "MAINE."]

[Sidenote: Destruction of the _Maine_, 1898.]

[Sidenote: Cuban independence recognized.]

473. The Declaration of War, 1898.--On January 5, 1898, the
American battleship _Maine_ anchored in Havana harbor. On February 15
she was destroyed by an explosion and sank with two hundred and
fifty-three of her crew. A most competent Court of Inquiry was
appointed. It reported that the _Maine_ had been blown up from the
outside. The report of the Court of Inquiry was communicated to the
Spanish government in the hope that some kind of apology and reparation
might be made. But all the Spanish government did was to propose that
the matter should be referred to arbitration. The condition of the
Cubans was now dreadful. Several Senators and Representatives visited
Cuba. They reported that the condition of the Cubans was shocking. The
President laid the whole matter before Congress for its determination.
On April 19, 1898, Congress recognized the independence of the Cuban
people and demanded the withdrawal of the Spaniards from the island.
Congress also authorized the President to compel Spain's withdrawal and
stated that the United States did not intend to annex Cuba, but to leave
the government of the island t