In times of turmoil, the American people often turn to the President of the United States for clarification. One such time of turmoil came during the Spanish occupation of Cuba, when growing resentment toward the Spanish fueled pro-Cuban sentiments on domestic soil. Opting to take a more neutral standpoint, President Cleveland said that Americans were to remain neutral during this time of crisis in his historic address. Refusing to aid the Cuban resurgents in any way, he instead focused on the state of the nation over the interests of Cuba.