The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-16
TO SELL CUBA.
Alleged Negotiations for the Islands Pur-
chase by the United States.

NEW YORK, July ia Washington
special to the Press says; Senors Hipo-
| lyto Mura and Policarpo Munoz, consti-
! tuting a special commission from the
! Spanish government have visited Wash
ington within the past few days. Their
movements have been very mysterious.
| Tonight the Press correspondent dis
covered the mission of the strangers.
1t is a quasi diplomatic one to ascer-
tain the feeling both on the part of
the government of the United States and
of the Cuban residents here as to the pos
sible eventual annexation of the island of
Cuba to the United States. During their
| stry in New York, whence they arrived
last Monday, they thoroughly canvassed
the views of the Spanish-American ele-
ment in that city and found them almost
unanimous in favor of annexation. Senior
Munoz in conversation with your cores
pOndent, Said
prior to our departure from Spain
we were fully aware of the
change in the Spanish cabinet,
and now that SenOr CanovaS
del Castillo has assumed the Office of prime
minister we may fully expect an almost
complete and formal recognition of the
Republican element in Spain. The Re-
publicans there, or those who favor an ov-
erthrow of the monarchial rule, are most
universally in favor of dispOsing of the
Island of Cuba to the United States"
What price is set on the island?"
F'That | am not prepared to say, as our
negotiations have not yet reached that eli
max, F" was the reply.
And do you think that 500, 600, 600 would
reach the limit?"
''Oh, no; not by any means"
"How about $500, 600 000?"
AZ am almost positive that Spain would
give this offer very serious consideration
You see, the feeling which pervades the
present Spanish government is concillia-
tory one 1t tends toward establishing per-
petual peace with all nations. The object
Spain has in aScertaining the disposition
on the part of the United States to acquire
Cuba is that it sees a way to relieve its
Overburdened finances, settle its lnterna-
tional disputes and place it more on a par
with other European nations"
What immediate effect on Spain would
the cesSion of Cuba producer"
None in the Immediate future But
with the money realized Spain would be
placed in a position to secure a long pro-
jected alliance with France and the
eventual absorption of Portugal
and her manifold colonial inter
ests. This project has long been
cherished among the Republicans of Port
ugal and Spain. You may take my word
for it that the present cabinet change in
Spain is only the initiative of thoroughly
decisive Republican movement in that
country which is to take place in Septem-
ber or October. The queen regent is fully
aware of the proposed movement, and
from her, as well as the royal household,
only passive resistance may be expected"
Senior Munoz added that Spain has
about come to the conclusion that
sooner or later she will lose pos
session of Cuba, and that she
will make the best bargain she can for
its sale. He predicts that before the year
1890 shall have ended negotiations will
have been entered into between Spain and
the United States for the transfer of the
Island of Cuba to the latter. Senor Mura
produced some documents which, he said,
were their credentials from the govern
ment at Madrid. Being asked why it was
that the Spanish minister at Washington
knows noting of this matter, he replied
that there are many affairs of state with
which the ministers accredited to foreign
countries are not made acquainted, and
this concerning the sale of Cuba is one of
them