Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-11

M IN i inlsTs,s"'T Th .ns ths On
was an American literary man, long familiar
with Spain and Interested in international copy
right, and there was the present writer, who,
being curious, took notes.
The interview from the Spanish standpoint
wss duly published in La Correspondence de
Espana. From the American standpoint some
Of the things which were not published or but
lightly touched upon would have more interest.
Il it something to know what is felt about our
supposed policy Of aggression and absorption
IN relation TO Spanish American couutries-how
the agricultural machinery to which we at
tribute 90 much of our own prosperity has thus
far met with little success in Spain; how Spain
inte-prets our enthusiasm for Columbus and
what she expects from our romantic liking for
herself, with incidental enlightenment on the
question of wines and objects Of art and luxury.
As row one and now another Of our party
answered the questions of the Spanish inter-
viewer, ! will assign their part of the conversa-
ton to American promiseuonsly.
1.
The excitement over the late difficulty be-
tween Chile and the United States was at it's
height and the Peruvian minister to Spaiu had
publicly appealed, in a recent lecture, to the
mother country against the invading policy Of
American had Just repudisted, in the name Of
his country. ell thought of ne tiousl aggrandize-
ment a. the expense Of South America.
The interviewer; Perhaps you will not care
to pass the is.hmus, though the French are al
resdy inclined to charge you With interfering
spaniards is Cuba and Porto Rico. There are
certainly writers in the American press and
believe public men who tall whenever occasion
offers Of annexing Cuba"
The American: 81 do not believe there are
ten sane men in the United States Who think of
our anne1ing Cuba. Yo1 must remember the
Sensational needs of the press. We might more
justly be accused Of T. desire to annex whas Is
north OF us. ETen there Canada il more will
ing to Tune 20 Us than We are TO take her."
The interviewer mentioned the name of an
American Senstor whose opinion in regard to
Cuba are manifested periodically.
The American, taken absck at this acquai1t
ance With congressional statesIaanship on the
part Of Speniard: IT should not like 20 be
misquoted, but-vell. YOU see he lives near
Cuba. and every now and then he breaks out
with that theory. He has no following. Our
people will not want Cuba until Spain wants to
sell IT.
The interviewer: 'rBut at the close of the
Mexican war vou seem 20 have pursued very
grasgins policy. Is that disposition quite
The American: Even at the time YOU speak
OF Charles Sumner and others Of cur b 81 pub
lie men we're opposed TO any policy Of aOsorp-
ton. Our poet, Lowell, whom YOU remember
Is minister 10 Spain, has given expression to
this sentiment many times over: We have all
The territory we car take care of. We have been
satisfied Of that ever since the Of the re
belion- At that time the question was agitsted.
but no attention was really paid to it,
The interviewer remarked tina, this vas hard
TO reconcile with the enterprises Of American
COZ. orations in the Spanish-Americanc countries.
The American: Perhaps yod do not distin-
guish here in Spain between private enterprises
and national policy in America. Things are
not centralized with Us a. with YOU. Even our
most gigantic business enterprises do not re-
ceivs any backing from cur government. |
have been reading brand new work OF senior
Perez del Toro on Spain in the Northwest Of
Africa From private undertaking OF a
former Secretary Of War in Washington. he
concludes to ofSCial act Of the whole cabinet
He saws: Mr.. BelknaD. North American SUBJ
jsct. solicited from tn Spanish government a
few years since the concession IF a menhaden
fishery at La 6rsciosa and offered 900 600 for
the privilege, which vas refused. Mr.. Belknap
appears TO have been commissioned By the
cabinet Of Washington Now. no American
would for an instant dream that the govern
merit Of the United States could have anything
20 do With Mr.. Belknap's private projects. The
work Of the Presidents cabinet does not in any
way correspond with that Of your council OF
ministers"
Alaska. but contented himself next day with
Publishing the following:
The foreign policy Of the United States has
several times awakened feelings Of jealousy in
Spain To maintain these feeling a, he presen,
day would be an excess of suspiciousness. like
that which Spaniards SO much ridicule in
Portugal. A North American Of high position
recently said 10 me: Believe me- in M coun-
try there are actually not six persons who are
partisans Of q policy OF invasion We have
60 49, k.~x
gres., and that to increase it would be cause
Of weakness and not Of strength He was
nsh."
treaty Of reciprocity between spsin and til.
United States would be vie led with favor b,
your peopleS'
The American was not prepared TO answer
this question and replied generally: The
presen. Is favorable time .or the beginning o
closer relations between Spain and the Cni.eC
States With us the name Of spain il popular
Ihs child learns at school that a spanish expe
dition. commanded By Christopher Columbus
discovered America. and shall all hea,
enough Of ii until these centenaries are over
Thsre 10 another thing which your papers do no
seem TO have noticed. but which Spanish hote
proPrietors are noting TO their advantage. In
North German Lloyd steamers from New Yor,
have been landing numbers Of American tour
tsss at Gibraltar this whole winter. This nev
facility. which has existed only few months
.eeor many more OF our Americans 10 ylsl
Spain.
The interviewer: Do you think that tn
Americans in general are pleased with wha
they see among us?'
The American: Naturally. We are
ehangeable people and We have seen a grea
deal o: the rest OF Europe For a long tim
everything French was priced BIZ us, then "
took up the Engiish fad. II would not he dis
cult for many Spanish articles to beeoIn
fashionable"
The interviewer asked for examples
The American: ITO the average North Amer
lean spain is e romantic country, completel
different from everything he knows and m
quents. Everything spanish attracts hin
most of al IL 1t speaks Of the Arabic civiIiza
ton familiar 20 Us in the pages of Washingto
Irving or % national customs, which we knoy
only because we have read 81 them in histor
and romance. For instance, have seen YER
fne Jars and tiles made IN Valencia and Seville
which we're exact copies Of the Old Mooris
patterns"
The interviewer: "Then the America
might be wiling TO pay for some things bead
sparish ceramics and sntiqui:ie5-for things
no great price with rs, such a. GUITAR. fan
picture frames, peculiar ornaments and en-
broideries"
Ihs American; Certainly; but Spain mui
bring them over and show them to us. "
hardly know what you have tn sell us. and yo
know less what we have for you. Tho world
COLUMBIAN srnooft,o, q. -cy- J,