Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-23
MINISTER .MURUAGA
The Spanish Representative Here
and the Alliance Case.
HT POSITION An EMBARRASSING ONE
An Alleged Sight Put Upon Him
by Mr. Gresham.
COUNTER FIRE IN CUBA

The hope is expressed In certain quar-
ters that the present complication with
Spain. which. in its principal feature,
everybody expects to see satisfactorily ad-
justed. may not result in the permanent
embarl assment of Minister Muruaga. That
Senior Muruaga has yielded too much and
too often to the Establishments of the in
terviewer is generally conceded, and that
some of his utterances about the Alliance
episode have been most unfortunate for
him is regarded as being too plain for ar
gument. At the same time ii is held that
he found himself sorely beset and that
however little diplomacy he may have
shown in the circumstances his exhibition
Of everyday human nature was SO frank
that it entities him to q certain friendly
consideration.
Mr.. Gresham's Slight.
These who take this view of the matter
speak in high praise personally of the
Spanish minister. They regard him as a
gentleman of most pleasing address, a
capable man % affairs and an attractive
figure in diplomatic circles. He has the
temperament of his lace and the pride of
his station, and 1t is suggested that in The
matter of the appeal direct to Madrid he
dseply.
He did not know of this action until it
had been taken. AS the regularly accredit-
ed minister of his country at this capital,
he should, it is held, at least have been ad-
vised by Secretary Gresham of so impor-
tant a development in the Allianca affair
as that the attention Of the foreign office
at Madrid was to be called by cable to it.
Senor Muruaga had been occupying him.
self with the matter, and probably mad
hlirox hry1 fl,a
He was much closer to Cuba, where the
assault had taken place. than the authori-
ties at Madrid were. He could have OBJ
tained as prompt report about it from
the Spanish officials on the island. and it
is assumed that had the request been put
into his hands he would have busted him.
self to do this. But suddenly the matter IL
taken out Of his hands, the contention is
transferred to Madrid by the cabling of a
sharp note by Secretary Gresham demand
ing an apology from the Spanish govern
ment, and Senior Muruaga gets the infor-
nation at his breakfast table from the
newspapers. He must 1t is urged. have
felt deeply humiliated, for. whether there
was a slight intended or not the effect Of
the turn in affairs was to. put him at q
great disadvantage at home. He prob
ably fancied hearing the foreign office ask
ing: Where can Muruaga be? Why don't
they communicate with him? Why have
we not been advised by him of the change
of feeling in the United States indicated by
the state Of feelirg there on the subject?"
A Counter Fire From Cuba.
And to add to Senior Muruaga's embar-
rsssment he was encountering at the same
time a counter fire from Cuba. 1t was be-
ing represented there that he was inactive
here; that Spain's interests were suffering
from neglect in his hands The charge was
printed in the Cuban press, and was cabled
abroad. 1t seemed, therefore, that he was
to be damned If he did, and damned If he
didn't. His best efforts here had gone for
nothing, or worse than nothing. They had
resulted in the taking of the whole business
out of his hands by Secretary Gresham. In
Cuba he was charged with having made no
efforts at all. OF course, as is admitted,
this was the period CT trial for the minister.
and he should have met 1t with patieEce
and a cool head. But being Spaniard and
a man of high spirit he resented the i'm
putaticnS that indirectly and directly had
been put upon him, and cabled mis- resigna-
ton to his government. 1t was very
human if very urdiplomatic thing to 90,
ard those who sympathize with him are
glad to see that the resignation has H. OF
been accepted. They hope it may not be.
but that in the end general settlement
may be reached as satisfactory to Sencr
Muruaga on personal grounds as to the two
governments on the larger grounds in
volved
what Nr. Grceh0m Might HAVE Done.
There does not go with this expression
of goodwill for Senior Muruaga any
severe structures on Secretary Gresham.
The Secretary was to be expected to con-
duct the business in his own way. If he
thought the time had come for direct de-
mand on Madrid, 1t was for him so 10 de-
eide. But 1t is respectfully suggested by
Muruaga's friends that he should first have
lod fha Cna tSh nini cfa in,
cussed matters with him, so as 10 give to
the minister at home the proper status in
the premises. 1t is also pointed out that
nothing has been gained by ignoring the
minister. Had the note been addressed to
him for communication to the foreign office
at Madrid the course taken by the Spanish
authorities must have been the same as in
the case as 1T now stands. An fnvestiga-
ton would have followed. Spain would
have wanted to know, as she now wants
to know, all about the matter complained
of. An apology for something an accused
person knows nothing about Is very diff
cult performance to exact: and Spain, be-
fore bowling, naturally wants TO know
how close in making the salute she must
approach the ground.
Entitled to Fair Treatment.
1t is generally held by those who SYM
pathize with the Spanish minister that he
is in a sense a guest Of the nation, and as
such is entitled to the fairest treatment in
all of this business. To seize upon every
word he is charged with altering at time
of such disturbance ard uncertainty, and
condemn him in the very neat Of the con-
troversy, is thought to be altogether 100
severe treatment.
Increase of Georgia Marble.
The division of mining statistics and tech
nology Of the United States geological sur
yey has received froca DR.. VIM. c. Day.