Evening star., 1896-12-28
Only Her Weakness Prevents q Deola-
ration Of. War. ~zsa
PEOPLE CLAMoR foR'sA CONFLICT
Details of a Plot to Coerce the
United States.
H o W 1T F A L E Z

weakness of Spain prevents her from an
swering the action of the United States
Senate committee by a direct threat Of
war.
The whole kingdom is in an uproar. 1t is
the rage of q proud but helpless people.
The newspapers are passfonately calling
on Senior Canovas to appeal to Europe and
defy the Americans.
Last night Senior Salmaren, leader of the
republican party and once president of the
republic, left Madrid to fire the Catalonian
heart against the government. saw him
while he was taking leave of his friends.
He told me that this was a critical mo-.
ment in Spanish history. Sagastas lieu
tenants are arousing the public mind to the
necessity Of Immediately granting local
self-government to Cuba in order to avoid
war with the United States. se
Excitement Constantly Increasing. !;
(. Every hour the excitement increases All
seem to feel that the existence Of the pres
ent Spanish dynasty is involved in supreme
peril. Canovas is firm as a rock AS he
said to me. he Is determined not to yield an
inch to the sentiment of the civilized world
until the Cubans are beaten to the earth
But while the death of Maceo has served
10 deceive the common mind, the prime
minister knows that the Cubans are strong
er than ever, and that Weyler's campaign
is q failure
There Is no Drawer nor more natriotic
Spaniard than Canovas, but the tide is ris-
ing at home and abroad. He tried to nego-
tate a war loan in France and failed He
succeeded in raising domestic war loan of
about $64.OOOO 600 In gold but within three
months the money will be exhausted and
then where can the government look for
funds? =.
Troubles That Reset Spain's Govern
mcnt.
The revolution in the Philippines is
spreading; the war in Cuba becomes more
expensive every month; a strong garrison
must be kept in Spain, for the Carlists are
armed to the teeth and thoroughly organ
lzed, and no man can say when the Spanish
pretender may change his attitude and give
the signal from Italy for asrevolution.
Meanwhile the hatred for Americans IN
creases and the position; OF the American
minister In Madrid grows araore painful.
The guard of soldiers at his door protects
him from actual violence, hut 1t cannot
save him from social octracisfn.
The cry for an appeal TO 4rmed Europe
rises clear and distinct aabpYe all other
sounds in this mighty conflict. Cuba must
be crushed and the United States humiliat-
ed. So far Canovas has resisfed the pres
sure to Invite war, but itifs hard to say at
what moment his strong heart may fail
him. He knows that Spain y UNEQUAL to
and he fears to approach the European
powers for assistance lest he might offend
the American people and hurry his country
into instant war.
The Story of Spain. ,suppressed APP
peal. Is - - .--5-@.-s
The situation is grave besyaohhd Be- aohh the power
OF words TO. express, Only, a few months
ago Spain prepared an appeal to Europe
against the United States, but was check
~ Lv, H.
American minister. Although Mr. Taylor
aid the State Department have declined to
make the facts public. the whole story has
leaked out In diplomatic circles, and today
l am in possession OF nearly all the facts.
The surprising thing is that Congress
and the American public have been kept in
Ignorance of an event SO tremendous that
but for an accidental discovery by Minister
Taylor, followed by his instant protest, the
United States might have been forced to
face hostile coalition of European ma
tions. compared to which the Holy Alliance
which Monroe defled, was insignificant.
1 give the following facts to the Ameri-
can public upon authority which Is beyond
dispute
Last July the Spanish court moved to its
summer quarters at San Sebastian accom-
panied by the whole diplomatic corps.
few VI eeks before this the Spanish minister
OF foreign affairs, the Duke of Tetuan,
held conferences with the six European
ambassadors. 49,
Our Minister Kept In the Dark,
He informed them that 1t was ne pur-
pose Of the queen regent to send an iden-
tical note to the six first-class powers, ask
Ing them to address note Of advice and
warning to the United States on the sub
ject of American Interference in Cuban
affairs. Mr.. Taylor knew nothing about
the matter, and the Spanish minister kept
his secret well. "-
His purpose was to carry out his plan
by stealth. SO that President Cleveland
would have no opportunity to protest or
use mis- influence against. the proposed
threat of united Europe. The joint note Of
the pow ers was to be surprise. tl -.
l know as & fact that the chief spirit
among those who counseled the Duke of
Tetuan to procure action by the European
powers was the Austrian ambassador who,
as the diplomatic representative of the
queen regents uncle Francis Joseph, has
been especially active In promoting a bel
ligerent and defiant attitude on the part of
Spain toward the United States
Spnin's Note Put Into Form.
Finally, in San Sebastian, Spain's note to
Europe was put into form and read to each
Of the six ambassadors. 1t proposed that
a joint bote should be addressed to Presi-
dent Cleveland, advising him not to permit
any interference with the domestic affairs
Of Spain, and warning the American gov
er'ment of the consequences which must
inevitably follow any gross breach of in
ternational law.
Under the cover Of advice the European
nations were to make plain threat and
practically dictate the course Of the United
States. If l have made any error in this
statement of the note which the Duke of
Tetuan read to the AMBASSADORS in July,
1t is very slight inaccnracy. The facts
are as l write them. 9:
President Cleveland's proclamation adj
visirg the American people not to violate
the neutrality laws was q shock to the dip
lcmatic conspirators. TWO OF the ambassa-
doris declared that the Preeident's action
had destroyed the point of the proposed
European protest. and had taken away any
excuse which might have existed for joint
action. The Duke of Tethan and the Aus
trian ambassador insisted, however, that
SPANS appeal to her sister nations should
be sent; IN spite of the fEestaents friendly
One of the two relustanf ambassadors
was won over by the argument that the
Spanish crown was In dnngF and must be
upheld against the mischleYous medd1ing
Of the United States 2s .s.., +. -
Mr.. Taylor Hears the secret.
At last the Spanish government drafted
the identical note in its final form. and was
ahout to send ii to the 6rSt-class powers hv