The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-02
FEELING Ar wAsHIxGrox.
Views OF Representative Hit, senator
Lodge and Others.


terest centered here tonight In the dis
ings existing in Spain ageinst the Amer
leans regarding the Cuban question and
the statement that the government Is in
creasing it's naval force. Copies of the
dispatches We're shown 10 public men In
terested in the question Nc surprise
was expressed at the demonstrations
which have occurred: IN fact. such We're
expected. The speeches in the senate.
extracts OF which have no doubt been
published In the Spanish papers, have
had their influence on the masses OF the
people, who, impulsive, excited and In
spirsd with patriotic feelings. have been
thrown into an unfriendly mood against
United States officials. The whole mat
ter is regarded here simply as that OF
mob violence. for which the Spanish gov
ernment has not in any manner been re-
| sponsible. So far as could be learned
| tonight. no official news had been re-
ceived here by the government Steps
undoubtedly will be taken very promptly
tomorrow to aEcertain the situation
through State Department channels il
Bowen. at Barcelona, do not anticipate
the officials and make report
The Spanish minister, Senior De LONE.
heard of the happenings in Spain to-day
through the press, and he was besieged
by the reporters for an expression OF
his opinion. He automatically declined.
however, TO say anything for publica-
ton pending news from his government.
which he expects to receive. The vio-
lation Of the consulate OF the United
States at Barcelona makes disavowal
necessary by Spain. and the United
States probably will inquire of the Span
ish government what amends win be
made. The case finds an analogy In an
event which occurred in this country
probably sixty years ago, when a mob
in New Orleans assaulted the Spanish
consulate at time when the Florida
question was uppermost in the public
mind. 1t was a case OF mob violence.
and the government of the United States
made compensation to Spain for the
damage done. More recent cases where
the United States has paid or is about
to pay indemnity for damages to foreign
ers for assaults committed on them are
the cases OF the Chinese in Wyoming
and the Italians at Waldsenburg. In
these cases. however. the outrages were
the. work OF mobs and On individuals.
not officials.
MR. HITS VIEWS.
The outrage against the consulate at
Barcelona is looked on here by those
who have given an opinion on the mat
ter as that of the work OF a mob for
which the Spanish government is not di-
rectly responsible. On the contrary. it
has. as shown in the dispatch, taken pre-
cautions to protect the consulate. and
exercised due diligence i'm the matter.
This being the case, Spain may be ex-
pected to make an expression OF genuine
regret or proper explanation for the un-
fortunate occurrence. and possibly
reparation for the damage done. This,
at least. is the opinion Of Chairman
Hit, Of the House committee on foreign
affairs. who. from his actual experieacs
in diplomatic usages. IS well qualities To-
say what the requirements Of intern
tional law and custom sre I'M such sas >.
Mr.. Hit is confdeIa saat the att:s.as.
of our own government will be one OK
great caution at this iuncture, and Il s
not probable that any act or expression
that may emanate from ii will add to the
difficulty OF a peaceable and honorable
settlement OF the trouble. The danger
to be apprehended. In his mind, is solely
in some incorporate utterances in Con-
. gress that. may add TO the excitement
and precipitate collision unnecessarily.
AS the case now stands, nothing has
happened that cannot be easily and read
lily adjusted by the means always at the
. disposal of diplomacy. and that. too. in
a manner that will leave no stain on the
honor OF either of the parties TO this
affair. Even IL the Spanish government
should be reluctant to undertake 10 do
what is essential to heal the wound
voluntarily, which may well be doubted.
there is every reason 10 suppose that
some one or more OF the great European
, powers who have sound reasons for pre-
venting If possible any hostile collision
: between the United States and Spain,
would exercise their good Offices to bring
| about peaceful conclusion or the in
cident. II is said TO be a fact that in
countries Of Spanish tendencies and ex-
z traction these attacks on the personal
representatives OF an offensive foreign
! nation are most common. and scarcely
Z one of the great European powers has in
| the course of the present century es-
capped an onslaught on one OF its con-
I sulates or even legations In some Of the
I countries Of South or Central Americs-
Yet these incidents rarely lead to any
D thing more serious than a temporary
: straining OF the diplomatic relations, and
e end in a proper apology. and, in case
y OF the destruction OF property or III
!. treatment OF an Individual. the payment
{ OF an indemnity.
e Mr.. Herbert Bowen. the United States
consul general at Barcelona. is believed
2 to be very good official TO have I'm this
$ troublesome place at this time He Is a
! man OF about forty years OF age. New
!. Yorker by birth and a son OF the late
S editor Bowen, OF the Independent, and =
!. Yale man. having graduated from that
y university in the class OF 1878. lie has