The herald., 1896-12-30
Is the Pact That Spain Has Delayed So
Long
For Quicker Action Would Have Saved the
Tobacco Crop
All of Which Would Be Pleasanter Had
Not Both Governments Involved
Made Haste to Deny the
Whole Story
Associated Press Special Wire


Post today that Secretary Olney and
Senor Dupuy de LONE, the Spanish
minister at Washington, have practi-
cally terminated the negotiations of the
Cuban question which are to be sub
mited to congress when it reasembles
on Jan. 5th, is creating much interest
here. From interviews with the Spanish
oonsul-general and representatives of
leading Cuba firms in London,the Asso-
ciate Press learns that the news is gen.
orally satisfactory and not unexpected.
The consul-general of Spain in this city
said: 1.-The statements made by the
Washington Post are most important,
and if true cannot but improve the COM
merce between Cuba and the United
States"
The principal Of one Of the most i'm
portant firms of Cuban merchants in
London, when his attention was called
to the announcement of the Post, de-
plored the fact that Spain had not made
such suggestions six weeks earlier, so as
TO have saved the tobacco crop of 1897
He added: 'If the United States is
given a free hand there will be no diff
be of the greatest possible advantage to
the United States, whose trade would be
most affected by the restoration of
order, and it will also give guarantee
Of the security Of the British trade. The
reciprocity treaty will affect the Cuban
sugar trade very. favora bly,, and prob
ably the present high duty in the United
States on manufactured tobacco in the
form of cigars will be considerably
lessened."
The Daily News Paris correspondent
says it is quite clear that Spain is nego-
tiating with Mr.. Olney, but Castilian
pride compels the government to negoti-
ate in an underhanded way. They can
not help trying to arrive at a private
understanding with the United States,
for the proceeds of the recent loan are
nearly exhausted, and Capt. Weyler's
apparent inaction has checked the buoy
ancy which followed Maceo's death.
ONE DENIAL.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-From official
sources, a denial is made that Spanish
Premier Canovas has sent Secretary Oh
ney a communication accepting the me-
diation of the United States in carrying
out autonomy for Cuba.
? 1t is said no such letter has been sent
nor has anything of such a nature passed
through the Spanish officials here Ne
gotiations toward home rule have pro-
ceeded for some months, and the last
phase of these negotiations indicated an
enlargement of the home rule laws
adopted by the Spanish cortes last year,
but not put in execution. These arrange
ments, as exclusively announced by the
Associated Press, embrace the election
of the entire Cuban congress. instead of
mixed congress of fifteen elected MEM
bers and fifteen appointed by the queen
regent, and also a complete control by
Cuba of her tariff question. The latest
statement regarding Spain's intention
with respect to the pacification of Cuba
therefore deals with the past phases of
them, Spain having decided on a consid-
erably more liberal scheme of reforms
than the old. to which the latest publica-
ton on the subject has reference. AS yet,
however the negotiations with respect
to the enlarged reforms are tentative A
draft of them has not been received as
yet at Washington, and the information
in them is of general nature.
ANOTHER DENIAL
MADRID, Dec 29.-It is officially de-
! MED that there is any truth IN the report
published in New York paper on Sun
day last that the United States consul
ate at Cardenas, province of Matanza.,
Cuba, had been twice attacked and the
shield torn from the door in spite of the
efforts of local authorities to protect the
consulate.
Denial is officially made to the state
ment today in the London Chronicle that
there was reason to believe that the
French foreign office has been sounded
I'M regard to Cuba in an anti-American
sense.
An emphatic denial is given here to
the report credited to the Washington
Post that Senior Dupuy de LONE, he
Spanish minister at Washington, and
secretary Olney have concluded nego-
tiations for the acceptance by Spain Of
the good offices of the United States in
the settlement of the Cuban insurrec-
ton.
DELGADO'S CASE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Secretary
Olney today received a report from the
United States consul at Havana regard
ing the case of Henry Delgado the Gu
ban correspondent of the Mail and Ex-
press. whose capture and confinement
by the Spanish authorities the secretary
ordered investigated. The secretary
subsequently made the following state
ment: 1T appears from a report of the
Havana consul that Mr.. Delgado was
made prisoner by the Spanish troops in
the course of recent operations in the
province of Pinar del Rio; that he is re-
ported to have belonged to the staff of
the insurgent Major-General Maceo,
and to have been in command of the ar
tillery, and that letter to Maceo and