Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-06
Spain ana the Correspondence.

1t Is announced from Havana that The
Stars correspondent there, whose letters
from the seat of war have been of eXcep-
tonal interest and value, has been ordered
to leave the island. Senior Dupuy de LONE.
The Spanish minister at this capital, offers
IN explanation certain statements that tend
TO throw discredit upon Mr.. Mannix, the
writer of these letters. and that are in
tended to create the impression that all
that Spain wants is the truth, and that the
expulsion of The Stars correspondent is
ordered solely in the interest of accuracy.
Recently Mr.. Mannix sent letter describ-
Ing visit to the seat of the Cuban gov
srnment and containing an interview with
President Cisneros, showing that the in
surgents have fixed and located form of
government ard throwing much light on
the character and purposes of the men who
are striving to relieve themselves of the
Spanish yoke. Later came visit to the
lnsurgent army and an interview with Gen.
Gomez.
According to a cable message from Ha-
vana to-day Mr.. Mannix is to be deported
for visiting the insurgent ranks. There is
no reason to doubt the accuracy of this in
formation as it comes from official sources.
The real Spanish objection to Mr. ManniX
Is clearly that he tells the unpala table
truth, truth which the Spanish authorities
did not expect him to tell, and truth whose
publication was helpful to the Cuban cause.
There is no rule in international law that
will permit resistance by this governme mt
against this proposed action, as there are
abundant presidents that go to uphold the
right of a nation 10 exclude aliens whose
presence it may deem to be dangerous to it.
In the case of Cuba il is very evident that
Spain regards the truth with dismay, and
the press censorship has been rigorous and
Acre or less effective. That The Stars cor
respondent has succeeded in running the
blockade with news of value is a matter for
congratulation here and a cause for chag-
rim in Havana. But conceding the Spanish
right to deport correspondent as a war
measure on the ground that he is danger
Gus it is exceedingly unwise for Spain to
take sucn measures as those proposed in
the Mannix case, in view of the hitherto
friendly attitude of this government and of
the extremely sensitive sentiment of the
American people in regard to the Cuban
situation.
1t would be far more judic:ous, as a mat
ter of policy. for Spain to open up every
possible. avenue of communication and
place the newspaper correspondents on a
fair and reasonable footing. The United
states made conspicuous example in this
way during the civil war, when Bull Run"
Russell, the American correspondent of The
London Times, was accorded every priv-
leSe and facility to obtain accurate infor-
nation. notwithstanding his well-known
prejudice in favor of the south
1t is immaterial whether or not Mr. Man
nix entered into negotiations with the
Spanish government before his departure
or whether or not he secured transporta-
ton to the island from the representatives
OF that government. His avowed mission
was to get at the truth. The only question
is. Does the correspondent obtain and send
reliable news? George Kennan> reached
sources of Information in Siberia by rea-
son of relations that he obtained with the
Russian government that he could not EOS
sibiy have gained in any other way Mr.
Mannixs ideas of the truth concerning the
cuban situation turn out to be different
from those which the Spanish authorities
expected him tic form, and they expel him
from the country, not, however, before he
has made public some very important
truths, which it was the Spanish policy to
suppress.