Evening star., 1896-03-02
THE SPANISH MINISTER
Senior Dupuy de LONE Talks at Some
Length to Star Reporter.
He Says the Press Has Misrepresented
the Condition of Affairs
I'm Cuba.

According to the Spanish minister he has
received no further news from his home
government than has already been publish
ed in the American papers. He told Star
reporter this morning that he had received
no word direct from Madrid with reference
either to the action of the Senate last week
Or to the disorders in Barcelona yesterday
My position, as You can readily under
stand continued Senior Dupuy de Lorle
is very delicate one just now, and 1T is
not within my province to discuss the mat
ter at ALL Even If / knew a great deal
more about things than has already been
printed it would be a distinct violation of
diplomatic customs to say a word TO the
press. But 1 do not. If the Spanish gov
ernment should take any action with refer
ence 10 the stand that Congress has taken
II would in all probability be communi-
Gated to this government through the me-
dunn of Mr.. Hannis j. Taylor, the Ameri-
can minister at Madrid. Furthermore, he
Is on the spot and is able to speak KNOW
in"ly of the situat ton in Spain, while L. over
here, am in but little better position to
form a just estimate than are you yolr-
self.
Influence of The Star.
For the last twenty-four' hours 1 have
been overrun with representatives Of all
the prominent newspapers who seem to be
under the impression that in some way
nave been made the repository of tre-
inendous amount of sensational news, while
in reality that is anything but the case.
Moreover. the press of the United States
has throughout the whole affair taken a
radically unjust position on the Cuban
question. The Star is about the worst of
all You are within my house a gentle
man and j treat you as such, but l speak
only as man and not as minister from
Spain. AS such when your card was pre-
Sentcd to me it would have been my duty
TO tell the butler that 1 must decline to see
you. for The Star has taken thoroughly
biased and prejudiced stand and has done
the Spanish cause a great deal of harm
This was made possible by the tremendous
influence The Star wieIds at the national
capital.
Effect on the Cuban Rebellion.
The rebellion in Cuba never would have
been a serious matter at all had * not
been for the interference OF the United
States. 1t never would have passed the
limits of a mere riot had it not been
for the money, supplies, arms and men
that Were sent from this country. Men
have gone from this country with the as
suranCe that the United States would eX-
tend bel1iserent rights to tie Cubans and
would in all probability send a fleet to Gu
ban waters 10 support the insurgents. At
no time have the authorities in this coun-
try given the situation in Cuba fair in
NestiSation to ascertain what the facts
tually are II mas been said that all Gu
bans are actively Interested in the rebel
lion, but the truth of the matter is that
there are seven Cuban generals and sew
eral hundred Cuban officers fighting in the
Spanish army in Cuba. In fact, / am sure
there are more Cuban officers in the Span
ish army than there are white leaders
among the insurgents.
Similar Incidents I'm This Country.
''All this l am telling you from what 1
know personally and not in my official ca
racity. AS to the troubles in BARGE
lena I am net in position to speak,
for 1 know nothing about it now beyond
what l have read i'll the papers. The Deo-
pie OF Spain are on occasion an eXcitabe
people, but the Americans should remem-
Der that on several occa:.onS Spanish con-
sulateS have been attacked in this coun-
try. This was done during the riots at
Pittsburg. once in Philadelphia and in New
Orleans. where the building was looted, far
Attacking consulates has never been re-
earded an international crime. for it is
usually the work of an irresponsible mob
craZed by the excitement of the occasion.
Yet you will notice that far better police
protection was given in Barcelona than
was ever done during similar incident in
this country. Whenever a Spa nish con-
sulate has been attacked in the United
states prompt reparation was made not by
way of ar indemnity, but simply to make up
20 the cor sui personally for the furniture
and windows that were broken. l am con-
fident that Spain viii, without delay take
similar action with reference to the Bar
celona Incident