The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-11-26

~" Immediate Danger OF War with
Spain ain-FortiiyinE Agninst Forcipn
ATTACKS Near Havana.

| Attacks Near Havana
| General F'iiHhugh Ice, Consul Cen
| cral OF the United States to Cuhn. ~.
| turned TO Washington ius, week frrm
| Virginia, where he has lupn vis;,inu
MS lAmilv. NJ time has yut hocr
| liNcd Tor his return to Havana, but il
Is understood he has bccn asked to re-
nam Il couple OF weeks longer, in or del
to hoid himself in readiness TO confer
with tho President and Secretary ri
State over the Cuban situation.
| General Leo talked interestingly OF
| the SpaDish-Cuhan situation, and while
not denying the possibility OF war with
Spain, expressed the opinion that the
reports that an open rupture was i'm
mlnont, and that consequent prcDara-
tions for trouble were being made nv
both countries, might be greatly cX.
aggcratcd. He said he had no know
icdge OF Immediate danger Of hostility,
though OF course there was great feel.
ing among some Sraniards against
This country who Thought that without
iillbustcrlng aid and comfort from here
the rebellion might be easily SUPPRESS.
cd. lie said he had no information AS
TO whether the Spanish were prcpar-
ing tor war, but they might be max ing
extensive military preparations with
ont aiming them particularly ut the
Cnltcd States, IN Wow OF tho trouble
they arc having with Cuba and the
Philippine Stands. He said
do not believe that therc has been
any massiDg OF armament in Cuba,
with view to possible trouble with
The United States, nor that tho con-
struction OF Spanish war vessels Is to
be attributed to any such contingency,
Tho Spanish may be improving their
dclcnccs wherever possible, but it does
not necessarily imply xpectation OF
| war. The United States Is steadil,
strengthening It's fortilications and dc
fence works, but it is an old maxim
that says, In time OF peace prcpar,
for. war
" About tic war sentiment in Cuba
Ehc Spanish officials said nothing tt
me that indicated an expectation o
war. The only thing that could bc
construed to give that impression is
the mounting Of battery Of heavy
soacoaSt guns along the cOnst ab0y,
Havana. There are from twelve to
Fifteen OF these that extend perhaps q
mile or mile and Il half north of the
limits OF the city proper. These point TO
the son, and nottOward the Insurgents.
In c;tan OF attack it is possible these
might be made 10 supplement the de-
Tense given by Moro Castle, the Cabanas
and Ihcnna and other forts.
The Spanish authorities rather
nenSurc the United States for not strict
IL enforcing the neutrality lnws, and
many think that, as the sympathy OF
thls country Is more with the insurgents
Than with the Spanish, our government
d0"S not want 20 take the proper pre-
cautions 10 prevent expeditions leaving
inc United States scap0rts and landing.
IN Cuba. told the Spanish authors
ties that that they must remember
that there WAS an immense extent Of
scncoast here, with innumcrable inlets
ana places where expeditions could be
concentrated and embarked From
tho trouble with which they themselves
had to prevent tho landing OF such eX-
petitions on the Gu ban coast, moth with
standing The fact that ( hcir gunbOats
ana other Vessels were constantly
patro!linG the coast and on the lookout
lor hIihuai"rs, some idea could be
lorinc' rl the comparative case with
wL!"' thc United States authorities
could hc ovad1d. With the compara-
lively small coast line, [ know of only
one big CXpudtion-that Of the Three
Frlcnds-w which "has been captured by
them. Yet thi" country haa certainly
prevented the st;trting Of at least haif IL
dozen big expeditions for the island. In
vie" OF this as an object lesson Of the
dllliculty OF putting ~ stop TO lilibustcr-
ing, contend that the Spanish ought
to be careful about CcEsuring u.s."