The morning news., 1897-08-17
THE LAST DAYS OF cANovAs.
His Opinion OF the American Govern
ment and Its New Minister.


From the New York Tribune.
The latest Madrid papers at hand, dated
just eight days before the assassination of
Canovas del Castillo, contain some inter-
esting particulars with regard to the plans
he had made for spending the summer and
his views about the Cuban policy of the
American government. Senor Canovas left
Madrid at the middle Of July to take his
vacation. He spent one week at San Sc
bastian, the summer residence of the
court. Leaving there he went to the wa
tering-place at Santa Agueda in the
mountains of the Basque country, where
he intended TO make cure of tWenty-one
days. Then he was to return to San Sc
bast!an on about Aug. 20, and spend there
three weeks al the residence of the Duke
OF MaudaS, the Spanish ambassador to
France. After this villegiature he in
tended to return to Madrid at the middle
of September. This is the habit of the
leaders of the Spanish political parties
and of fashionable society at the capital
where the heat in summer is usually ex-
cessive. This year more than fifty thous-
and Madrienes left the city.
Senor Canovas, during his stay at San
sebastian and the few days of his sojoum
at Santa Aguede, so lamentably cut short
by the assassin's revolver, frequently and
freely spoke of the situation in Spain and
the colonies. He never had more conf
dence in the policy which his own govern
ment had authorized Gen. Weyler to pur-
sue in Cuba. He displayed great irrita-
ton toward the opposition party and its
press, and still more against the Cuba
senators and deputies and the people who
receive news from the colony by every
mail, and who did not share his hope of
seeing the rebellion crushed before the
4 sb In,
cember He said that he had indications
justifying him to think that the American
government under Mr.. McK&ey's guild
ance, would continue to show toward
Spain the same friendly disposition hither-
to displayed.
Contrary to the general opinion in Spain
Senor Canovas did not think that the ar
rival of Gen. Woodford the new minister
of the United States to Spain, was to mark
a new departure in the attitude of the
American government. He rejected the
idea that President Mckinley would in
woke considerations of civilization and hui
manity, or the commercial interests of
American citizens in the Antilles, in or
der to insist upon a cessation of the war
through mediation of the United States.
Senior CanoVas persisted in believing that
Mr.. Mckinley would do nothing about
Cuba before the meeting of the American
congress, a fact which would secure to
Spain a sufficiently long respite. He said
that he intended to profit by this re-
spite, by beginning to apply the reforms
in Cuba in November. He was to order
elections within the Cuban territory oc-
cupied by Spanish troops, and to promul-
gate a provisory tariff, reducing importa-
ton duties to 20 per cent. in general, ex-
cept for the most important articles of
Spanish industry and agriculture, which
would be protected sufficiently by a duty
of 50 per cent. until the insular council
should assemble TO decide finally about
that duty.
Senor Canovas was to return to San
SeDantian before the new American min
lister should arrive in that watering place.
He was TO stay there until il should be
decided whether Gen. Woodford was to
present his letters of credit to the queen
at the summer palace in September or at
Madrid in October after the return thither
of the court.
During his sojourn at San Sebastian, ac-
cording to the Spanish correspondent of
L'Independance Beige, Senor Canovas
caused to come from Zaranz, a watering
place, Senor Calderon-Carlsto, the coun-
sci for the Spanish legation at Washing
ton, who had gone 10 spend his vacation
in Europe, but also TO give information
to the minister of foreign affairs and to
Senior Canovas himself. The correspond
eut says that he has seen the two mem.
oranda, which the learned counsel wrote
IN 1896 and 1897 upon the order of the
spanish minister at Washington, and
which recapitulate all the grievances Of
Spain, the ilNbustering expeditions the
vessels stopped, then released and the
trials, so often unsuccessful. Senior Car
listo has placed at the head of his lat
est memorandum a summary of the opin-
ions Of the judges Of the supreme court
and of the most eminent statesmen at
Washington. He has presented also their
views about the Monroe doctrine, ana
drawn from them the conclusion that
Spain has the right TO claim from the
government OF the United States more
severe execution of international law This
memorandum, prepared by the order OF
the spanish legation al Washington, and
submitted TO the lamented Canovas Is
document destined 10 be used IN support
OF the future claims which Spain intends
TO present Ht Washington. when she shall
have 're-esmblshcd order In Cuba" to
counterbaance the claims OF the United
States.