The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-10-28
At WASHINGTON.
Spain's Reply Not Yet Received.
Facts About Living Up to In
feruntionrl Inv.

Washington, Oct. 2J.-lt has been
stated positively at the White House and
at the state department that up 10 noon
today the answer Of Spain to the United
States had not reached the president nor
Secretary Sherman. nor had they re-
ceivcd the 1000 word cablcgram com
municaton which it is said Minister
Woodford sent in cipher from Madrid
last Saturday. Under these circum-
stances it is impossible that any formal
considerable could be given by the cX-
ccutvc authorities here as to the next
move on the part of this government.
There was an abundance of speculation
in and about the White House as to
the issue presented by SPANS answer,
as briefly summarized in cable reports,
hut from no authoritative source could
it be learned that the administration had
outlined any policy to meet the sltua-
ton now presented.
Secretary Sherman did not come to
the White House during the morning,
and, rs the assistant secretary mad gone
to Ohio. there was no opportunity for Il
conference on the Spanish-Cuban situa-
ton.
Attorney General McKenna was with
the president for a quarter of an hour,
pres,lma bly, in reference to the Union Pa
cific Railway affairs. The attorney gen
eral said after leaving the president that
there were no developments which he
wished to communicate to the pubic. In
other quarters il was stated that de-
termination might come at any moment
in the near future, and that in all prob
ability the meeting of the cabinet tom0r-
row would bring about definite under
standing and probably final conclusion
of the governments course. Secretary
Alger had talk with the president on
affairs in the Klondike, and Assistant
Secretary af the Navy Roosevelt also
held brief interview.
Senator Quay of Pennsylvania was
among the morning callers.
Although the Spanish answer has not
reached the president the expectation
about the White House il that he will
he advised on the subject during the day.
If Minister Woodford has sent Il lengthy
cablcgram on the subject it will be com
municated as soon as the cipher can he
translated. In IL 1900 word message
this translation would be Il long and Ia
borious work, the 1000 cipher words
yielding possibly 10000 words translated
1t is not doubted among officials that
the basis of the Spanish reply to Mr.
Woodford's note will he the charge that
the United State has not observed the
requirements of int. rational law in the
matter of preventing filibustcring. In
this case the state department will have
some pertinent facts to present which It's
official. believe will completely ALLEVIATE
from Spain any sympathy that she may
have attracted from other European ma
tons on tina. score.
1t is asserted positively that in no sin
gle case where the Spanish authorities
have brought to the attention of our gov
eminent the fact tina: an Illegal expedi'
ton was about to start from our shores
for Cuba has it neglected to use all the
means permitted by our laws to prevent
the start. 1t has been so indulgent in
this respect as to accept statements from
the Spanish officials not accompanied by
proofs of the facts alleged. In some
cases our government has proceeded To
considerable length in restraint of Amer
lean commerce on insufficient evidence
furnished by the Spanish government
that resulted in the preference of large
claims by American ship owners for lille,
gal detention of their ships. Then the
expenses of maintaining the patrols along
the Atlantic and gulf coasts have been
very heavy The navy department. es-
pccially. has been embarrassed owing to
the necessity for diverting vessels from
other places for the Florida patrol. One
of the authorities estimates the expense
to which this government has been put to
protect the Cuban coast for Spain at
about S2.00O,000.
Altogether the officials here are conf
dent of their ability to show that the
government has more than complied with
the requirements of international law.
which. as laid down in the Alabama reg
ulation, simply demands that nation
fuse diligence" to prevent the departure
of hostile expeditions.
On this phase of the correspondence it
may be kept alive between the state de-
partment and the Spanish government
till congress meets. But il is expected,
unless the results in the directions sug-
gested by Minister Woodford are forth
coming by that time the president will
refer the entire matter to congress and
await its order.
Up TO the close of official hours today
Spain's reply had not been presented at
the state department. 1t was stated also
in other quarters by those in q position
TO know what had occurred at Madrid
that the answer had not been delivered to
Minister Woodford up to today. 1t has
been approved by the cabinet, however,
and il to he communicated to Minister
Woodford late today or tomorrow.
A denial was made by an authoritative
source that Minister Dupuy de LONE had
animated 70 the state department that
Spain would resort to the search and seiz-
rre of SUSPECTED American vessels on the
high oaas if film pynpditions con-