The times., 1897-08-10
THE FUTURE OF DE LONE.
Probable Effect af Capovas' Death
Upon His Prospects.

minister of Spain upon the future Of
Minister De Lome5is almost as interesting
subject OF conjecture here in Wash
ington hs Its possible effect upon the
cause OF Cuban freedom. Senor De LONE
was an especial protege OF Prime Minister
Canovas and stood very close to him,
sympathizing cordially in all his schemes
| for the Conduct of the war in Cuba, his
policy at home, and his mana cement OF tfle
relations of Spain with other powers.
| When onere was talk OF a change in the
minister some weeks ago, such action was
construed TO mean the immediate recall OF
Minister De Lone. and the cessation of his
arduous iabors IN the United States.
The present Spanish mini ster would
probably be distasteful TO a Liberal prime
minister. for he Is SO thoroughly inocu-
lated with the methods and ideas Of the
| Conservatives that he could not be do
pended upon TO carry out the policy OF the
| Liberals, even IL he were willing TO serve
| that party In diplomatic capacity. IL
| Sagasta assumes the reins OF government
| his first act viii be, shrewd diplomats be-
| lieye the recall of Senior de LONE end the
| substitution Of some one more To the
/ liking OF the government, who Will be
| able to conduct the negotiations with the
| United States relative to the Cuban question
! In more democratic fashion and devoid OF
that iinperiousness and baughtiness that
| has so frequeatly given oftense at the State
| Department.
When party goes out of power In
| Spain the diplomats are, as rule, called
hen,e aud placed in temporary retir eRt.
This was the fate OF Minister Maragua.
the Immediate predecessor of De Lone.
1t may happen that that old and expert
euced diplomat, who enjoyed the personal
| Friendship and held the esteem aud ad-
Iniration or Mr.. Elaine, will be sent back
| to the United States. Minister Maragua
| was very different type of man from
! the present minister.
| But whether the prime ministership
| passes into the hands OF Sa ga sta ar not the
| chances are quite fayorabie for the recall
| OF de Lone, valuable AS he has been to his
| government In the conduct OF the Cuban
| business. De Lone has Eeen invaluable
| He has been a BILE, through social arrange
nleiits, to accomplish what no man hereto
| fore has accomplished. He has been able
TO batk all efforts To PASS legislation favor
able TO Cuba. and IN the Senate, where the
sympathy for Cuba has been most outspoken
and most vigorously expressed finally, by
legislative action, this diplomat was able
10 sappTess for weeks the will of that body
through the interposition OF one or two
uen who Were always the most welcome
OF guests at the residence of the minister
whose country was so persistently defend
ed by them.
or course, in SO thoroughly intrenching
himself in our legislative halls the Spanish
miuister has made himself unpopular with
the American public and drawn upon
the heads OF his followers, who are sup
posed To represent American ideas and
sentiments in Congress, much OF the
criticism that has been leveled at him.
In doing ST., however. Senor De LONE
has accomplished his purpose and woven
net that seems to have caught within
its meshes not only our own representa-
tives in Congressional halls but at the
other end of the Avenue, in both the
State Department and the White House.
stilI, with all this to his credit, even
should there not be a change in the govern
ment at home, IL is more than probable
that Senior de LONE viii lie called hack.
AS has been said, he is the pa rticular pro-
tege of Canoyas. De LONE has made enc
mics in the cabinet council OF Spain, and
there are several ambitious statesmen in
that select circle who long ago endeavored
10 clip his wings. but the strong and pow
erful arm Of the premier kept him firmly in
his place. Now that that arm canno longer
lie invoked and the viii OF his powerful
prntector and benefactor is hushed In
death, the Spanish minister viii lie com
PEELED To meet the assaults Of his enemies.
who VIII take keen delight In ordering
his recall,
With de LONE gone, and Campos In
Cuba: with sagastas the liberal leader, at
the helm in Spain, and Weyler where he
can do 10 more HARM the dawn OF better
day for Cuba will soon come, and the use
of the revenue and naval force OF the
United States as q police patrol for Span
sh butchers viii cease. The death or this
premier is deplored by every one, for as
s;iSsination cannot be couuteBanced, under
whatever CLOAK IL stalks abroad, but IL is
needless to shut the eyes to results that
may come therefrom. 1t is publicly dis
cusSed, and the existence OF this speculation
cannot be denied. The death OF Canovas
will undoubtedly prove d great incentive
10 the Cdban patriots now in the field, and
the withdrawal cf Weyier from the island
he has outraged. and the people he has
Inassacred. viii put the war on civilized
footing, and ultimately end in peace, In
dependence and the establishment of ono
more republic in the sisterhood of the
Western Hemisphere.
There has been an intimation that Senior
de Lone v Ill take official notice of the
recent interview of Secretary Sherman
about spain's attitude toward Cuba and
the lack OF her resources in coping with the
rebellion. q statement that was drawn out
in his discussion of the death of the premier.
It Is suggested that De Lone may de Iuand
a disavowal of that interview. 1t is
to be hoped that The Secretary win have
tie courage to stand by it for every man
in Washington who has had any dealings
with the Secretary believes that he did
say it. There is not a newspaper man
I'm the country who has discussed public
matters with Secretary John Sherman in
the last two years who does not know
that 1t sounds like him and who does
not believe that he made the statements
attributed to him.
II executions are taken to his state
ments they Will be taken solely because
De LONE is looking for some pretext upon
which to get out of anawkw ard place. If
it comes to what might be called in plain
English a show down" betw cen the Sec
retary and the minister. a disavowal or
a withdraw from the country of SPANS
representative, the American people viii
sustain the Secretary If he lets this hot
headed Don take his departure without
even the foTrnality of calling at the de-
partnent to say bis adieus. The Spanish
minister has been SO punctilious to be