Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-10-29
'.D|.A.S,.N0IAREaVDD YnI.
Epain's Roplyto MinisterWooc!.s
ford's Note Not Yet at N
3, Washington.
1t VIII Ee Mainly q Protest
Against Filibustering Elk. e
II petitions.
State Department Has Port!.
nent Facts to Present on
!, ~. That Score.

WASHINGTON, Oct sG.-Up to til
close OF office hours Spain's reply OF
the Cuban question had not reached
the president or state department. i
was stated also in other quarters b.
those in position to know what had
occurred at Madrid. that the answe.
had not been delivered to Minister
Woodford up to this time. 1t has been
approved by the cabinet, however, and
is to be communicated to Minister
Wdodford late in the day or in the
morning, 1t is not doubted among
officials that the basis Of the Spanish
reply to MI. Woodford's note will be
the charge that the United States has
not observed the requirements OF inter.
national law in the matter Of prevent
ing tilibustering. In this case tho state
department will have some
Pert nent Facts to Present.
which, its officials believe, will com.
pletely ALLEVIATE from Spain any sym.
pathy that she may have attracted from
other European nations Oh that score.
1t is asserted positively that in no sin.
gle cuse where ths Spanish authorities
have brought to the attention
OF our government the fact
that an illegal expedition 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 III
this respect as to accept statements
from the Spanish officials, not accom-.
panied by proofs Of the facts alleged,
but mere suggestions that they had rca-
son to believe that all expedition was
formed. In cases our government
has proceeded to lengths III restraint OF
American commerce Gil Insufficient evil
dence furnished BY t:,o Spanish govern
nlent that has resulted Ill the preference
OF large claims by American ship own
ers tor illegal detention Ct their ships
Then the expense OF maintaining this
patrols along the At!antic and Cuff
coasts have been very heavy.
Would BE Cheaper to BLOCKADE Cuba.
One official estimated the expense the
United States has boon put to protect
the Cuban coast for Spain ut about
$1,000, 600. This is probably large
estimate, but one naval officer, who is
thoroughly cognizant Of the strain put
upon the department by the patrol,
stated that it would really be cheaper
for the United States to send q feet to
Cuba and blockade the coast there
against incoming flibusters than to try
to stop them on our own extensive
coast line.
Altogether the officials here are con.
fident OF their ability to show that the
government has more than complied
with the requirements of international
law, which, as laid down in the Ala
bama arbitration, simply demands that
nation "use duo diligence" to prevent
the departure OF hostile expeditions.
May Await Orders From Congress-
On this phase of the question the cor
respondence may be kept alive between
the state department and the Spanish
government until congress meets, but
it is expected that unless some results
in the direction of the suggestions of
MI. Woodford are forthcoming by that
time the president will refer the entire
matter to congress and await its order.
VIII Not Resort to Search.
A denial was made by an authOrita-
tive source that Minister Dupuy do
LONE had intimated to the state depart
,nent that Spain would resort to the
search and SEIZURE Of suspected Amer.
lean vessels on the high seas if flibus.
tering expeditions continued to leave
this country. The reports, it is believed,
grow out Of visits made by the minister
to the state department last Monday
and Thursday. AT these visits he called
the attention Of the officials to the Cir
cumstances of the departure of the al.
legged filibuster Silver Heel after the
authorities were put in possession of
explicit information of the plans Of the
vessel. Regret was expressed by the
minister at this occurrence, as it was
felt that it would create q bad impress
sion at Madrid at time when the gov
eminent was maturing its policy. Be-
You'd this, however, the munster made
no reference to retaliation upon Amer
loan vessels or as to searches on the
high seas. It is said q prerequisite to
such action would be an announcement
by Spain Of a blockade Of all the ports
Of Cuba, and certainly no steps along
such radical lines has been proposed
thus far.
Instructions viii Not Be Publishsd Yet.
AS intimations have been made that
the instructions to Minister Woodford
would be made public at Madrid. the
statement was made by officials here
that no publication Of the instructions
before the assemblage Of congress- viii
be approved by the United States, and
without this approval it would be con.
trary to the usage Of diplomacy for the
Madrid authorities to make public the
correspondence.
Condition Of Kansas Banks.