The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-22
Mr.. Calhoun ut Havana.


LEY for the purpose of observing the
situation there, arrived at Havana on
May Is. He was received with marked
honors, and a representative of the
Spanish Captain General escorted him
into the city. The next day, May IA,
the Havana Yacht Club, made up of Span
ish volunteers, invited him to an entertain
ment at its clubhouse at Marlanao. Two
days a~fterward, or on May 10, the club
held a reception in his honor, and en-
joyed the pleasure Of his company
at a breakfast party. The next day,
May II, the Mayor Of Havana, Senior
MIGUEL DIAz, made a formal call upon him
at the Hotel Inglaterra, and welcomed him
to the city. At q later hour of the day he
received an official call from Sehor PAL
MERoLA, the newly appointed Governor OF
the province Of Havana, and 1t WIS but
a few hours afterward when, In the Ian
guage Of high life, he returned the call"
Upon the evening of the same day he
visited the Spanish Casino, under the escort
of the Mayor and two other Spanish Off
cials, one of whom acted as interpreter.
1t was the day of the celebration
of the eleventh birthday Of his pro.
spective Majesty King ALFONSO Kill, in
whose honor the Casino, which is an ultra
Spanish institution, was decorated and
illuminated. There were refreshments,
speeches, and high jinks. Our Special
COMMISSIONS replied to the toast "Presi-
lent MCKINLEY" speaking In the Eng
lish language. After expressing his ap-
probation of the courtesy with which
he had been received at Havana,
he remarked that the hospitality
which he had met with in Spanish terri
tory made his residence here [Havanal so
pleasant that he began to believe himself
among his own people, and yet was almost
forgetting his country while longing for
the approach Of peace and progress for
Cuba" 1t was a late Jour Of the night
when Mr.. CALHOUN left the Casino for the
Hotel Inglaterra.
The Special Commissioner from the Presi.
lent of the United States could hardly lave
passed a ~pleasanter time at Havana. There
was a sound of revelry in Cuba's capital, the
lamps shone, and all went merry. Captain
General WEYLER was not in the city at any
time of that week. He may have been in
Santa Clara, or Puerto Principe, or San,
tiago, or Matanzas, looking for that evasive
enemy, MAKING GOMEZ.
On the day after the Casino celebration
Mr.. CALHOUN was troubled. He began to
make preparations for the investigation
of the Ruiz case, in association with
the Spanish terrorist, Crown Prosecutor
VIDAL, who had previously conducted the
prosecution of Americans under arrest,
when he unexpectedly ran against a lot of
snags. He was troubled because VIDAL had
been first chosen as the representative OF
the Spanish Government in q judicial in.
quiry. He was troubled when he learned
of VIDAL's plan for conducting the investi.
cation, and again when he ascertained that
the chief witness whom he had expected
to call was beyond reach. and yet
again when it was made known to
him that there would necessarily be
periods of delay in order that de-
sirable testimony might be procured.
He learned also that several of the wit.
nesses whose evidence he sought had been
thrown into Jail, so hat they would be un'
available, and that there was n panic at the
town of Guanabacoa, in the prison of which
place the lead body of DIR. RUIZ, whose
case he was to investigate, had been found.
Under the circumstances, it seemed to the
Special Commissioner that he would be
unable to enter upon the investigation
for the making of which President Nc
KINLEY had sent him to Cuba. Though
the language addressed to him bythe Span
ish authorities was invariably marked with
politeness, 1t was always unsatisfactory.
Such was the state of affairs up to Thurs
day of this week; and we do not know
what may have happened since that time
Until the last, however, we shall entertain
a hope that Spain will see that it Is for hel
interest, apart from her honor, to make
provision for a proper investigation Of the
Ruiz case. All that we ask from her in re
gard to it is the square thing.
Yesterday Havana, or at least Captain
General WEYLER, Governor PALMERoLA
Mayor DIAz, Crown Prosecutor VIDAL, anG
DIR. JovER, must ave got the news from
this country that the Senate of the United
States had adopted the resolution awarding
belligerent rights to the Cuban insur
gents. TIL news doubtless possesses inter
est to those persons at Havana who
have been made aware of 1t; but Their,
is no reason why it should interior,
with the investigation for the making o
which Mr.. CALHOUN was sent to Cuba
If Spain holds the proof that DR.. RUIZ wal
not murdered by order of Col. FoNsDEvIELA
in violation Of her treaty with this country
she will gain advantage by furnishing it
for then one of our complaints against he.
will be removed, and she will be relieved
from q charge that is of Il very grave char
acter. We do not desire to present to Spair
any complaint hat is not well founded.
1t is lamentable that Mr.. CALHoUN's frs
days of happiness in Havana should b,
followed by experiences like those which VI
have reported. He made no concealmenI
Of the pleasure he derived from the visit o
the Governor and the Mayor, or of thu
which he had at the Havana Yacht Clul
and at the Casino EspaHol, Or of that whicl
came to him when he first began to believ'
that he was among his own people at Havana
1t must have seemed to him then that hi
mission was bound to DO successful, an,
that he would return to this country bear