The times., 1897-06-21
Said to Be Anxious to Prevent
Congressional Action.
SPANS AUTONOMY SCHEME
The President Reported TO Be Much
Impressed with 1t aud to Believe
Settlement of the Difficulty Prob
able Instructions to Woodford.

lations at the White House, State Depart
ment and the eCapi5olarenow sayin gopenly
that President Mckinley has no intention
| of sending to this session of Congress a
message concerning Cuba. Some go further
than that, and declare that the President
never did have any such intention, and
that he permitted the published state
ment that he was preparing message 10
remain uncentradicted, for. the purpose of
detracting attention from Congress ana
obtaining delay hoping TO, ia ths way, al
lay the excitement concerning Cuba that
| has attended The present Admins traton
1t is admitted by all that the daily
atrocities inflicted by the Span:ards IN
| Cuba are repugnant 10 the President, that
he deplor.s the condition which permits
! the her,ling of people in close quarters to
| starve Or die of pesIilence, and That III.
would be glad TO see such evils dotted
out but 1t is also said that he does not
see his way clear to interfere further than
| by diplomatic action.
A ,lspIemsst said to a Times representative
yesterday that the peeple ef The oh1ted
States may rest assured that the Piesi
dent viii not ask Congress TO do anything
fnis session iI behalf of Cuba, and that
Speaker Reed VIII prevent Cong from
doing anything without request from
! the President
$50 far as can understand the situa-
tion,'' said the Diplomat tile ffesidert
is very much Impressed with the reforms
that Spain has prepared and winch spe
says she is ready to give Ceia. ard whieh
amount practically TO aGtorosn tand would
after reasonable time give Cuba ndepend-
cnce. The proposed autonomy Is Ee'ili ns
more or less than probation Tor CLha, TO
give the island an Opportunity of shGwieg
whether or noS she is earable Of self gov
cmmeat and the assunIpttnL OF tie q gai6y
| of Independence, aT d to pIoS ee the span
ish government with a means OF resigning
Of its own fee viii, and not by force, ana
without tire sacrifice of dignity IT'S
rights in the island
Spain knows that she has practically
| lost the island now, aad that the Cubaas
| will continue the fight for freedom until
the last man perishes. Spain cannot
afford continuance Of this war. Her
rinanciaI condition is deploralde, and Ii
| she could raise the funds TO continue
WeyIers plan of determination, the United
| States would be bound TO call halt.
| It is for this reason that the spanish
minister has presented to the Admins
| tratinn and the Department of State
| pnnted copies of the proposed reforms FOR
/ Cuba, granting autonomy which VIII Lead
| TO independence il Cubans desire IL after
| the experiment has been tried. Spain
would naturally like To have the relations
| to Cuba that Great Britain has to Canada
continued, but will sacrifice evea this, II
permitted 20 do SO In her own way without
| a loss of scIf-respect.
| .'1fr Mckinley is sad To be very fa.Dra-
| bly, impressed with this proposition, and
| that it was this offer OF Spain that was
| referred to when he permitted IL 10 be
announced that he was at work on plan
which win give Cuba independence, and
exerted the Influence of the Administra-
ton to prevent Congress from taking suce
an overt action recognizing the bel
Hgerencyo of Cuba.
In my opinion Gen Woodford will re-
ceive instructions from the presidents in
the direction I have outlined He will
also be instructed concerning the DANA gp
claims in the Ruiz case, and number OF
less prominent ones. Minister Woodford
win he placed in possession of all the facts
concerning Cuba. that are in the State De-
| partment and he will also have the benefit
of all the information that Special Commits
sioner Calhoun can give him. Gen Wood
ford will meet Mr. Calhoun in this city
| this week He will probably saiI for
| Madrid about July 90.
1.-The President will insist that the United
| States shall do nothing in regard to Cuba
until Minister Woodford has had time 10
| take diplomatic action The request OF
the President viii be respected, and Con-
gress win adjourn, leaving Cuba in pre-
| cisefy the same condition it was In when
the. session convened. With Congress out
OF the way, the President can have all
| the time he wants tn inquire info the
proposition of the Spanish government to
I give Cuba autonomy with a. guarantee Of
/ Independence, and, IL he is convinced Of
| it's feasibility he will acauiesce in it,
THE people OF the United States need
the President Before October, and perhaps
much later. Gen. Woodford Will not
reach Madrid much before August L
tine of the year when the Queen Regent
| is at San Sebastian, and when the Spanish
court very rarely receives new diplomats
The Cortes will not be In session, aud
the diplomats with whom Gen WoOdforl
must Negotiate viii be scattered abroad
| This viii involve q delay until the mfdtile
of September. and any one who has fol-
lowed diplomatic negotiations knows how
slewly they move If Gen Woodford Is
able TO report anything at all by the
middle OF October he will be q hustler in
dppd -