The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-24
Gen. WoOdfOrd'S Mission
a Responsible One.
What He Is Expected to Do
When He Reaches Madrid.
He Must Show the Spaniards They
are Facing Great Crisis.

eral Stewart L. Woodiord, our now min
lister TO Spain, has before him task both
enyiable and unenyiahle. He will either
make great reputation In Madrid oi
achieve great failure. The difficulty OF
his undertaking Is thoroughly appI Ieoiated
by every one In Washington who Is at oil
In touch with what Is going on behind the
scenes. Hitherto General Woodford's rep.
utation has been chiefly that Of felioitous
after dinner speaker and as IA campaign
orator, but no will have something 10 do in
the Spanish capital besides make speeches.
He has before him one Of the most difficult
and delicate tasks ever undertaken by an
American diplomntist General Woodford
has had no experience in the field Of diplo
macy, but he may score great success foi
all that. History shows that among the
most successful diplomatsts sent out by
this government have been men without
previous experience. There is something
In tho American character which leads
easily 20 diplomacy. Our trained lawyers
are all round men. Diplomacy, after all,
Is game Of human nature, and what do
our successful lawyers play If not thatf
This explains why so many Of our diplo.
matte representatives have In the past been
able to hold up their end against the
trained men Of other nations.
A Responsible Mission.
General Woodford's mission is one o.
peculiar responsibility and difficulty. He
Is charged by the president with the duty
of representing TO tho Spanish ministry
that the people Of tho United States are
determined Cuba shall be freed, and that
unless Spain is prepared to make conces.
sions of great importance IL will be abso.
T.
congress. In other words, the duty of ouI
new minister 20 Madrid H. 90 prepare the
minds of the Spanish leaders for some nc.
tion on the rart of the United States In
the Cuban matter which will lead TO the
virtual emancipation of Cuba from Span
ish rule. When one remembers how proud
and naughty the Spaniards are, how much
they detest the Yankees, whom they so Of
ten speak Of az sbopkeepers and pigs;
when one bears in mind how passionate
the masses Of people are in Spain, how
prone 10 resent any interference by an out
side power, how likely TO overthrow any
ministry which shows the white feather,
how great is the chance that the American
legation will I've stoned or otherwise at
tackled by an infuriated populace, it II
easy to see that Minister Woodford is 60
ing to land OF trouble.
1t happens that / arr In position to
know good deal CT what Is expected OF
General Wondford at Madrid. He Is tc
awaken in the minds Of the Spanish lead
ers a realization OF the fact that Spain has
not only To deal with Cuba, but with the
United States. Tho president has pointed
out to him that the congress Of the United
States Is prepared to recognize the belliger
ency or even the independence of Cuba ms
soon as the tip goes out from the White
House that such aotion Is desirable.
Tho Proud spaniards.
President Mckinley sought long and
eagerly for strong man To represent this
government at Madrid, because he realized
fully the delcacy and Importance of the
mission. II Is no small thing for an Amer.
ican to go into the capital of the Spanish
and TO start up "a cry that unless they do
certain things foreign power will attempt
TO wrest their colony from them. II he
performs this task in an offensive and bel
ligerent way, he will soon enough have
trouble on his hands. The proud Span
iards will resent t. There will bo danger
that they will tell him that he and his
government will do well 10 attend TO theii
own affairs, as Spain is attending TO hers.
On the other hand, II ho is too polite and
Spanish leaders will undorrate his SINGER.
ity and that Of the president who sent him.
If he Is too mild mapnored, they will con
clude that IL is not much of shower after
all ard proceed accordingly. II Minister
Woodford Is u meet with success, he must
strike happy medium between the two
extremes.
Without giving offense he must impress
upon the Spanish that they are really face
to face with grent crisis in Cuba. He
must convince them that the hand of the
United States cannot much longer be
staid, and that tho best thing they can do
Is to meet this situation fairly and like
statesmen. President Mckinley is now
thoroughly committed 10 the policy of bet.
tering the condition of Cuba. He has put
his shoulder to the work, and he does not
intend 20 stop till no has accomplished
something tangible and satisfactory. He
does not seek war with Spain. He believes
that when the leaders Of the Spanish gov
ernmcnt Gre given To understand that
something must be done they will proceed
to do 81 of their own accord III they do
not, IL they fail to heed the voice Of warn.
ing, 10 Will be impossible tor avert inter.
vention on the part Of the United States.
A Ruie OF Etiquette.
Probably II will ho two or three months
before We learn definitely how the Spanish
government takes 10 this suggestion,
which they will be sure 10 regard as
gross imrcrtinencc. Minister Woodford
tannot well reach Madrid before Aug. /.
At that tirno the queen regent and her
court will Ia at Fan Sebastian, their sum
mer resort Ii Is one Of the rules Of cti-
quette ut tho Spanish cnpitnl that min
lister shall not engage In tho official dis
charge 81 his duties TIL he has been pre-
sentcd 10 lhr queen regent AS the queen
is not likely 10 rtturn 20 Madrid before
September there may 10 some delay in the
task which President Mckinley has set
for his minister, hut In the carly autumn
we are sure to bear some interesting news
from the Other side.
There src yarlons predictions here as to
the manner IN which the Spanish will re.