Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-05-27
SPURNED BY SPAIN.
CUBAN REPORTS SHOW OlNEY
OFFERED MEDIATION.
Senator Foraker Springs Sensation
by Making Known Diplomatic Cor
respondence = Secretary's Plan for
Given Out in Secret.


Sensational developments marked the
Cuban debate in the Senate Wednesday.
1t was disclosed that President Mckinley
and Secretary of State Sherman had
given to the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations certain information furnished by
our consuls in Cuba, and requested that
the names of the consuls be kept secret,
because of fear that they would meet
with violence, in case their identity be-
came known to the Spaniards.
Several Senators complained because
confidential information had been given
the Foreign Relations Committee, while
1t was withheld from the Senate as a
whole. Then Senator Foraker submitted
to the Senate copies of correspondence be-
tween Secretary Olney and the Spanish
minister of foreign affairs a year ago, in
which this Government proposed to Spain
the use of our good Offices in bringing
about peace in Cuba, with continued
Spanish sovereignty, proffer which
Spain rejected, with the plea that there
is no effectua way to pacify the Cubans
except upon the condition that they first
submit to the mother country"
The pressure of the Cuban question,
says a Washington correspondent, is be-
coming so great in various directions that
it is difficult to see how some action on
the part of this Government can be much
longer delayed.
Growth of the feeling in favor of direct
Intervention. without wasting more time
in useless resolutions of recognition, was
indicated by two powerful pleas in favor
of interference by this Government for
the purpose Of putting an end to the war.
These speeches were made by Senators
Lindsay of Kentucky and Foraker of
Ohio, and both were strong and impress
sive.
Thus the Cuban question is gradually
assuming an acute form at the capital.
There is not much difference of opinion as
to the proposition that the United States
has a duty to perform in Cuba, and that
in all probability the only solution of the
problem is Intervention on terms which
will save Spanish pride and give Cuba a
free government under the protection of
this Government and without war be-
tween Spain and our country. The real
difference is between those who wish to go
at this delicate task in an orderly, eau
tious. reasonable way, doing everything
possible to avert war. while still pressing
who would rush into war at the drop of
a hat or the firing of pistol.
There is some surprise that the admins
tration should have given the official
copies of the correspondence which took
place between this Government and the
Government of Spain year ago concern
ing mediation or the use of our good Of
fees. That the administration had pur-
pose in permitting this correspondence TO
become public just now is generally ac-
cepted, and the purpose was, in the opin-
ion of most Senators. TO show the world
that this Government had already at
tempted the mild form of settlement call
ed good offices, or mediation, but to no
purpose on account of the unwillmgness
of Spain to accept our kindly intentions.
The inference is that the administration
wishes it known the next step in the mat
ter which the United States may take
with proper regard to its own dignity is
direct intervention.
Annexation or protectoracy might nat
urally follow intervention, for if Spain
and her colony be separated order and
peace must be secured in some manner.
But a desire to meet the responsibilities
of the United States in a strong and un-
selfish way, to suppress a useless and ap-
parently interminable war and avert hui
man suffering, is the impelling motive.
The agitation indicates that great deal
of history is to be written during the COM
ing six months.