Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-05-20
Observations of The Stars Special
Correspondent at Havana.
GENERAL BELIEF IN SPAIN'S FAILURE
Inquiry Into the Ruiz Case Begins
Today.
LISTENING AND LOOKING
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Via Key West, Fla, May 10.
President McKinley's special envoy begins
the Ruiz inquiry tomorrow. 1t is the
Spanish tomorrow, mariana" This means
some time next week, perhaps.
Mr.. Calhoun came to Cuba knowing that
patience was a virtue which it was neces-
sary to cultivate. SO he waits the diplomatic
processes philosophically. Consul General
Lee has formally and officially notified the
captain general that the representative of
the United States is here. Under the ar
rangement made at Washington, the Span
ish consul at Philadelphia was to represent
Spain. The investigation was to be con-
Quoted as a sort of joint commission by
Consul General Lee and Mr.. Calhoun on
one side and the Spanish representative on
the other side. The United States declined
to become a party to the judicial inquiry
under the forms of the Spanish courts
which was proposed ny the Canovas min
istry 1T Madrid. The President and Secre-
tary Sherman thought there was simpler
way of finding out whether the American
citizen, Ruiz. had been murdered in the
Guanabacoa Jail. So there will be no in
tricate court processes. The inquiry will be
direct. yet the testimony will not he given
III public
While he is waiting the notification of the
captain general that Spain is ready to pro-
ceed with the investigation, Mr.. Calhoun
Is able to learn for himself something of
the actual conditions on the island. Did he
SO desire, he could not remain ignorant.
The belief has spread to Havana that it is
really the eyes of President Mckinley
which see and the ears of President Nc
kinley which hear what Mr. Calhoun sees
and hears; SO the means of information al,
his command are extensive. Coming as he
Gid, without detailed knowledge Of the sit
uation. the Presidents special representa-
tive is in d position to receive impressions
and not to modify preconceived notions. /
have observed that he is a remarkably good
Listener, while he never asks a pontics.
question. On my own part, l confess that
some opinions formed in Washington ha,
undergone change, and should now hes
itate to say that the cause of the insur-
gents has become weaker.
observations begun on the Don't.
Mr. Calhoun's observations began on tn.
BOAT winch brought Us from Tampa to Ha-
yana Some Cubans going to Key Wes,
were full Of fire. They talked of Cuba
iibre' as though freedom was now only ii
lew months on. General Weyier's '.pacif-
cation" excited their derision, and thei.
paigning. But the Cuban temperament is
warm, and a dispassionate view could no,
be expected from the men whose souls
are in the struggle. This must come fro,c
others.
Calmer opinions were obtained The,
came from ships officers in freouent cor,-
munication with the island, from a New
YORK tobacco manufacturer visiting ills
factory at Key West from a German
merchant returning to Havana, from thre.
or four Americans who drift back and for
ward, and last of all from a Spanish manu-
1acturer whose factory is at Tampa The
Spaniard had lost confidence in his own
government, and thought the Cubans Nigh,
90 better. The New York man was dis
Susted With both sides, but could see no
prospect OF Spain conquerilg the insur-
gents. The German merchant, after living
twenty years In Havana, had taken his
family to New York. He was returning 10
close up some transactions, but business,
he said, was bad, very bad. He saw nc
prospect of the troubles being ended What
The insurgents might do he would not pre-
dict, but ne did not see where Spain could
get the money for another campaign.
The pay of the common soidiers was
months in arrears, while the corruption in
civil administration was something fearful.
The Americans were Cuban sympaInIzers,
yet their observations could not be Ignored.
They merely saw 10 signs of the insurrec-
ton coming to end. 1t was all hearsay
testimony that Mr.. Calhoun had listeneu
to, and 1t must be sifted and it's value de-
termined by personal observation.
business Very had.
AS the ship came into the harbor of Ha-
vana at sunrise he might have found fur
ther evidence that business was bad, very
bad. An English commercial dredge was
the only other vessel which entered the
harbor that morning. But, naturally per-
haps, the walls of Castle Morro and OF Ca
banas had more interest for the represen-
tative of the American government. Stories
of the horrors within those walls had been
whispered in his ears during the ships pas
sage across the gulf.
After lanoing and getting settled at his
hotel Mr.. Calhoun paid prompt visit to
CoEsul General Lee at the American con-
suIate Somebody in the State Depart
mept at Washington had forgotten to COM
municate to the consul general the official
fact of Mr.. Calhoun's appointment. and
no notice of his departure from the United
States had been received at the consulate.
Gen. Lee and the Spanish.
General Lee welcomed him heartily and
expressed his satisfaction at the action Of
the Mckinley administration. His rela
tions with the Spanish authorities, General
Lee explained, were now quite agreeable.
His stand in the Ruiz case instead of caus-
ing irritation at the palace had resulted In
the greatest civility and courtesy,
AS he .Hid this General Lee picked up
from his desk photograph Of General
Weyler bearing Weyler's autograph re-
quest that General Lee accept 1t as "a
souvenir Of friendship"
In sreaking further of the changed atti-
tude Of the authorities. General Lee ex-
plained that the number OF Americans in
prison had been reduced from seventy-two
to q dcxen, and there were no longer COM
plsints CT treaty rights being violated. II
is Infinitely better to be an American citi-
zen In Cuba today than to be- Spanish
subject. even Spanish subject In gym
pathy with the government. All this has
come about since General Lees action In
the Ruiz case. and since tbs announcement
Continued on Third Page.)