The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-28
SPANS REPLY RECEIVED.
IT rs FRIENDLY IN TONE AND
MAKES ONE CONCESSION.

"AsUINGTON, oCls Ef'-iHS bNi'o ''S'SoS
OF tho President and his Cabinet officers in the
character Of the note delivered 10 Gen. Stewart
I. woodford, tho United States Minister In
Madrid, by the Spanish Ministry, was relieved
to-day by the receipt OF n long cable message
containing tho text OF the communication.
Contrary to expectation. the SaRnsta Ministry
docs not reject tho friendly oficos OF the United
States. A conciliatory and cordial tone charae-
terizes tho communication. and certain suggcS.
lions mado by Minister Woodford 10 relieve the
suffering in Cuba are accepted.
Gen. woodford and the secretaries and at
tnchGs of his legation must have sat up all last
night putting tho note In shape for cabling. II
was . o'clock this morning In Washington,
about 8 o'clock Madrid time, when the frst
page OF Gen. Woodford's despatch was received
here. aud the patches OF telegraphio copy kept
coming at intervals during the night. The state
Department was notified by the telegraph CON-
pany long before the beginning OF office hours
that the expected communication was coming
over the wires. and the work Of translating 1t
from the cipher code In which 1t was written
was begun while most of the employees of the
Foreign Office were still il. heir beds. Gen.
Woodford and his official force had evidently
spent much time and gone to great pains to put
the text OF tho note into the most compact form
that the word.saving cipher would allow. 1t
was necessary for them to translate the original
communication from Spanish into English and
then into the code.
The despatch as received by the State Depart
ment consisted d of 924 groups Of numbers or code
symbols. each representing q group Of words.
When the cipher translation was finished. at
about . o'clock this afternoon, it contained
many more words than the number in the Wood
ford cablegram. Tho message from the Minister
had dribblcd in up to that hour. patches of a
hundred words or so being delivered by the tele-
graph company as they were received. There
was much Interruption of the wire service,
which accounts for the long time consumed in
transmission. A plain copy OF the message was
prepared from the rough draft Of the first trans
iation from tho code. and, after Secretary Sher-
man had read this, another copy was made for
the information of President Mckinley. 1t was
nearly 1 o'clock when the President received
the copy prepared for him. MIR. Adee, the Sec
ond Assistant Secretary Of State, who is bctter
Informed ON Spanish affairs than any other off,
Ger of the Government, was in frequent COM
munication with the President during the day
and had informed him Of tho contents of tho
Spanish reply.
Tonight the President had an opportunity to
explain to the members OF the Cabinet the
grounds that the Sagasta Ministry had taken in
response to the representations OF Gen. Wood
ford. A boy soprano had been invited to sing
at the White House. and Mr.. Mckinley asked
the Cabinet officers and the ladies of their fam
lilies to hear him. 1t was not intended that the
function should be used as n cover for q Cabinet
meeting to Consider the Spanish answer. but the
President took advantage OF the presence Of his
advisers to read the text OF the note to them and
TO obtain their views on the policy to be pursued
in the future.
While everybody informed Of the contents of
Minister Woodford's despatch was reticent
about the character Of the stand taken by Spain,
II was ascertained that there is nothing menac-
ing in the note delivered to Gen. Woodford. 1t
IS conciliatory and friendly in tone. and is pro-
nounced a model Of diplomatic construction.
The interest Of the United States in bringing
the Cuban struggle to a close is acknowledged
and Spain acquiesces cordially in the hope that
such a desirable result may be accomplished
without delay. As an indication of the friendly
feeling Of the SpaniSh Ministry toward this
country, it is pointed out that Gen. Weyler has
boon recalled from Cuba and that the wishes of
this Government, expressed through Minister
woodford. that the suffering caused to non. com.
batants through the inhuman concentration or
der of Weyler should be ameliorated by a revo-
cation OF the order, have been willingly granted
End directions issued TO Gen. Blanco, the new
Captain-General, who is now on his way to Ha-
vana. to issue the decree of revocation. Presi.
dent Mckinley impressed On Gen. woodford
before his departure for Spain his earnest desire
that he concentration order should be rescinded,
and gave the Minister directions to seek to
accomplish that result as soen as be was able.
The most important feature OF the Spanish
reply is that dealing with the tender OF the
friendly offices OF the United States to bring
about the restoration Of peace in Cuba. The
press dispatches from Madrid have not given
any trustworthy on that point. 1t
is understood that Spain heartily accedes to the
dasire of this GOyernment and aipnines her ar
CeptRnce of the tender. but in n crafty, diplo.
matte manner, that leaves the United States
somewhat In a quandary as to the best way Of
proceeding further. The acceptance, 1t is said,
extends only to the good offices OF the United
States to urge upon the Cubans the necessity of
agreeing to the civil reforms which Gen. Rlanco
has been instructed to inaugurate. Much stress
Ia laid in the note on the magnanimity Of Spain
In granting these reforms, which. according to
tho Spanish view, amount practically TO homo
rule for Cuba.
The offer of mediation made by the United
States was general. 1t did not limit tho exer.
else OF the good offices OF this Government 10 q
y mere attempt to secure autonomy for Cuba. but
was intended to apply to the propositions of the
CubaRs as well as those which Spain was will
Ing to submit. The evident intention Of the
Spanish Ministry in proposing to thus limit tho
scope OF mediation is TO place the United States
IN IL bLC poolbiou, IL j EClubO " ubo
Its friendly offices on the basis of the SAgasta
proposition, OF seeming to be insincere in ita
pretensions that it Is anxious to have the war
end without loss Of honor to both the Cubans
and the Spanish. On the other hand. tho con-
duct of negotiations by the United States on the
basis of the proposal would be beneficial only to
Spain. for it would insure a continuance OF Span.
ish rule in the island with . more liberal policy
: In vogue.
Although written in friendly terms. 1t 10 re-
ported that the note is not wholly free from OK
pressions OF feeling concerning the well.known
desire OF this country TO secure the independence
Of Cuba. As a gentleman who knows the con,
tents OF the note said:
THE Spanish Ministry assume tho position OF
a man who, when ordered to take OF his hat,
removes 1t quickly. and. holding 1t In his hand,
says he will be eternally blanked II no can be
made 10 take it off,"
He meant that Spain had practically acceded