The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-26
WILL GO TO CONGRESS.
The President is Likely to Turn Over
the Cuban Question to That Body


the Cuban Question to That Body
washington, oct. 26.-It is not doubt
ed among officials that the basis of the
Spanish reply to Mr.. Woodford's note
will be the charge that the United
States has not observed the require
mentS of international law in the mat
ter Of preventing filibustering. In this
case, the state department Will have
some pertinent facts to present, which,
its officials believe, will completely
ALLEVIATE from Spain any sympathy that
she may have attracted from other Eu-
ropean nations on that score. It IS
asserted positively that in no single
case where the Spanish authorities
have brought to the attention of our
government the fact that an illegal
expedition was about to start from our
shore for Cuba, has it neglected to use
all the means permitted by our laws to
prevent the start. 1t has been so in
dulgent in this respect as to accept
statements from the Spanish officials,
not accompanied by proofs, but mere
suggestions that they had reason to be-
lieve that an expedition had been
formed The United states Othc1a1S
have gone to such lengths in restrain
ing alleged expeditions that large
claims by ship owners for illegal deten-
tiOn have resulted.
The navy department, especially, has
been embarrassed owing to the neces-
sity for diverting vessels. from other
places for the dfsagreeable Florida pa
pense the United States has been to
protect the Cuban coast for Spain is
about $4,000, 600. This is probably a
large estimate, but one naval officer,
who is thoroughly cOgnizant of the
strain put upon the department by the
patrol, stated that it would really be
cheaper for the United States to send
a fleet to Cuba and blockade the coast
there against coming hlibusters than to
try to stop them on our own extensive
coast line. Altogether the officials
a n Of hafr n h 70
show that the government has more
than complied with the requirements of
international law, which as laid down
in the Ala bama arbitration, simply de-
mands that nation use diligence to
prevent the departure of hostile eXpedi-
ttOns. on this question the cores
pondence may be kept alive between
the state department and the Spanish
government until congress meets, but
it is expected that unless some results
in the direction of suggestions of Mr..
WoOdfOrd are forthcoming by that time
the President will refer the entire mat
ter to congress and await its order.
It was stated also in other quarters
by those in a position to know what had
occurred at Madrid that the answer
had not been delivered to Minister
WOOdfOrd. 1t has been approved by
the cabinet, however, and is to be COM
municated to Minister Woodford today
or tomorrow.
A denial was made by an authorita-
tive source that SenOr Dupuy de LONE
ndu IuNIIIldIeu TO the state department
that Spain would resort to the search
and seizure of suspected American YES
sells on the high seas if filibusterine
expeditions continued to leave this
country. The reports, it is believed
grew out of visits made by the minister
to the state department. On these Wis
its he called the attention of the Off
Gals to the departure of the alleged fill
buster Silver Heels, after the authori-
ties were put in possession of explicit
information regarding the vessel.
As intimatiOns have been made that
the instructions to Minister WoodfOrd
may be made public at Madrid, the
statement is made by officials here that
no publication of the instructions be-
fore the assemblage of congress will
be approved by the United States. and
without this approval it would be con-
trary to the usage of diplomacy for the
Madrid authorities to make public the
correspondence.