The Portland daily press., 1897-10-26
Note to Mr.. Woodford Hasn't Yet
Appeared,
BELIEF 1T WILL PROTEST AGAINST
FILlBUSTERING. GENERAL.
Correspondence on This Line May Con-
tinue Until Congress MeetS-Ex-Minis-
ter Taylor Expresses Belief That Spain
Cannot Solve the Question.

ter Taylor Expresses Belief That Spain
Cannot Solve the Question.
Washington, October 25.-It is not
doubted among officials that the basis of
inc Spanish reply to Mr.. Woodford's
note VIII be tho charge that the United
states has not observed the requirements
OIL International law in the matter OF
preventing tilibustering. In this case
the State Department will have some
pertinent facts to present which, Its
otncials believe, will completely ALLEVIATE
from spain any sympathy that she may
nave attracted from other European ma
tlons on that score. 1t is asserted posi-
tlveiy 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 shores for Cuba has.it neglected
to use all the means permitted by our
laws TO prevent the start. 1t has. been
SO 1ndulgent in this respect as to accept
statements from the Spanish officials,
not accomplished by proofs of the facts
alleged, but mere suggestions that they
had reason to believe that an expedition
was forming.
One official roughly estimated the ex-
pense the United States has been put to
to protect the Cuban coast for Spain at
about $2,000,0O0. This probably a large
estimate, but one naval officer who is
thoroughly cognizant of the strain put
upon the department by the patrol stated
that If xupIy1d 1lx-T I1o. f,,. ~.
United States to send fleet to Cuba and
blockade the coast there against incom-
ing hllbusterers than to try to stop them
on our own extensive coast line.
| Altogether the officials here are conf
dent Of their ability to show that the
| government has more than complied
with the requirements of international
law, which, as laid down in the Ala
bama arbitration simply demands that
nation ''use due diligence to prevent
the departure of hostile expeditions.
On this phase of the case the corre-
spondence may be kept alive between the
State Department and the Spanish gov
ernment until Congress meets, but 1t is
| expected that unless some results in the
direction of the suggestions of Mr.. Wood
ford are forthcoming by that time, the
President will refer the entire matter to
Congress and await It's order.
| Up to the close of office hours today,
| SPANS reply on the Cuban question had
not reached the President OF State De-
partment. 1t was stated also in other
quarters by those in q position to know
| what had occurred at Madrid, that the
| answer had not been delivered to Minis
ter Woodford up to today. 1t has been
approved by the cabinet, however. and
is to be communicated to Minister Wood
ford late today or tomorrow.
An authoritative denial was made of
tha ynport that Mipietor D11nr1y do Jorpa
had intimated to the State Department.
that Spain would resort to the search
and seizure of suspected American ves-
sells on the high seas if filibustering ex-
peditions continued to leave this country.
The report, it is believed, grew out of
visits made by the minister to the State
Department last Monday and Thursday.
At these visits he called the attention
of the officials to the circumstances of-the
departure of tae alleged fllibuSterer Silver
Heels, after the authorities were put in
possession of explicit information of
the plans of the vessel. Regret was ex-
pressed by the minister at this occurrence,
as it was felt that it would create a bad
impression at Madrid at a time when
the government was maturing it's policy.
Beyond this, however, the minister made
no reference to retaliation upon AIneri-
can vessels or as to seizure on the high
seas. 1t is said prerequisite to such
dCblou WUulu Do 6n0 announcement ny
Spain of the blockade of all the ports of
Cuba, and certainly no step along such
radical lines has been proposed thus far.
The diplomatic procedure in connection
with Spain's reply to the Woodford note,
is that it would be communicated to him
by the minister of foreign affairs at Ma
drid. 1t will not be sent to Minister
Dupuy de LONE. as It is distinctly a part
of the communications between Minis
ter Woodford and the Madrid officials,
and is not an exchange of notes between
the State Department and the govern
ment of Spain. AS intimations have
been made that the instructions to Min
lister Woodford would be made public at
Madrid the statement was made by offic-
ials that no publication OF the instruc-
tions before the assembling of Congress
would be approved by the United States
and without this approval it would be
contrary to the usage of diplomacy for
the Madrid authorities to make public
the correspondence.
| PEAGEElIt