The times., 1897-09-28
MAY fEGALL LMR. .WOODFORD
Will Cease TO Treat With Spain
if Mediation Is Declined.
PROTECTING THE MINISTER
If the American Government Sh0ufd
Ask Gen. WooGford to Return AN
Open Rupture Would Follow and
Cuba Would Receive the Benefit
The Report Cannot BE Confirmed

The matter Of most moment in inter
national politics yesterday at the State
Department was the report that circum-
stances might cemaGd the early recall of
Minister Woodford from spain. The report
was based on tine belief that America
WOULD cease TO treat with Spain If she de
cllned u accept American mediation in
Cuban affairs, and On the published state
ment that Mr.. WoOdford was in such i'll
favor witt tile Spanish popuiace that he
needed police protection on his arrival at
Madrid.
One official, who ought to know, was
asked W nat would be the resulting condi-
tion ie spain refused TO treat on the basis
OF she Independence OF Cuba, which Cuba
regards as the condition precedent, and
Minister Woodford was recalled.
There Is no prece dent that l know Of"
he said. from which I can make an
swer. 1 believe, however. that it would
result in more favorable conditions for
Cuba. Spain would undoubtedly recall
Senpr De Lume, and the filibustering e?t
| pedition and It's success would be matters
OF almost daily occurrence.
There would be no foreign espionage On
our merchant marine and no daily report
| ing OF suspects by Spanish officials to
| the local officials All of this would end,
| of course in an open rupture, clash some
| where around Cuba.
| II don't think there is any doubt what
| ever that II rhe tension between Spain and
| America is as may be inferred from the
| dispatches, Spain is inclined TO be obsti-
nate, and, by the way, The Times pub
| lishcs today some decidedly interesting
conirCcnts from the French papers, all OF
which are backing up Spanish PRIDE
! If the new ofthe severance of diplomatic
! relations be correct and Minister Woodford
should withdraw from Spain in the event
| the Spanish government refuses TO COLI
| ply With the demands Of tue American
| Government, it would be the first incident
OF the kind in our diplomatic history.
The State Department officials declined
TO discuss the dispatch, but there is an
impression that this Government may ulti-
| mately take such step as a prepaIa tory
| measure to more harsh proceedings The
| diplom attic history of this country af
| fords no precedent for the withdrawal Of
a niinister. At she department no official
could be found who was able 70 recall an
| incident similar to that indicated in the
| dispatches from the other side.
There have been cases where such action
was threatened and where our diploma tic
| agents were Instructed 20 demand thoir
passports in the event certain things
were not complied with, but the things
demanded by the American Government
were comphed with, and the withdrawal
was not necessary. A notable instance OF
this character " as the instruction to Min
User Siekles with respect to the demands
made upon the Spanish government grow
ing out OF the Virgtnius affair, and u
Minister Egan as the outcome OF the revo-
luton in Chill. In neither case, how ever,
was it necessary for our representatives
TO go to the extreme length OF their instruc-
tIoiis. If Minister Woodford has been in
sIueted tC demand his papers his actnn
VIII establish h precedent for the future
guidance of the department.
There is d belief about the State Depart
meut, whether well found sd OF not, that
there is more than the personal comfort
Of Minister woodrord's family back OF his
failure TO take them with him to Madrid
| at the present time.