The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-29
SEEKING MORE TIME
SENIOR SAGAsTA WANTS A CHANCE
no TEST HIS CUBAN POLICY,
Therefore His Reply to WoodfOrd's
Note Was DipIOmaticaIly WOrded
and Pacific in Tone.

Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Oct 2S.-The construc
ton placed upon Sagasta's reply TO the
Woodford note is that the Spanish premier
is playing for time" and that he has made
a very adroit and clever move. The pacific
tone of the reply and the assumed anxiety
of the Spanish Ministry to engage the ac-
tive cooperation of the United States in
restoring peace in Cuba and effecting the
reforms which are outlined is we'll calcu-
lated to disarm the administration in Wash
ington, or, at least, to afford valid excuse
for further delay in order to give Spain an
opportunity to test the value of it's new pol
icy. 1T may be assumed with safety that
unless something unforeseen should occur
to disturb the status that matters between
this country and Spain regarding Cuba will
not be seriously disturbed for some time to
come Events are shaping themselves pre-
cisely as was indicated by the conservative
administration utteranceS at the time Sa-
gasta assumed the direction of Spanish
politics., 1t was stated at that time by
those who were in position to be best in
Formed as to the probable course of events
that the Washington government would
not press Spain for an answer to the Wood
ford note, but that within reasonable pc
ilOu SUCH diSWSI might Oc GApSCltu, anu
that then President Mckinley would be dis
posed to allow ample time to enable the
new Spanish Ministry to develop it's policy
towards Cuba. 1t was pointed out that
President Mckinley was strongly predis-
posed to continuance of peaceful rela-
tons between this country and Spain, and
that if he could be assured that the new
Ministry had a policy looking to restora-
ton Of peace on the island and the inaugu-
ration of such reforms as would be a guar
antee of permanent peace, he would OPP
pose any interference on the part Of this
government or, at least, that he would not
favor active intervention until the Span
iards had been given time to prove either
the success or failure of their plans Time
is proving the correctness of this forecast.
An Associated Press dispatch says: The
Spanish reply to Minister Woodford's note
will be laid before the Cabinet at the regu-
lar meeting tomorrow Meanwhile the
members of the Presidents official family
have not seen the message 1t has. how
ever, been talked of Informally between the
President and several of the Cabinet min
the administration regards the note, so far
as it's tenor is revealed by the abstract
cabled by Minister Woodford, as being con-
ciliatory and as not calculated to breed an
issue. 1t can also be stated that gratifica-
ton is felt that an answer was forthcoming
within so short a period of time after the
delivery of Mr.. Woodford's note having re-
gard to the Intervention OF the Spanish
Cabinet crisis and change The acts al
ready performed by the new Cabinet to-
wards correction of some of the evils of
which we complain in Cuba. are regarded as
an earnest of the intention of the Spanish
government to faithfully carry out the en-
tire reform programme and if there should
be a speedy alienation of the frightful con-
dition of the unfortunate reconcentradoes
in Cuba, through prompt revocation of
Weyler's concentration order, it is felt that
our government will have little further to
ask.