New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-15
NOTICE GIVEN TO SPAIN.
MR.. MKINLEYS CUBAN POLICY
ANNOUNCED IN FIRM AND D1GN1F1ED
BUT FRIENDLY LANGUAGE.


BUT FRIENDLY LANGUAGE.
WARFARE IN THE ISLAND MUST BE CONDUCTED
ON CIVILIZED PRINCIPLES RIGHTS OF
AMERICANS TO BE FULLY PROTECTED
THE CASE OF GENERAL RIVERA.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrnuNEl
Washington. April 14-The policy OF the Ad-
mnstration In reference to Cuba Is not iikey
to be criticised as that of Its predecessor'
on the score Of vacillation or indifference 10 'he
rights ~ American citizens Secretary Sher-
man, unlike Mr.. Olney. will see TO II 'ha' i'"-
prisonment Of suspects entitled to the protection
OF the United States for an INDEFINITE periou Vi
time is no longer INDUCED in by Spanish oficials
in Cuba He will even go further ana make IL
plain to the Spanish authorities that they cannot
In the closing decade of the nineteenth century
be permitted to carry on war upon principles
utterly at variance with modern civilization In
short notice has been served on the spanish
Government-nformally. as yet but sui IN uh-
mstakable terms-that this Government recos-
nizes a state OF civil war oil the island OF Cupa'
which demands treatment OF prisoners taheh
IN action by either side somewhat different from
that which seems to have been accorded to them
thus far
A PROTEST IN BEHALF OF RIVERA
The Immediate cause of this notice being served
on the Spanish Government was or course the
CAPTURE Of the Cuban Genera! Rivera ard the re-
port that he would be forthwith tried py druih-
head court martial and shot. The fresioeh''
ir,n,ediateIv after the news of the fate In store
for the prisoner received. directed Secre'ar!
Sherman to draw up protest against the con-
| templated action Of Captain-Generai "eyier'
Upon second consideration. however, the protest
took a less formal shape. Instead or oeihs oe-
livered to the Spanish Minister in writing sehor
de- LONE was sent for by the Secretary Of state
and informed as to the Views OF the IoVethnieh'
in the matter. This verbal protest. 1t Is safe TO
assume. was no less explicit than that WHICH
Secretary Sherman had previously drafted AT
oy r..s q had its effect for General Rivera Is
still living :.
Those who have seen the draft OF the note IL
uaa at first intended to send 10 the spanish
Minister sneak of it as being firm and dighlneu
IN tone vet showing at the same time that spirit
NJ fairness and friendliness which 1t behooves
this Government to assume in It's attitude low
ard the Government of a nation with winch IL Is
at peace At the very outset the secretary vi
State makes 1t plain TO the Government Oh opaiii
and its representative in Washington that IL Is
the earnest desire of the President 10 cultivate
If possible the mos: friendly relations with 'hat
country and to prevent, so far as POSSIBLE any
interference by persons not citizens OF the Ohiteo
States who temporarily live In this country WITH
the unhappy conditions prevailing In Cuoa" Inc
existence of state of civil war Is referred 10 as
q fact annarent to all the world. injurious alike
to the United States and to Srain desire IS
expressed for a speedy termination OF the strug-
gle on terms which will secure to the people OF
Cuba local autonomy yet be honorable to Spain
and its claim Of authority over Its island de-
tendency After all this has been said, now
ever the document states in unmistakable IAN
guage that American citizens who are pursuing
lawful occupations In a lawful way will be held
to be entitled to the protection OF the law, ana
in their behalf no efforts will besspared by this
Administration should they be arrested on sus-
picion.
KILLING OF PRISONERS INADMISSIBLE
On the subject Of the actual condition OF the
island couched in technical language, the note
is said to be equllly clear. 1t defines the att-
tude Of the Administration with regard to the
Cuban patriots. The Administration dissents
from the notion that the Cubans now In arms
should be technically considered traitors" Nor
will the Administration admit that they should
be classed as "murderers" or 'incendlaries."
They are soldiers of army and a state of
civil war exists. Hence It is argued, the kill
ing Of soldiers or prisoners after battle is mad
missible. II outrages all feelings of humanity
and Is In direct conflict with the practice and
tendency of civilized nations and civilized war
fare IT would be murder pure and simple. The
note closes with reference to the case Of Cen
eral Rivera and expresses. IL Is said. the hope
that as a prisoner mercifu treatment will be ac-
corded to him. a parallel also is drawn between
the threatened action of the Spanish authorities
toward their distinguished prisoner, the univer-
sal feeling Of horror which its realization would
arouse in the civilized world and the possible
capture in our own civil of Lee Beaure-
gard and Johnston II such capture had been ac-
companied by the proposition TO execute them
for treason.
There are no grounds for the belief, II may be
said again. that the verbal protest OF Secretary
Sherman. made to Dupuy de Lone in any
manner less earnest less designed to impress
the representatives Of the Spanish Government
| with the fixed determination OF the Admnistra-
| ton to protect in Cuba the property and lives of
American citizens. whether native or natural
| ized and to that stop Is put TO a barbarous
warfare. involving murder of nOn-combatants
and the slaughter of prisoners, than the draft of
this more formal protest the substance Of which
The Tribune now makes public and which dis
| closes for the first time the attitude Of the Ad-
| ministration with reference TO extremely i'm
| portant phase of The Cuban struggle.
SKIRMISHES IN THE ISLAND
| BOMBS FIRED BY ELECTRICITY-LOssEs on
BOTH sTDEs-GREETING FOR vELAsCO