Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-27
CUBAN MEDIATION.
STATE DEPARTMENT. Sc
CRETS MADE PUBLIC.
spain HnSolently Rejected Ex-secretary
Olney'S Good Omess to bring tho
War to -COnsaIt General Lees
idea of the Situation.

WASHINGTON, May Fl. Documents OF
state made public disclose the fact that
Richard 0lney, then secretary of state
for the Cleveland administration, Of
fered Spain the assistance of the
United States in putting down the
Cuban rebellion, spectacle made the
more humiliating by SPANS refusal to
accept the ,proffered aid. The offer
was made Notwithstanding Consul
General Lees report that the insur-
gents were gaining in strength.
This was the most startling Of the
revelations made by the partial dis
closure of the state departments Sc
cret archives. The exposure was made
in the Senate by Senator Foraker of
Ohio. During the past week the de-
bate in the Senate has been pregnant
with intimations and innuendoes of
reports from United States officials in
Cuba, held at the state department
which, if published, would disclose a
condition on Cuban soil which would
influence public opinion in a decided
manner. The facts therefore which
Senator Foraker announced, without
stating from whom they came, created
a decided stir.
While one of the Consular reports
was read without the name of the
author being disclosed, it is stated to
be communication from Consul Gen
eral Lee, which fully sets forth his
idea of the condition that exists in
Cuba The extract was quoted as fol-
lows, no date being given:
81 can not understand the truth Of
the claim that all the provinces of the
island are pacifed except that of
Santiago de Cuba, because there are
more insurgents under arms at this
time than at the period when first
reached the island, some ten months
ago, and do not think it fair infer
ence TO draw from existing conditions
that the war is approaching termina-
ton, because in pursuance of an es-
tablished policy the insurgents avoid
as far as possible all serious engage
ments.
"The impossibility of expelling the
Spanish troops from this island by
force of arms is well known to them,
and they do not propose to risk the
lives of their men and the success of
their cause upon one or more pitched
battles l conclude, therefore, that
the war will drag its weary length
along so long as the insurgents can
dig sustenance from the ground on one
de, or money be obtained by the
other, with the continued result of un-
told human suffering, loss of human
life, the murder of innocent men, wo-
men and children by both sides and
the frightful havoc which disease
makes in the ranks of soldiers, par
ticularly among the unacclimated
Spaniards.
"The poverty and distress of the peo-
pie are increasing, and the loss of
property of all sorts is daily becoming
more enormous. No one can fully
appreciate the situation without being
here in person. The number of poor,
distressed, starving women, children
and old men of all races have greatly
increased IN this city within the past
few weeks, while in other points on
the island the suffering has been pro-
portionately great
The letter from Secretary olney to
Spanish Minister De LONE, under date
of April 4, 1896, is the one in which in
tervention is suggested.
He said his purpose was not at that
time to suggest intervention, but that
the United States could not contem-
plate with complacency another ten
years OF Cuban instruction. His sug-
gestion looked to finding way ito
cooperate with Spain in the lmmedi-
ate pacitication Of the island on such a
plan as, leaving Spain her rights of
sovereignty, shall yet secure to the
people of the island all such rights
and powers of local self-government
as they can reasonably ask. To that
end the United States offers and will
use her good offices at such time and
in such manner as may be deemed
most advisable.
Mr.. Olney then suggests that neither
Spain nor the CuOans can reasonably
object to this intervention, and adds
that if anything is to be done, it
should be done at once and on Spain's
initiative. In closing he says the com
munication is prompted by the friend
lest feelings towards Spain and the
Spanish people, and adds: ITO at
tribute to the United States any hos
tile or hidden purposes would be a
grave and most lamentable error. The
United States has no designs upon
Cuba and no designs against the SOW
ereignty of Spain"
Mr.. Foraker read only the following
extract from Mr.. De Lome's reply,
which was dated June 4, 1896:
"In brief, there is no effectual way
to pacify Cuba unless it begins with
the actual submission of the armed
rebels to the mother country"