Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-22
MINISTER WOODFORD'S MESSAGE TO
THE DUKE OF TETUAN.
1T WAS NOT AN ULTlMATUM.
MERELY A NOTICE THAT THE WAR
MUST BE ENDED SOON.
Washington officials Say That Moth
ing Rush VIII BE DOne-Rcason-
able Time to he Granted for
the Suppression of the
Rebellion.


official of the state department to the rep
resentations made by Minister Woodford
to the Duke of Tetuan. The whole tenor
of his communication was that of frank,
candid warning to Spain. While not in it
self constituting an ultimatum, it clearly
foreshadowed future decisive action on the
part of the Unitsl-StV4y
ford informs the, business s i tment that he
had conferred wi, Hazen rel OF Tetuah ana
carried out his ifzdrul .theF. He was in
formed by the duke thdS his representa-
tions would. with all due haste, be laid be-
fore the ministry and the queen immedi-
ately upon the return of the court to Mad
rid in October. and 4 reply forwarded at
the earliest date consistent with proper
consideration.
The instructions which Minister Wood
ford announces have been executed We're
of q pacific character as viewed from the
present standpoint, but bellicose in event.
ual possibilities. He was briefly directed to
convey to the Spanish government the
great desire of President Mckinley and
his administration that the prevailing war
in Cuba should be brought to q speedy
termination.
United States to Intervene.
He was told to emphasize the losses being
sustained by American citizens engaged III
mercantile enterprises in Cuba and lastly,
to intimate that unless the war could De
brought to a conclusion within reasona.
BILE future period the United states might
would be calculated to pacify the island'
prevent further destruction of property.
permit the full resumption OF business. ana
subserve the best interests of humanity:
These. are the representations which Min
lister Woodford, in courteous ana alpio.
matte language, laid before the Duke of
Tetuan. Similar communications nave peen
received before and the reception of such
a communication could not have been en-
tirely unexpected.
The officials of the state department do
not regard the representations made by
Minister Woodford as constituting per-
emptory ultimatum. but as rather partak-
ing of the nature of a decisive. warming. So
familiar have these officials become with
the methods pursued by the Spanish for
eign office that they can easily surmise
the reply given by the Duke of Tetuan to
to have the war in Cuba ended and that
every effort is being made to accomplish
that end
May Delay Until February.
1t is further predicted that in due course
of time formal reply will be received to
the effect that the wishes OF the TINTED
States have been fully considered and that
the government of Spain is able to advance
assurances that the Island of Cuba Will
be pronounced as completely pacihed by
Il j.
mote date. With such a reply it will be inn
possible for the president to make addi-
tional representations of more definite
character until the period suggested by
Spain has elapsed. Courtesy and diplomacy
will require that Spain be given the re-
quested or designated time in which to
subdue the rebellion. But when that stipu-
lated time shall have expired, then the ad-
ministration will be in position to call
the attention of Spain to the fact that all
reasonable opportunities had been allowed
onists, and that the Intervention of this
government can no longer be deferred.
1t is clearly pointed out here that Min
lister Woodford could not have fixed time
limit for the termination of the war. either
early or late in October. 1t is inferred that
the date designated by the Duke of Tetuan
rid must have been mistaken for the period
fixed by the minister by which the war
must be concluded.
Must Have Time to Reply.
1t is always customary before the deliver
ance of an ultimatum that the government
in fault be given reasonable time in which
to make reply and state the case in its
own defense. There are but few instances
on record when definition has been made
of what constitutes a reasonable time. The
only recent illustration was the action of
Secretary Olney during the correspondence
regarding the Mora claim, when he con-
strqsd six sixty days to be , reasonable time
So pacific were the instructions given Min
lister Woodford that they were approved by
the cabinet. six of the members being
known as extremely conservative on the
Cuban question. When the president was
outlining the representations he desired to
have placed before the Spanish government
Secretaries Gage. Sherman. Alger and
Bliss. all millionaires .and largely interest
ed in commercial enterprises, did not con-
slider them too radical, or in any way cal
culated to precipitate a crisis. These Off
GERS united in the belief that the govern
ment of Spain could not take serious { fl nse
at the very temperate views entertained by
the administration that the war was prov
ing disastrous to American business inter-
ests. ard it was the sense of this govern
ment that it should be brought to a close.
So conservative did they consider the
course adopted by the president that they
have since ridiculed the idea that rup-
ture is imminent between the United States
and Spain.
Think War Impossible.
These four cabinet officers. with Secretary
Long. who represents a section of the coun-
try strongly opposed to war. have during
the. last month steadfastly maintained that
the policy of the administration to Cuba