The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-07

PEOPLE.
Washington, Oct. 8.-War with Spain
is In the air, and it is. in every depart
ment of this government. 1t is the fash
ion among the diplomats, heads of bureaus
and CLERKS to laugh at the idea OF war:
but there is no one in the State, War or
Navy Departments who does not believe
that either this government must back
down from the position it has assumed
towards Spain or fight, and that the
fight is not far off. There is everything
to suggest it in the War and Navy De-
partments, aside from the Intense strain
OF matters In the State Depar tment.
The coming and almost present crisis
is not the result of things happening be-
tween this country and Spain within the
present year. 1t was said Yesterday that
Cleveland's Secretary of State, o ney,
sa d that when Spain answered him
through Senior. Dupuy de LONE that
Spnin could not consent to interference
that the logical and inevitable result of
that practical Spanish ultimatum was
war.
There has been no change in the Span
ish attitude since the reply of Mr., de
LONE to Mr.. Olney. The present Sa.
gastn cabinet may yield On autonomy to
Cuba, which would make the island Il
satrapy, but the liberal premier has al
ready eliminated from the possibilities
freedom of the island, and that freedom
is what Is deG.anded alike by Cubans and
Americans without compromise The
mediation of America has been rejected,
and if Cuba is to be free America must
take n hand in the fight.
Cabinet officer was asked yesterday
If there were any reasons why this Yov
erDment should not consider that Spain
had given us her uliimatum in place of
General Woodf0rd having sent Spain an
ultimatum. He smiled and said that we
had not been insulted by the rejection of
friendly offices for II. ediation. and thai
was remote contingency, $50 far as this
country is concerned" he added. Spain.
on the contrary, is just now ready to
fight not only to retain Cuba, but to 80
lidify the Spanish people once smore I'M
der the monarchy. "You can take it for
granted" he said, ''that if the Sagasta
cabinet is failure, rs it undoubtedly
Will be, Spain must save herself from the
Republicans by precip'tating n war with
this country with the hope that out of
the strife will come II united Spanish
people, and that circumstances may get
her allies to save even the island of
Cuba"
as this country really for war with
SPAIN" he was asked.
81 think sou
by reasons of recent and present prep
arations?''
"No; the country has been strong
enough for the past year to seize Cuba,
to hold it and meet Spain anywhere on
our seaboard or at se,..''
In reply to a question rs to whether
there was anything unusual in progress
looking to war, he said nothing. He
did not even regard the great quantity'of
ammunition to he ordered by the Cabinet
thro ugn Congress a significant fact
He admitted, however, that there had
been steady progress for the past three
years in the direction of defensive and
offensive operations and preparations as
witness the works on the coast lines, the
incessant activities of our fleet. the prac-
ticing of our sailors in the duties of nc.
tive strife, the.practicing of torpedo boats,
the replacing of electricity as the power
instead of water in the turrets OF the
great ships, the enlistment of only the
best MEN at the recruiting stations, the
manufacture of more shells than could
be used in lifetime of peace. and the in.
quiries of the Navy Department rs TO the
availability of the merchant marine.
1t is said that it was Spain that occu-
pied the time of the Cabinet yesterday in.
stead of the an lual report The story
went the rounds that General Woodford
has been sulking, and that it was neces-
sary to send him cablegram asking him
to announce the new ministry. Che an
swer of General Woodford was promptly
given to the press, but only in one in
stance ':as there any comment thereon
The very Quietness of the situation
iii n1Om tirallu 10 q ort1irfr
Statesmen are asking themselves if
this quietness of the administration on
the Cuban question presages an out
break. Is it the cain that usually pre-
cedes the storm? During the last four
days three different Senators bave called
to see the President and have had long
conferences with him on various topics
In not single instance did the Pres-
dent mention Cuba and our relations
with Spain 1t appears to be tabooell
subject
Meanwhile the indications point
strongly to the fact that there is some.
thing stirring with respect to Cuba 1t
was expected up to the time of the
change in the Spanish ministry that we
should have big war scare lust about
the time that the campaign in Ohio
reached its height in order to telp out
the desperate cause of Hann;i, but the
substitute of Sagasta at the Spanish
helm made it impossible for Anne RIGA. in
decency, to push its contentious before
the new ministry had a chance to get
hold of the reins of government.
1t Is not believed that the break will
come so soon rs that, but there is a gen
eral opinion that it is bound to occur.
The Navy Department has been prepar-
ling for it, and the mass OF informatiot
that, departing MT is gathering together is
nf tho m III m IL a, a.,