The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-26
Similar I'm Tone to the Answer Given
Secretary OIney by a Former Cab
met Eighteen Months Ago.
PRESIDENT IS IN NO HURRY
AND WILL PROBABLY REFER THE
WHOLE MATTER TO CONGRESS.
Expense of Watching FiIfbusters-NO
Word from WOodfOrd Regarding
the Answer to His Note.
sneciai to The Indianapolig Journal.

Spain towards the United States in regard
to Cuba has undergone no change. That
governments reply to Minister Woodford' S
note is practically identical with that which
was made to Mr.. Olney in response to SIM
liar note from the United States nearly
eighteen months ago. The two govern
ments, therefore. occupy relatively the same
position they have since the beginning of
the insulTection on the island. The tenor
and spirit Of Sagastas reply to the Wood
ford note is about what was expected, to
w.t. that Spain will not permit outside in
reference in what she is pleased to consider
a strictly family affair. The immediate eff
feet of the Spanish declaration will be to
strengthen the new Ministry at home and to
bring the Washington administration
squarely up against the proposition that the
United States will have to take the intia-
tive If it is desired that we should interfere
in any way to bring about settlement of
the war and to restore peace on the island
The President has not indicated what his
purpose will be, and it is not unreasonable
to suppose that he will await the meeting
of Congress- now only six weeks away, be-
fore outlining his policy. The talk in ad-
ministration circles is that the whole sub
ject will be reserved for discussion in the
Presidents message to Congress and that
whatever is done he will ask the direction
and cooperation of Congress in advance
The President has no Cuban policy which
he wants to force down the throats of Con-
gress or the people.
An Associated Press dispatch says: Up to
the close of office hours to-day Spains reply
to Woodford's note on the Cuban ques-
tion had not reached the President or State
nrfT 4
quarters by those in a position to know
what had occurred at Madrid that the N
swer had not been delivered to Minister
Woodford up to to-day. 1t has been ap-
proved by the Cabinet, however, and is 70
be communicated to Minister Woodford late
to-day or tomorrow. 1t is not doubted
among officials here that the basis of the
Spanish reply will be the charge that the
United States has not observed the re-
quirements of interna sonar lssv ff4i t.
ter OF preventing filibustering. In this case
the State Department will have some peril
nent facts to present, which, its officials
believe, will completely ALLEVIATE from Spain
any sympathy that she may have attracted
from other European nations on that score
1t is asserted positively that in no single
case where the Spanish authorities have
brought to the attention of our government
the fact that an illegal expedition was
about to start from our shores for Cuba
has it neglected to use all the means per-
mitted by our laws to prevent the start.
1t has been so indulgent in this respect as
to accept statements from the Spanish Of
fcials not accompanied by proofs of the
facts alleged, but mere suggestions that
they had reason to believe that an expedi-
tion was forming. In cases our government
has proceeded to lengths in restraint or
American commerce on insufficient evidence
furnished by the Spanish government that
has resulted in the preference of large
claims by American ship owners for Illegal
detention of their ships. Then the expense
of maintaining the patrols along the At
ianflc and gulf coasts have been very
heavy Every time the State Department
mas Deen Obliged to call upon collector at
a port the result has been heavy bill of
expenses Tor tugs, special officers and other
charges while the attorney generals Office,
and, in fact, most of the executive depart
ments, have been put to more or less trou-
Die and expense. The Navy Department
especially, has been embarrassed. owing 70
the necessity Of diverting vessels from other
places for the disagreeable Florida patrol
One official roughly estimated the expense
tect the Cuban coast for Spain at about
$2,VOU,OOO. This is probably large estimate,
but one naval officer, who is thoroughly
cognizant OF the strain put upon the de-
partment by the patrol, stated that it would
really be cheaper for the United States m
send a fleet to Cuba and blockade the coast
there against incoming fiIibusters than to
try to stop them on our own extensive coast
line Altogether, the officials here are con-
fdent of their ability to show that the gov
ernment has more than compiled with the
requirements of international law, which.
as laid down in the Alabama arbitration,
simply demands that nation "use due dill
igence" to prevent the departure of hostile
expeditions. On this phase of the case the
correspondence may be kept alive between
flna toto Nan fVfF1 oF1ft,
ernment until Congress meets, but it is ex-
pected that unless some results in the di-
rection of the suggestions of Mr.. Woodford
are forthcoming by that time the President
will refer the entire matter to Congress and
await its order.
A denial was made by an authoritative
source that Minister Dupuy De LONE had
intimated to the State Department that
Spain would resort to the search and seiz-
ure of suspected American vessels on the
high seas If flibustering expeditions con-
tsnued to leave this country. The reports,
1t is believed, grew out of visits made by
the minister to the State Department last
Monday. and Thursday. At these visits he
called the attention of the officials to the
circumstances OF the departure of the al
thorities were put in possession of explicit
information of the plans of the vessel Re-
gret was expressed by the minister at this
occurrence. as it was felt that # would Gre
ate 4 bad impression at Madrid at a time
when the government was maturing its pol
Icy. Beyond this, however, the minister
made no reference to retaliation on Amer
lean vessels or as to searches on the high
seas 1t is said a prerequisite to such ac-
ton would be an announcement by Spain
of the blockade of all the ports OF Cuba, and
certainly no step along such radical lines
has been proposed thus far.
The diplomatic procedure in connection
with Spain's reply to the Woodford note is
that it will be communicated to him by the
minister of foreign affairs at Madrid It
will not be sent to Minister Dupuy De
LONE, as 1t is distinctly part of commune
cations between Minister Woodford and the
Ltd @fFtn tnI and fc 81 oh.
notes between the State Department and
the government of Spain. AS intimations
have been made that the instructions to
Minister Woodford would be made public
at Madrid. the statement was made by offi-
cials here that no publications of the in
structions before the assembling of Con-
gress would be approved by the United
States, and without this approval II would
the Madrid authorities to make public the
correspondence.
mo