The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-28
wOODFORD's NOTE.
Officials at Washington Surprised at
the Way Spaniards View 1t.

WASHINGTON, Dec. %. - The officials
here are somewhat surprised at the exhibit
ton of feeling at Madrid over the latest
note of Minister Woodford, delivered to the
Spanish oreign flee the day before Christ
mas. While the note itself will not be made
public at present it is said there is no rea-
son whatever why it should be withheld
save the fact that the preceding steps in
the negotiation have not yet seen the light
in the newspapers and it is desirable when
a publication is made to preserve the COM
plete chain of events in natural order. Pos
sibly the correspondence will be shortly
called for by Congress- in which case it is
not likely to be withheld on grounds of pub
lie policy. The last note presented by Min
lister Woodford was in answer to the Span
ish note called forth by Mr. Woodford's
first note after his arrival at Madrid In the
initial note the United States minister point
ed out the interest of his country in an
early termination of the present struggle in
Cuba and asked when such a conclusion
could be expected. The Spanish government,
in its reply, acknowledged our interest in
the matter, but suggested after stating
what it intended to do to amelicrate con-
ditions in Cuba. that the United States could
best exercise it's good offices by stopping
hlibustering To this Mr.. Woodiord respond
ed with his note of last week. 1t is said to
be purely argumentative statement of the
position taken by the United States, and the
facts set out are substantially those so
strongly drawn in the Presidents message
to Congress of which it was supposed the
Spanish public had been fully advised
through the newspapers. The most forcible
statement in the note Is based on the facts
collected and published recently by the
United States Treasury Department exhibit
ing the great expense to which the United
States had been put by reason OF it's efforts
10 patrol an enormous coast in pursuit of a
few nltbuSterS and the remarkable success
OF the government officials in stopping these
expeditions contrasted with the feeble
Efforts of the Spanish authorities to mann
tam Il patrol around the island of Cuba.
All of these facts were included in Mr.
WOOdfOrdS note, and while he put them i'll
his own language IN presenting them to the
Spanish oreign Office. it is said the state
ments concern only events that have already
been touched on
The new cuban Cabinet, which, with the
captain general of Cuba, will form the ex-
ecutive organization under the autono-
nous regime, will be announced during the
present week, according 10 the expecta
ton of Spanish officials here. There is no
doubt that Senior GalVeZ will be the first
premier. He has been long prominent as the
leader of the Autonomist party in the ISL
and. He Is described man of wide in
fuence among the most substantial Cuban
elements and popular with the people at
large Senior Amblard will be another name
in the Cabinet list If he will consent to take
a place. He has been i'm Washington for
several days in conference With the Spanish
1t is possible that Senior Amblard may prefer
to continue in parliamentary life, i'm which
case il Is believed he Will become the leader
OF the Cuban party in the Cortes-