The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-26
MA0RID'S MlSSIVE MISSING.
HAS NOT VET REACHED IT'S WHITE
HOUSE DESTIN ALTON.

Neither Has the Reported Cipher
Cable Communication From Minis
ter WOOdford shown Up-The state
Department Well Charged to Meet
the Filibustering section of the
Spanish Document - The United
states Has Already spent $4,000
eco In Protecting Cuba For Spain.
Always ENerted Herself to Prevent
Suspected FiIibusters From Leav-
ing This Country.
Washington. Oct. est was stated pos
itively at the white house and at the
state department that up to noon to-day
the answer of Spain to the United States
had not reached the President or Secre-
tary Sherman, nor had they received the
1900 sword cable communication which it
is said Minister Woodford sent in cipher
from Madrid last Saturday. Under these
circumstances, 1t is impossible that any
formal consideration could be given by the
executive authorities here as to the next
move on the part of the gov
ernment. There was an abun-
dance of speculation in and about the
white house as to the issue presented by
Spain's answer, as briefly summarized in
cable reports, but from no authoritative
source could it be learned that the admin
istration had outlined any line of policy
to meet the situation now presented.
1t is not doubted among officials that the
basis Of the Spanish reply to Mr.. Wood
ford's note will be the charge that the
United states has not observed the re-
quirements Of international law in the
matter of preventing ilibusterng. In this
case the state department will have some
pertinent facts to present which, it's Off
cials 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 au-
thorities 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 permitted by our laws to pre-
vent the start.
1t has been so indulgent in this respect
as to accept statements from the Spanish
officials, not accompanied by proofs of the
facts alleged, but mere suggestions that
they had reason to believe that an expe-
dition was forming. In cases our govern
ment has proceeded to length in restraint
Of American commerce on insufficient evl-
dence furnished by the Spanish govern
ment that has resulted in the preference
of large claims by American shipowners
for illegal detention of their ships Then
the expense of maintaining the patrols
along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts have
been very heavy. Every time the state
department has been obliged to call upon
a collector al a port the result has been
q heavy bill of expenses for tugs, special
officers, and other charges, while the at
torney generals office, and, in fact, most
of the executive departments, have been
put to more or less trouble and expense.
The navy department, especially, has been
embarrassed, owing to the necessity for
diverting vessels from other places for the
disagreeable Florida patrol.
one official roughly estimated the ex-
pense that the United States has been
put to to protect the Cuban coast for
Spain at about 100000. Altogether, the
officials here are confident of their ability
70 show that the government has more
than complied with the requirements OF
international law, which, as laid down in
the Alabama arbitration, simply demands
that a nation use due diligence to prevent
the departure of hostile expeditions. on
this phase of the case the correspondence
may be kept alive between the state de-
partmnt and the Spanish government until
congress meets but 1t is expected that un-
less some results in the direction of the
suggestions Of Mr.. Woodford are forth
coming by that time, the President viii
refer the entire matter to congress, and
await its order.