Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-03-17
HAS SPAIN WEAKENEDH
War Preparations in United States Said
to Have Scared Spaniards.
Senator Davis Talks ON the Sltuatlon.-0 Quiet
In Washington Court of Inquiry I'm
decided az to just When 1t
win Leave Havana.

CHICAGO, March IA special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
Spain has shown the white feather. The
supposed naughty Spaniards have ut last be-
come impressed by the hostile preparations OF
| the United States and have begun secret nego-
tiations to withdraw their troops from Cuba
and to restore peace there A secret agent OF
the Spanish government Is now In this country
| for this purpose. He had an interview with
| President Mckinley yesterday and proposed
| that the insurgents should accept independence
| In everything but name. He proposed that
| Spain should withdraw her troops and permit
the inhabitants of Cuba to form n government
TO suit themselves, retaining only a shad-
owy allegiance to the mother country.
His offer was distinctly prelimi-
nary surrender, and II was intimated
that It's object was to let down Spain easily and
permit Of actual independence after affairs had
quIeted down In Cuba President Mckinley
declined to consider the offer until he knew
how the insurgents looked upon IT, The pres-
dent himself referred the secret envoy to Sec
rotary Quesada, who represents the Cuban re-
public In this city The Spanish agent swal-
lowed his pride and sued for peace from the
rebel representative, His offer was declined,
with the statement that the Cuban republic
would not accept loyalty TO Spain even In name
York last night to make Il final appeal to Es-
trada Palma, the Cuban delegate to this coun-
try, the head OF the iunta.
SENATOR DAVIS ON THE SITUATION
WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator Da-
Wis, chairman of the foreign relations
committee of the senate, dictated the
following statement:
IT, as the newspapers of the country assert,
President Mckinley has decided to intervene
in behalf OF the struggling CubanS, Of the truth
OF which am not informed, but one kind OF in
tervention is meant-armed intervention
There are two kinds of intervention. One is
known as moral intervention, where the head
OF nation uses his friendly offices In behalf Of
one or both Of the contestants or belligerents
But Intervention such as the American people
mean, and what President Mckinley will mean
under certain condition Of things not necessary
to name, isarmed Intervention, And such an in
tervention would otonly be quickly construed
on the part OF Spain as an act of war, but would
be an act Of war AS l understand it, this
country does not seek war with Spain, That it
will not declare war against Spain unless Spain
commits some overt act against this govern
ment Is clearly proved. The idea seems to be
deeply rooted in the minds OF some people that
the preparations going on, such as the mount
ing Of guns In Notifications, the purchase OF
powder and projectiles, the purchase of ships,
the enlistment OF men, the appropriation OF
$50, 900 900, the placing of extraordinary powers
in the hands OF the executive in times of peace,
actually mean war l do not so construe it,
They are most profound guarantees of peace,
and as such have impressed all nations.
SUNDAY QUIET AT WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, March H. Yesterday,
unlike the previous Sunday, when the
published statements of the desire for
the recall of Gen. Lee and the protest
of the Spanish government against
sending war vessels with relief sup
plies to Cuba caused much excitement
among official circles, was compare
lively quiet. There had been no in
formation bearing on the doings of
the court of inquiry on the Maine ex-
plosion received during the day or any
other dispatches calculated to cause
conferences between the heads of the
various departments. There were
number of the experts of
the war department ordnance Of
fee at their desks for short
time during the morning to attend to
some pressing matters, while at the
navy department the board of auxili-
airy cruisers held a final meeting pre-
paratory to the departure of the spe-
cial board to New York. Secretary
Long was at the navy department for
a short while. He stated late in the
afternoon that there was no news of
any nature for the press, and added in
response to q specific inquiry that
nothing had been received from the
court of inquiry.
The board on auxiliary cruisers met
in Assistant Secretary Roosevelt's
room during the morning. The naval
officials say there will be no difficulty
experienced in obtaining nil yes
sells that are desired, as there are hum
dreds available. A number of these
are vessels which have been construct
ed under the subsidy act of congress
and are engaged in carrying the mails.
The vessels to be examined will in
clude all classes, from liners like the
St. Paul to ocean-going tugs, which
can be of very material service for
number of purposes. At Fort Wash
ington gun factory are now, in various
stages of construction, no fewer than
$50 guns of formidable character on
which work is being done night and
day, with a view to their early COM
pletion.
THE COURT OF INQUIRY.
HAVANA, March IA. The court of
inquiry did good deal of work yester-
day, examining Ensign Powelson and
such divers of the wrecking company
as have been investigating the wreck.
1t was said yesterday that these divers
h nd hnen relensed frnrn f11r.tha1. 1unrlr