The Mena star., 1898-03-16
BACKING DOWN.
Spain Has Shown the White Feather
 in the Cuban Matter.
Now Willing That the Island Should Have Independence in All but Name-Presi- dent and Cabinet Without Knowl-
 edge About Maine Inquiry.

CHIcAGo, March LA special to the Tribune from Washington says: 1 Spain has shown the white feather The l supposed naughty Spaniards have at last be- 1 come impressed by the hostile preparations of the United States and have begun secret nego- tiatfons to withdraw their troops from Cuba and to restore peace there secret agent of the Spanish government Is now in this country for this purpose. He had an interview with kresident 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 government to suit themselves, retaining only shad- , owy allegiance to the mother country. | His offer was distinctly prelimi- nary surrender. and 1t 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 presi- dent himself referred the secret envoy to Sec retary 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 only. Spains peace commissioner left for New sYoik last night to make final appeal to Es-
 
 try. the head of the junta
 They Are Wholly Without Knowledge
 CHICAGO, March i5 Walter We'll man telegraphs as follows to the Times-Herald: Despite all the news paper statements 10 the contrary, President Mckinley does not know what the report of the board of in- quiry will be. Neither does any mem- l.,.. .f 41,. L. testimony taken by the court has reached the president. Nor has any mem Der of the court written line to the president, or conveyed any infor- nation whatever to him, directly or indirectly. The president and all the mem oers of his cabinet are wholly W 1hout knowledge of the cause of the disaster. They have their opinions, but they are not framing policies or ta Sing actions upon the basis of opin- ion.
 Win Be Considered Separately.
 l. is now said to be the settled pur- pose of the presiderst' to consider the Maine disaster and the Cuban question q two different subj jects, as it was psi rinally reported in these dispatches h would do. But it is foreseen that l. tain contingencies the two ques- t~.s, will inevitably run together. l. gnition of independence is an ex- ec i've function, according to the pe ctices of this nation, and recogn-
 -- of the independence of Cuba by la president of the United States would withous shadow of doubt bring to d focus the whole question of CubRs future.
 of Raising War Revenues.
 WASHINGTON March 15. The presi- dent is preparing for war taxation lie has been in consultation with Sec retary Gage and Chairman Dingley, of the house ways and means committee, on the best methods to pursue should war become necessity The expend- itures of the government are already on war footing, while the revenues are based only on peace footing. It will soon become necessary to make new arrangements, and it is on these that consultation has been held Chair man Dingley said that he had the line of policy to be pursued already mapped out in his own mind. He stated that it is the intention of the administra- tion to raise as much of these funds by internal taxation as possible Plans adopted during the civil war period will be largely followed and the first taxes will be levied on bank checks, legal papers, proprietary med icines, etc.
 Young Lee Says There Will Re War.
 TAMPA, Fla, March 15. -Fitzhugh Lee .Jr son of Gan T,ea has arr;vad here from Havana Although reticent about stating anything of an official nature, he made the following state ment: While in Havana ascertained a number of facts concerning the pres ent strained situation between Spain and the United States. I am of the opinion that war between the two countries is imminent, notwithstand- ing the fact that diplomacy will be taxed to it's furthest limit to prevent it."
 Says 1t Was Spanish Treachery.
 WASHINGTON, March 15.-Col. Myron A. Parker, one of the leading business men of Washington, who accompanied Senator Proctor on his recent visit to Cuba, said that the Americans on the island had no doubt that the disaster to the Maine was caused through Spanish agency. He said there was absolutely no difference of opinion among the Americans as to the cause of the disaster having been an external explosion.
 Germany Hostile to srain.
 BERLIN, March 14. - 1..e Berlin foreign office has instructed the in-