The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-04-06
The National Situation.

"Of making many books there is no
end" or printing many columns of
guesses and speculation as to the pros
pect OF peace or war between the United
States and Spain there is no end. Out
side Of the President and the few who
have been taken behind the veil, no
one knows Of surety the situation of
affairs. 1t is understood, in a general
way, that President Mckinley sent his
"ultimatum" to the Spanish prime
minister last week. The terms were
supposed to be the independence Of
Cuba and the payment to Spain by the
latter Of an indemnity of 5000 ,0OO, 900.
The public had been semi-officially as
sured that il these terms were reject
ed, the President would turn the whole
matter over to Congress to deal with
the question as it saw fit. 1t was re-
ported that the terms had been reject
ed, and that Spain had made counter
proposals. Congress patiently awaited
the outcome Of the Presidents diplom-
acy. Sagasta's answer came on Fri
day, but Congress was gotten out of
the way till Monday when the country
was led to expect that message from
the President would reveal what had
been transporting behind the diplomatic
scenes. The message did not material
ize on Monday. 1t did not turn up ON
Tuesday, and the time of it's appear
ance now stretches on to Wednesday or
Thursday.
The whereabouts of the Spanish tor
pedo feet that left Spain in March is
a matter of anxious speculation. 1t
has been reported, or section of the
feet, at Cape Verde Islands, off the
coast of Africa, in about the same lati-
tude as Porto Rico. This is the near
est transatlantic point to Spsin's pos
sessions in this country, and the fleet
at that point would be at the end of
of cable communication with Spain.
There, it is commonly supposed, the
fleet is waiting for orders to cross the
Atlantic, but the first trustworthy It'd
ings as to its whereabouts may be its
sudden appearance in Cuban waters.
The two powerful Spanish cruisers that
had been lying in Havana harbor sud-
denly sailed away to the northeast, the
last of the week, presumably to join
this swarm of hornets and escort them
safely to their nest in the West Indies.
Naval officers have strongly urged the
President to send out the "aying squad
ron" gathered in Hampton roads to in
tercept and destroy these pestiferous
craft at sea, while they could be taken
at disadvantage, but the President
has said, no.
A squadron of powerful armored
cruisers, it is said, is gathering at Ca
diz, preparatory to coming to this side
of the waters. The apprehension is
that Spain is craftily managing nego-
tiations to gain time for the rendez-
vouring of her navy and its destructive
accompaniment at Porto Rico and in
the ports of Cuba. Then the United
States may look to the safety of her
feet at Key West and the cities of the
Atlantic coast. If this shall be the
outcome of the long drawn out nego-
tiations, fearful responsibility will
descend upon the Chief Executive;
but, on the other hand. if he succeeds
in securing the withdrawal of Spanish
authority from Cuba, and the absolute
independence of the island, by peace
full methods, he will be the hero of the
closing years of the century. But
things are not looking that way at this
time