Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-09
TOPIC OF THE HOUR
The Alleged Letter Of the Spanish
Minister.
GROSS ABUSE OF TIE PRESIDENT
Communication to a Spanish
Journalist.
STORY OF CUBAN JUNTA
STORY OF CUBAN JUNTA

Dy senior Dupuy dc LONE, the spanish min
lister at this capital, as contained in let
ter which he is said to have written to
Senior Cauelejas. a Spanish journalist, who
recently visited this country to sound the
sentiment of the people on the Cuban ques-
ton. 1t is asserted that the letter was
written in the latter part Of Decembsr, or
early in January, and the minister Is rep
resented as having made the following
statements in reference to the Presidents
message to Congress in December last:
THE message has undeceived the insur-
gents, who expected something else, and
has paralyzed the action Of Congress, but
1 consider it bad. Besides the natural and
inevitable coarseness with which he re-
peats all that the press and public opinion
of Spain has said of Weyler, it shows once
more what Mckinley is, weak and catering
to the rabble, and, besides, low politician
who desires to leave door open to me and
to stand well with the jingoes of his
party"
Discovery of the Letter.
A copy Of the letter was given to the
press in New York last evening by Horatio
S. Rubens, counsel for the Junta, who
vcuched for it's authenticity. He said the
letter was taken from Senior Canelejas
private papers while he was in Havana,
ana tndl the original IS now IN the pos
session of the man who brought it to New
York from Cuba, adding that 1t will be
produced If its authenticity is disputed.
The story of the discovery of the letter as
told by one writer in New York is as fol-
lows:
80 astonishing v ere the contents of the
letter that CaneleJas could not help telling
some of his friends in the palace about 1t.
1t was the subject Of much gossip among
the officers of the captain generals staff
however e.
came too pronounced. and Canelejas denied
It, A Cuban in Havana, who was out
wardly a Spaniard but at heart a patriot,
heard of the letter. He learned by acct
in a certain pigeon hole in Canelejas desk.
He waited his chance. One day when
no one was in the room he slipped the
letter out of it's envelope and carried it
away with him. He left the envelope
where he found it. so that the letter was
not missed until weeks afterward.
"Canelejas afterward came to New York.
He met several prominent Cubans by ap-
pointment one evening at the Fifth Ave
rue Hotel He asked them politely If they
would ever accept autonomy, and they as
politely said no.
.-Then the Spanish editor went to Wash
ington and was the guest of the Spanish
minister for several weeks. The Cuban
who stole the letter arrived here Monday
and at once turned this letter over to the
Junta."
The letter, as translated, reads as fol-
lows:
LEGATION DE ESPANA, Washington.
Eximo Senior Don Jose Canalejas.
My Distinguished and Dear Friend: You
need not apologize for not having written
to me- also ought to have written to you,
but have not done so on account OF being
weighed down with work and nous sommes
quittes.
Tho cituotion hara continues mechanical
Everything depends on the political and
military success in Cuba. The prologue OF
this second method Of warfare will end the
day that the colonial cabinet will be ap
pointed, and 1t relieves us In the eyes OF
this country of a part of the responsibility
Of what may happen there, and they must
cast the responsibility upon the Cubans,
whom they believe to be so immaculate.
Until then we will not be able to see
clearly, and 1 consider it to be a loss Of
time and an advance by the wrong road,
the sending of emissaries to the rebel field,
the negotiating with the autonomistS not
yet declared to be legally constituted, and
the discovery Of the intentions and pur-
pose of this government. The exiles will
return one by one, and when they return
will come walking into the sheep fold, and
the chiefs will gradually return. Neither
of these had the courage to leave en- masse,
and they will not have the courage to thus
return.
The message has undeceived the insur-
gents. who expected something else, and
has paralyzed the action Of Congress, but
consider 1t bad. Besides the natural and
inevitable coarseness with which he repeats
all that the press and public opinion OF
Spain has said Of Weyler. 1t shows once
more what Mckinley is. weak and catering
to the rabble and besides a low politician.
who desires to leave door open to me and
to stand well with the jiugoes Of his party.
Nevertheless. as matter of fact, 1t viii!
only depend on ourselves whether he will
adverse i
tirely with you, without military success
nothing will be accomplished there, and
without military and political success there
Is here always danger that the insurgents
will be encouraged, II not by the govern
ment. at least by part of the public opin-
lon.
to the role of England. Nearly all the
newspaper canaille which swarms in your
hotel are English. and at the same TINA
that they are correspondents of the Jour
best newspapers and reviews of London.
Thus 1t has bsen since the beginning. To
my mind the only object of England Is that
the Americans should occupy themselves
with us and leave her in peace, and II
there Is war, SO much the better; that
would further removs what Is threatening
her-although that will never happen.
1t would be most important that you
should agitate the question OF commercial
relations. even though 1t would be only for
effect, and that you should send hers
man OI Importance III OrQeE LndI i might
use him to make propaganda among the.
senators and others in opposition to the
junta and to win over exiles.
There goes Amblarad. believe he comes
too deeply taken up with little political
matters, and there must be something very
great or we shall lose.
Adela returns your salutation, and wa
wish you In the new year to be a messen-
ger Of peace and take this new years pres
ent to poor Spain.
Always your attentive friend and SER
want, who kisses your hands,
ENRIQUE DUPUY DE LONE.
In giving out the letter Mr. Rubens made
the following statement: I'VE know that
the letter Is genuine o 1t has bean care
fully compared by experts with the hand
writing OF Senior Dupuy de LONE. and 1t
was written on the official letter-head Of
the Spanish legation at Washington. We
took great care to verify 1t before we made
1t public, as we believe that the letter is Of
the greatest importance in ths present sit
uation as showing how Spain and her min
lister feel toward the United States"