The evening times., 1898-04-16
PEACE PLAN OF THE POWERS
May Restrain President From
Approving Resolutions.
CHRISTINA WILL SCORE Us
If Pressure Should BE Brought TO
kfnIey Signing M Independence
observation-disclosures Austria anu
Italy Interested.

European intervention in the Cuban
question will be largely determined by
| the character of the action taken by
! Congress. This much is certain. Rep
| resentatives of the powers here are
equally certain that no further pres
sure will be exerted upon Spain TO Sc
cure additional concessions.
If pressure should be determined upon
! by the powers it will be brought TO
bear upon President Mckinley. and it
viii! be employed with a view to pre-
venting him from approving any reso-
J luton which contains recognition OF
the independence of the insurgents,
who, he declared in his message to
! Congress, possessed none of the attri-
butes of a sovereign people.
On the other hand, il is doubtful if
the great powers of Europe will unite
in another note to the President in case
resolution such as suggested by Mr..
Mckinley in his message, or even that
passed by the House, should be pre-
sented to him for his action. 1t is
felt by the members of the diplomatic
corps that the House resolution, while
directing Intervention, would not neces-
sarIly precipitate war, because il mere
ly authorizes and empowers the Pres
ident to employ the land and naval
forces to execute the purpose of the
resolution.
The representatives of France, Aus
tria and Italy, the powers taking the
most interest in the matter, believe
that the President in urging Congress
to authorize him to take measures to
secure in the island the establishment
Of a stable government" thereby ex-
pressed his willingness TO permit Spain
TO retain her flag in Cuba, and had no
intention of annexing Cuba or of driv-
ing a European power from the Ameri-
can continent
The House resolution, il was pointed
out, meant practically the same thing,
although it directs the President To
intervene with the purpose of securing
by the free action of the people a
stable and independent government of
their own" 1t is felt that such a
resolution will permit the President to
allow Spain time ia which to restore
peace and order in the island by means
OF the armistice which she is now en-
deavoring to get the insurgents TO ac-
cept.
Spain m eanwhile is turning the mac
ton of the United States To her own
advantage. Authoritative and official
information has reached one of the em-
bassies here from the representative of
its government in Madrid to the effect
that when the Spanish Cortes meets
the Queen will submit an address
which will attempt to answer the de-
nunciation Of Spain made by the Pres |
ident in his message TO Congress.
Furthermore, this address. which is
now prepared by the cabinet, will con-
tain a scathing criticism of the course |
followed by the United States, which |
Spain will assert has fostered the rev. |
oiution in accordance with an ulterior |
motive entertained by this country. |
The address will be a bid for the sym |
pathy of Europe in that it will recite |
the concession made at the suggestion |
of the Pope, and the influence exerted |
by the great powers, to which the |
American Government has not given |
the slightest consideration.
In addition to this address, which will |
be delivered when the Cortes meets in |
extraordinary session on Wednesday /
next, Spain, il is expected in official |
diplomatic circles here. Will instruct !
her ambassadors at the courts of Eu /
rope to call attention TO what she will |
term the unjust imputation cast upon /
her by the American Court OF Inquiry 1
and by the President of the United |
States in his message, and finally the |
terrible accusation made by the Senate /
Committee on Foreign Relations that |
she is criminally responsible for the de- |
struction of the battle-ship Maine
This imputation and accusation she |
will declare are not justified by any |
evidence obtained by the American |
Court, and are expressly contradicted /
by her own court of inquiry. 1t is be- |
lieved that she will call attention to the
fact that. at the suggestion of the Eu- |
ropean powers, she offered to accept |
the findings of a court of inquiry, the |
members of which were to be appointed |
by the maritime nations of the world, 1
but that this suggestion was not ac-
cepted in Washington, and therefore
she will most earnestly protest against |
the imputation and accusation made |
against her.
The result of such a note is not diff
ficut to foresee. The representatives |
of the great powers believe that it will
more than ever arouse the sympathy
of Europe to be followed, or to be per-
haps anticipated, by prompt action
should the Congress of the United |
States pass a resolution according the
insurgents a recognition of their inde-
pendence.
That Spain is making every effort to |
improve her relations with foreign gov
ernments is shown by her action in
consulting them in every step she
takes. Until Congress acts, however
the efforts of the great powers, es-
pecially those of France and Austria |
will be directed to securing a basis of |
agreement upon which action can be
taken when necessary.
Spains prospective instruction in |
regard to the Maine and the forthcom-
ing address of the Queen viii not affect
the character of the action which the
powers will determine upon, but the
knowledge of their contents. which is
now entertained, will naturally excite
sympathy and may exert the powers |
to greater effort to secure a peaceful |
solution of the Cuban question with
out affecting Spain's sovereignty over
the island.