The herald., 1898-02-10

to the Spanish Minister to make any
statement at this time as to the in.
tentions of the State Department" said
Assistant Secretary Day in answer t.
question as to what procedure would
be followed in treating the letter writ.
ten by Senior DeLome to Senior Canale-
jas
1t was said that up to noon the depart
ment was absolutely ignorant officially
that such letter had been written. OF
course, the publication in the morning
newspapers had been seen and had Gre
ated a sensation in official circles. The
President himself was not long in ignor.
ance of the matter, for Assistant Secre.
tary Day called upon him early. 1t was
after this conference that Mr.. Day made
his statement to a number of news
paper men.
Secretary Sherman assumed similar
position, though he let it be known thai
the writing Of such a letter as that pub
lished would constitute a breach OF
diplomatic etiquette of which our gov
ernment must take notice.
1t is believed that after a reasonable
delay the matter will be brought to the
attention of the Spanish government
through Minister Woodford, presuming
that no action has been taken by the
Spanish Minister himself before that
time, and a changed representative of
Spain at Washington may be expected
in due order. The letter being genuine,
there is no excuse that will be acceptable
to our government.
SENATORIAL COMMENT
There were few senators who had not
read the De LONE letter when the sem
ate met today, but there were compare
lively few of them willing to express an
opinion on it.
'It is a very serious matter" said
Senator Gray of the committee on for
eigne relations; "too serious, indeed, to
discuss carelessly. Mr.. de LONE is en-
titled to a suspension of judgment until
the responsibility is more definitely de-
termined than at present.
"If it is true" said Senator Foraker,
also member of the foreign relations
committee, "Mr. de LONE ought to be
given his passport Immediately"
Senator Spooner: "If true it is gross
attack and most astounding, but l can
not discuss it, in view of the doubt as
to its genuineness."
Senator Hawley: at is matter for
the state department to deal with, and
does not for the present come within
the domain of congress. I have no doubt
that it will be properly handled by the
department"
Senator Stewart: "The sentiment ex-
pressed is in line with Spain's policy
and disposition. We do everything to
conciliate the Spaniards; they recipro-
cate by despising u.s."
MAY CAUSE A CRISIS
TIE De LONE incident was almost the
Bole topic of conversation among the
members of the house. Its contents
were considered such a manifest breach
of diplomacy that many refused to credit
it.
Chairman Hit of the foreign affairs
committee, Chairman Dingley of the
ways and means committee. and other
leading Republicans. declined to ex-
press any opinion at this time. On the
assumption that the letter was authen-
tic, however, the opinion was almost
unanimous that no self-respecting gov
ernment could tolerate such criticism
of its chief executive, and that Minis
ter de Lomes words had put an end to
his usefulness at this capital. Some fear
was also expressed that the recall of
Minister de LONE, while affairs were in
their present delicate condition. might
precipitate a crisis.
DE LONE STILL SILENT
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Senor de
LONE received a number of callers dur
Ing the day and those sustaining close
relation to him. he did not question the
authenticity of the published letter,
making it clear that he would scorn the
subterfuge of q denial for purposes of
expediency. The only question raised
was as to the accuracy of translation,
for the published translations gave
severity to some of the expressions on
the president which were regarded as
Resigned to magnify the actual state
ments. Among the minister's friends
the act of stealing a confidential letter
and making it public was considered as
more reprehensible than the writing of
the letter itself.
1t was the general impression among
the minister's associates of the diplo-
matte corps that while the publication
disclosed a grave impropriety, yet it was
one that might happen to any one of
them in the course of their confidential
communications in which the greatest
freedom of expression is used in order
to convey full understanding of an in
ternational question.
A JINGO INTRIGUE
MADRID, Feb. 9.-Midnight-The De
LONE letter incident is regarded here as
jingoist intrigue, intended to disturb
the relations between the United States
and Spain.
AN ENGLISH REMARK
LONDON, Feb. 1O.-The Washington
correspondent of the Daily News says:
president Mckinley is resolved that
Spain shall have no vestige of an excuse
to pick a quarrel with the United States
and Spain can disown De Lome's utter
Rnces without the slightest loss of dig
nifty
With the exception of the Daily Mail
the morning papers do not comment on
the De LONE incident. The Daily Mail
Bays:
I'VE cannot suppose the De LONE let
ter genuine; but il it is, then all the fat
would be in the fire. Things have reached
pass where little is wanted to cause an
explosion. Even the recall of Senor de
LONE would not satisfy or pacify the
tnsulted iingoes."
-~S
Covered Kids Forfeit