Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-03-28
SPAIN IS NOW At BAY
Informs Uncle Sam That She Has
Reached the Limit Of Her
Concessions"
DUB LATEST note TO THE DoSs,
They Are Told That the Time Is Near
for action BY the Uaited
States,

70 which the Reply Il That Spain Ca.no,
Admit the "Iuterfcrencs" Foreshadowed
In the Note-lnformal Cabinet Council
at Washington Observation-Disclosures
Will Iusist ON Practical Independence
for Cubs-situation In Congress-Lib.
erals Win In the Spanish Elections.
Havana, via Key West. Fla, March
Saturday night 1t was persistently
stated on alleged good authority that
the palace officials here had received a
cipher dispatch from Madrid which in
effect said Prepare for war" 1t is
pretty certain that intimation was given
that the time for evasion or delay on
the part OF Spain was drawing to a
close.
London, March 2s.-The Madrid cor
respondent Of The Standard says: II
am able to state that the following is
the real course Of the negotiations:
During the past week. on Wednesday,
United States Minister woodford had
an official interview with the minis
tiers Of foreign affairs and the colonies.
Seniors Gullon and Moret, at the private
residence of the former. 1t lasted two
hours. General woodford left with
them an official note explaining fully
the views and intentions Of the Amer
lean government. In this document no
comminatory intimation was made nor
any date fixed. but 1t was clearly and
iirmiy stated that the United States
government could not longer withhold
from congress the correspondence and
consular reports which not only put in
full light the condition OF the distressed
rural population of Cuba, the made
quate relief and the persistence of dis
affection. but also showed that the new
colonial policy and other efforts Of Spain
had not produced then results that would
justify holding cut the prospect of early
paoification.
Intervention to Como Very Soon.
Consequently the American note lays
stress upon the fact that contingencies
are now fast approaching for the action
which was foreshadowed in presidential
messages sind diplomatic correspon-
dence so frequently and clearly during
the last three years. The American
note and the language Of General Wood
ford in his conference with Senior GulloR
leave no doubt that II is the intention
of the Washington government to &C,
very soon. beginning with the COM
munication OF the above document and
the Maine report to congress and send
Ing relief officially to the distressed Gu
bans"
Spain Disagrees with Us
"On Friday" continues the Madrid
correspondent of The Standard, Gen
eral Woodford had by appointment an
other official interview with Senior Gull
Ion, in which he received the official
reply of the Spanish government to the
American memorandum Of March %.
The Spanish reply, couched in firm
language. says that the Spanish gov
eminent cannot agree with the conclu-
sions the American government has
drawn from Inaccurate information that
does not tally with the recent activity
and progress of the military operations
in Cuba and the visible popularity and
progress of the new colonial insti.u-
tions. which have been Loyalty accepted
and are supported by even the old ad-
versaries of home rule in the colony.
Cannot Admit American Interference,
Spain" the reply continues, cannot
naturally admit the interference which
Is foreshadowed in the American note,
and deprecates the sending of official
relief and war vessels to Cuba, as being
the very clements that have
retarded the pacification Of the
colony. Spain reminds the Ameri-
can government of all the concessions
she has made to preserve peaceful re-
lations and to conciliate the United
States. the last proof being her WILL
ingness to submit the conflicting COM
mission reports as to the Maine to arbi-
tration.
Limit Of Concessions Is Reached.
In conclusion the Spanish reply
shows that the government believes Il
has reached the extreme limit of con-
cessions compatible with the honor and
dignity of Spain. and will rot admit
encroachments on her rights of SOW
ereiSnty 10 the west. The matter now
rests with the president. and both gov
vernments evidently consider the Maine
affair a mere inci,0t in the more i'm
portant issues about to be raised by the
conduct of the United States"
INFORMAL CABINET COUNCIL.