New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-01
SPANS ANSWER RECEIVED.
PRESIDENT MKINLEY HAS THE REPLY
TO HIS DEMANDS.
A DISPATCH FROM MINISTER wOODFORD CAME AT
LATE HOUR LAST NIGHT AND WAS NOT
MADE PUBLTc-A DAY OF sUs-
PESSE IN WASHINGTON.

PESSE IN WASHINGTON.
Washington March 3l--Spain's official reply
to President McKney's latest demand In the
Cuban situation was received in Washington to-
night An anxious party, comprising most OF
the Cabinet and several close friends Of the Ad-
rnlnistration, waited til late In the evening In
expectation OF developments. About 1890 the
message began to come In cipher. and the work
Of translation was begun at once. 1t was off,
clally announced however. that no intimation
as to the nature Of the reply would oe divulged
tonight.
Among those ut the White House were Sen
ator Hanna, Secretary Alger. Secretary Bliss
Assistant Secretary Day who dined with the
Pressdo ut: Assistant Secretary Adee. to whom
was ccnflded the ira. station OF the message
Senator Spooner and Senator Aldrlch. There
was an Intensely expectant crowd Of newspaper
cores sponderts. larger than often gathers at
the White House at night. waiting In the LOBBY
outside the Presidents office. But they were
destined 10 disappointment. for after the teie-
graph instrument in the adjoining Office had
steadily cattcred for half an hour MI Porter
the Presidents secretary. appeared with the
announcement from Judge Day that 1t was I'M
possible - translate the message in time to give
out any statement tonight The telegraph In
strumcnt was still clicking when the corre-
| spondents filed out indicating that the message
at least quite lengthy
HOURS OF SUSPENSE.
This was n day OF anxious waiting for span's
! reply 20 the demands OF the United states con-
! tcmpatlng the termination Of the war In CUBA
/ and the independence Of the island On that
/ reply. It was universally believed, the issue
/ between peace or war would be decided. unless
some new and unexpected considerations arose
/ o. postpone the issue further
/ Th. gravity Of the situation was felt In all
/ official quarters. 1t was not day OF RAPID
devolopments. as when war preparations were
/ following each other IN rapid succession pu'
the tension was ever greater from the un-
certainty that prevailed and the feeling that
/ Spain would not concede the complete inde-
/ pcndence OF Cuba
Tn, White House continued to be thronSed
/ with leaders IN Congress. anxious TO learn from
/ tie President what his course was 10 be. The
/ general impression conveyed by these leaders
7 ar,cr thov had been with the President was that
he expected 70 haze definite replies from Spain
IN time ~ present the entire subject TO Congress
+ hy next Monday.
Tho state Department the centre OF IN
,crest throughout the day. as Il was there that
Minister Woodford's dispatch announcing
snaiu's attitude was expected 70 be received
throughout business hours no word was re-
celved from the United States Minister. Secre-
,ary sherman loft the Department at o'clock
saying that no response had come UP to that
time. At I o'clock Judge Day. the Assistant
J. Secretary started FOR the White House in com
rany with Secretary Long. lie said IN response
20 an inquiry that no reply had been received
from Madrid. He added that he had hoped 70
receive the reply This evening. but he began to
fear that :, might he delayed until tomorrow.
ATTITUDE or EUROPEAN POWERS.
Tho attitude - European Powers continued
g, he seriously discussed in official quarters as
it was feIt that an offer of European mediation
WIS almost certain 10 follow n crisis. No
distinct offer has been submitted up 70 the pres
cnt time. The cable report from Berlin that
Germany was menacng Spain on an old claim.
and was about to make n naval demonstration
in cuban waters. attracted much attention The
German Ambassador. Or Won Holl'ben. said
that ne had received Information as TO this
renor,od move nor was no acquainted with the
I "Cannamaha" case referred 10 In the dispatch
/ The Spanish Minister is also unacquaint-
ed with the "Cannamaba" case. and does not
credit the report that Germany has taken steps
- a decisive character The Spanish Ambassa-
dor M Berlin is the father law OF the Spanish
VI
know II Germany had made a move involving
/ the dispatch OF a warship to Cuba for punitive
PURPOSES. r. was the general feeling that II Ger
many had taken any such action it would have
decided influence on the Spanlsh-Amcrican
situation and seriously preJudcial 10 Spain
/ For this reason q was the opinion OF diplomats
/ that Germany would not choose su1h juncture
as the present IN order to make emergency de-
r-arIs in a claim against Spain
said prominent diplomat to-day: Spain
seems to be under the impression that her
national honor forbids her from surrenderng
any part Of her colonial domain under the
pressure ~ the United States. There are. how
ever praceicr.s showing that European Powers
have preserved their diglIty while making SIM
/ liar concessions. II may be remembered that
the lonian Islands part OF the Turkish En-
rlrc we're afterward ceded 10 Greece by Great
/ Rritaln and that Neneta was not surrendered
bv Austria directly to Italy. but 10 France. who
/ transferred IL TO the Government OF Victor
Emmanuel"