Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-07


ner given by Consui-Ge Lee to the
officers of the Maine. The list OF
guests on that occasion is said to have
omitted some of the Spanish naval Of
flcers, and to have included. quite con
spicuously, the names uf n number of
American newspaper correspondents
who Were regarded by the Snanish Of
fcials at Hnvanu as antagonIstic to
them. This was also brought to the
attention Of the officials but was not
made the basis of any action hut rnther
of unofficial Spanish criticism Of Gen.
Lees general mode Of procedure.
WHY GEN. LEE WAS OBJECTED TO
Within recent days It has been I'M
derstcod by officials here that the feel
ing against Gen.Lee has been smootheJ
over, and the request for his recall was
for that reason In the nature of com
plete surprise There are circumstances
which clearly disclose the grounds foi
the recall. although 1t is not known
that Spain has made any exact spech-
cation of complaint.
Since the Maine disaster report
has been circulated that Gen.Lee held
the personal opinion that the explosion
was due to external causes. No official
report Of this character was ever sent
to Washington so far as known, but
the mere circulation of the report at
Madrid attributing such views 10 Gen
Lee has been the source of much feel
ing In Spanish official circles.
The press dispatches from Madrid
also disclose that Gen. Lee Is held
accountable at the Spanish capital for
the project OF the purchase of Cuba
by the United States from Spain, as
well as for n general sentiment OF
sympathy toward the insurgents. The
suggestion of Impartial. leading gov
eminent organ. TINT the next session of
d" cortes will consider the case OF
l rlas.
which induced the Sagasta cabinet to
ask his recall
| In this connection, the fact Is noted
that Senior Dupuy de LONE is due in
Spain at this time. His enforced re
tirement on demand by the United
! states is felt to have awakened a
counter sentiment at Madrid, which
finds expression against Consul General
Lee. There is little doubt also that
| such advice as Senior Dupuy de LONE
would give to the government or to
the press In public in Madrid would not
be conducive toward the retention of
| Gen. Lee.
| SYMPATHIZED WITH THE CUBAN
FERERS.
Thre is little doubt, however, that
| the main cause of SPANS action Is
the sympathy Gen. Lee has shown
for the cuban sufferers. 1t is known
| that his active and open sympathy
with the people who have suffered so
greatly during the present insurrection.
American citizens as well as native
! Cubans. has not been accepted by the
| Spanish officials In Cuba as an exhibit
| ton OF disinterested officialism, such
as Is expected of consular officers
There were complaints during Gen.
Weylers administration of his con-
| duct, but never in fun official form.
As n matter of fact. Spain requires
no formal excuse for the dismissal of
l Il tafW ia Int
national law. These officers are not
| endowed usually with diplomatic privi-
| leges, and they exist entirely by the
sufferance of the nations to which they
are sent In such cases 1t Is not nee
cssary or usual to request their home
| governments to recall them. They
| live officially only through an eNequa
tur granted by the government to
which they are accedited, and this
may be withdrawn at any moment.
| So Consul General Lee may be dis
missed from his post at the pleasure
of the Spanish government, and this
would not violate any section of inter
national law.
But he is in one respect unique, In
that he is endowed with semi-diplo-
matte powers. by the wish of our COY
! eminent and by the consent OF the
| Spanish government. The request OF
| the Spanish government for his recall
may therefore be regarded as tanta-
mount to a demand for the recall of OBJ
! jectionable ministers-such, for IN
stance, as was Senior Dupuy De LONE.
There must be some substantial or
satisfactory reason for such demand
in such cases, and as those presented
against Gen. Lee probably We're con-
fined to the acts he has SO far per-
formed with the full sanction and APP
proval of President Mckinley. the
demand was not entertained, as is
81 aba. e.a.,, nt,s
given out by Assistant Secretary Day.
Under such circumstances, the incident
would close, unless Spain took the de-
cislve step of insisting on Gen. Lees
recall, and this failing, Withdrawing his
exequatur. This radical course is not
expected. however and all the indica.
lions reaching officials here are that
Spain will not proceed futher with
the incident.
RELIEF CARRIER UNIMPORTANT
The action regarding the cruiser
| Montgomery and gunboat Nash
Vile In looked upon by officials here
as much less grave than that affecting
Gen. Lee. Secretary Long said tonight
he did not regard the question as to
what ship should carry the relief sup
plies as serious in any way, or as like
ly to present any perplexing issues
The desire of the navy department, Mr.
Long said, was merely to get the sup
armed naval vessel, and her available
vessel. There We're three of these now
at Key West, the Montgomery, Nash
vile and Fern, alike available for
the service, and one of these. Mr.. Long
said. would be designated for the trip
The Fern is dispatch boat, UNI
armed naval vessel, and her availobili-
ty for this mission had not previously
been suggested. Her choice would
probably remove all ground for objec-
ton, as she has none of the characters
tics of n war vessel. MIR, Long said
however, that the only difficulty thus
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