Omaha daily bee., 1898-03-08
NAUGHTY DONS BACK DOWN
Madrid Government Decides to Let Consul
Lee Alone.
INCIDENT IS Now PRACTICALLY CLOSED
Lee Obnoxious Because He Showed
sympathy for the Cubans-De
LOme's Finger Thrust
Into the Pie.

WASHINGTON, March Spain has with
drawn it's request for the recall of Consul
General Lee, and 1t Is now believed that the
incident is practically closed. The with
drawal came today in the shape of an
official communication from Minister Wood
ford. 1t is now stated that the request wus
never put in the shape of a demand, but
that it was merely suggestion on the part
of Spain and when the ministry found 1t
would not be pleasantly received by this
country 1t promptly receded
1t Is learned that the Spanish objection to
Consul General Lee is based largely upon his
sympathy for the Cubans, and some of his
| utterances, which have found their way into
print. 1t is understood that the Spaniards
also take exceptions to the friendly relations
| and companionship existing between General
Lee and correspondents of papers which have
| been decidedly unfriendly to Spain. 1t Is be-
| lieved that Senor de LONE carried to Spain
| papers and information calculated to make
| the Spanish government request the recall
of Consul General Lee.
| There was a good deal Of consultation this
morning between the president and Secretary
| Long and Assistant Secretary Day, which
| was devoted to the consideration Of our rela-
| tions with Spain. Assistant Secretary Day
also had half hours conference with Senior
du Dosc, the Spanish charge here, and man
| aged to find time to talk for few minutes
with Colonel j. j. McCook, whose interest
in Cuban affairs is we'll known. 1t was
| stated that the administration has no state
ment TO make further than that given out
by Judge Day yesterday.
1t is still maintained that there has been
| no demand on the part Of the Spanish gov
ernment for the recall Of Consul General
Lee, but this denial does not take the form
of a complete assertion that something like
| an intimaton has not been given that the
| Spanish government would be pleased were
| General Lee relieved. Still there is an
| icial statement and an unofficial intima-
| tion and therein was a loophoe for escape.
| Had the Spanish government made an official
| demand for General Lees recall, it would
| have had no recourse in the event Of refusal
| by our government to accede to the demand,
but must have withdrawn the consul gen.
erals exequatur, thus leaving him without
official status in Havana.
NO sNUB FOR SPAIN.
The matter not having taken that official
form, however, there is no tangible excuse
for Spain to look upon itself as humiliated
| in this matter. 1t is quite certain that the
administration does not take the view, as a
| hasty glance at the situation would seem
| to indicate that there may not be peaceful
| termination Of this last incident, and such
| officers of the cabinet as have felt free to
| discuss the situation at all have not hesi-
tated to declare that no rupture in the rela-
tions between the United States and Spain
is likely to result
AS to the matter Of sending supplies to
Matanzas and Sagua. which has formed the
basis Of objection by the Spanish govern
| ment, although not in official form, it is
said at the State department and at the
Navy department, as we'll, that the program
laid down in the statement given out by the
president is to be observed. The supplies are
to go from Key West to these Cuban ports
in "a naval vessel" but just which vessel
or what kind of a ship has not been definitely
determined. Indications now, however
point to the use Of the Fern for this pur-
pose. 1t Is unquestionably a naval ship, but
scarcely war ship in the proper sense of the
term, its principal use being in dispatch car
rying and in the transportation Of freight
from one navy yard to another. Because OF
its ability to handle freight this way it is
undoubtedly better adapted than either the
cruiser Montgomery or the gunboat Nashville
for the transportation OF supplies. These
war ships are so cut up with small compart.
ments below and so filled with machinery
that their freight carrying capacity is lin.
tied to little space on the upper decks
Secretary Long calculates that the supplies
which left New York Saturday by steamer
for Key West will reach the latter port
Wednesday, giving ample time in the interim
to make selection ss between the vessels
He said further that 1t would probably be
left to Admiral Sicard the commander in
chief of the squadron, as to which vessel
could best be spared
MAY MEAN MUCH.
No attempt is made to deny that the at
titude of the Spanish government towards
the entry OF the war ships into Cuba ports
may be full of significance and lead In the
end to trouble. 1t is realized that If II Is
conceded that vessels of the United State.
navy may be, in times Of peace, excluded
from Matanzas or Sagua, by the same rule
they likewise may be kept out of the Havana
harbor and the administration would there
by not only be prevented from redeeming its
promise to send another war ship to replace
! tHe MalHe, Dut WOulu De ODllgeO TO leave
American citizens resident in Havana en-
tirely without protection in case of need
This possibility Is not contmplated with
equanimiry by the administration, hence II
may be fully expected that the officials will
stick to their teachnical purpose to use
naval vessel for the transportation of sup.
plies"
1t is learned that Spain's suggestion wa.
made originally upon misapprehensior
which was due to a newspaper report. Thi!
| report was to the effect that General Lee
had expressed the opinion to a newspaper
correspondent that the Spanish authorlte.
were responsible for the disaster to tn,
Maine. Accepting this report as to Lee.
expressions as accurate. the Spanish prime
minister brought the matter to Minister
Woodford's attention. making at the same
, time the suggestion that General Lees re-
Gull would be gratifying to Spain.
: 1t did not require q great while for Spair
to discover that General Lee had been ac-
, cording to the United States authorities. in
correctly represented. Before this discover,
was made. however, the reply OF President
Mckinley refusing to heed the suggestion
and expressing determination to keep lie,
at his post, was received. Spain then retired
from its Dosition basing its retirement uno,