The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-03-10

1t is not known that Spain has made
any exact specification of complaint.
Since the Maine disaster a report has
been circulated that General Lee held
the personal opinion that the explosion
was due to external cause. No official
report of this character was ever sent to
Washington so far as is known. But
the mere circulation of the report at
Madrid attrIbuting such views to Gen
eral Lee has been the source of much
feeling in Spanish official circles.
The press dispatches from Madrid
also disclose that General 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 a general sentiment Of sympathy to-
ward the insurgents. The suggestion
of The Impartial, leading government
organ, that the next session of the
cortes will consider the case of General
Lee shows the strong influence which
induced the Sagasta cabinet to ask his
recall. In this connection the fact is
noted that SenOr 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 Coun-
ter sentiment at Madrid which finds
expression against Consul General Lee,
There is little doubt also that such ad.
vide as Senor Dupuy De LONE would
give TO the government or to the Tress
in public i'll Madrid would not be con.
ducive toward the retention Of General
Lee.
There is little doubt, however, that
the main cause Of SPANS action is the
cxyt I,ins (Iannra1 I ha, Il. o
the Cuban sufferers.
1t is known that his active and open
sympathy with the people who have
suffered SO greatly during the present
insurreotion, American citizens as we'll
as native Cubans, has not been accepted
by the Spanish officials in Cuba as an
exhibition of disinterested officialism,
such as is expected of consular officers.
There were complaints during General
Weyler's administration of his conduct,
but never in full official form. AS q
matter of fact, Spain required no formal
excause for the dismissal Of a consular
officer, according to international law.
These officers are not endowed usually
with diplomatic privileges and they ex-
ist entirely by the sufferance of the
nations to which they are sent. In their
case it is not necessary nor usual to re.
quest their home governments to recall
them. They live officially only through
an exequatur granted by the govern
ment to which they are accredited, and
this may be withdrawn at any moment
SO Consul General Lee may be dismissed
from his post az the pleasure of the
Spanish government and this would not
violate any section of international law
But he is in one respect unique, in that
he is endowed with semi-diplomatic
powers by the wish of our government
and by the consent of the Spanish gov.
ernment.
The request Of the Spanish govern
ment for his recall may therefore be re-
garded as tantamount to a demand for
the recall of an Objectionable minister
such for instance as was Senor Dupuy
De LONE. There must be some sub.
stantial or satisfactory reason for such
a demand in such cases, and as-tfiose
presented against General Lee probably
were conhned TO the acts he has SO tar
performed with the full sanction and
approval of President Mckinley, the
demand was not entertained, as is
clearly shown in the formal statement
given out by Assistant Secretary Day.
Under the circumstances the incident
would close unless Spain took the de.
cisiye step of insisting ON General Lee 3
recall, and, this falling, giving him his
exequatur. This radical course is not
expected, however. and all the indi-
cation reaching officials here ia that
spain will not proceed further with the
incident
The action regarding the cruiser
Montgomery and gunbodt Nashville is
looked upon by officials here as much
less grave than that affecting General
Lee Secretary Long said that he did
not regard the question as TO what ships
should carry the relief supplies as seri-
GUS in any way, or as likely to present
any perplexing issues.
The desire OF the navy department,
Mr.. Long said was merely 10 get the
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