The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-06-08
READY FOR PEACE
SPAIN SEEKING SOME MEANS TO
REACH AN UNDERSTANDING.

WASHINGTON. D. c.. June 6.-The belief
is growing in the best informed government
circles that Spain is sincerely anxious to
make peace, and that even now she is seek
ing a favorable opportunity to make over
lures in that direction. Numerous evi-
dences of this have come to the attention
no actual move has been made towards
ascertaining on what basis the United
States would consider peace.
1t is said that the first step would be to-
ward having some disinterested power make
inquiry OF this government as to what terms
would be accepted, after which terms be-
ing stated, it would be for Spain to form a
commission and make a formal tender of
peace. The authorities here feel that Spain
Is feeling her way toward movement Of
this kind.
One evidence Of 1t is the utterance of the
Spanish ambassador at London urging that
a peace movement is opportune at this time.
1t is thought to be highly improbable that
Spanish official Of his rank would make a
statement of this kind unless it voiced the
view entertained by the authorities at
| Madrid.
Another evidence is the sending Of Senior
Castillo to Paris, his principal mission be-
ing to enlist sympathy there, and to encour-
age movement towards securing peace on
comes the report Of the serious embarrass-
ment of the Bank of SPAN, on which the
government relies for funds to carry on
the war. The desperate condition of the
Spanish forces at Manila, Santiago and
Havana are looked upon as added reasons
why Spain should be solicitous at this time
But while Spain is thought to be anxious
to secure peace, she appears to be unable
to secure the services of a disinterested
power to take the initiative in a peace
| movement This Is the view expressed by
! a leading member of the diplomatic corps.
| He said that much surprise had been
caused at foreign capitals by the resent
ment in the United States against the
kindly representations Of the great powers
made to President Mckinley some weeks
ago, which had been treated by the Ameri-
| can press and by public opinion through
out this country as an intrusion on the
| part of the great powers.
For that reason the efforts since made
| by Spain to induce the European powers to
! intervene had met with fiat failure, be-
cause none of the powers wish to arouse the
| enmity Of the United States. For the same
| reason this diplomatic official pointed out
| the European powers were 10th to be friend
extent of making inquiry to what basis
Of peace would be acceptable to the United
States.
No one power would undertake such in
quiries, he said, as it would subject that
power to the possibility OF being snubbed.
He thought such Snub quite likely, in
view Of the manner in which the kindly rep
resentation Of the powers had been re-
ceiyed some weeks ago. And, while no
power was willing to act alone, neither
could the powers be brought together for
united action along that line.
For this reason ii is pointed out that
SPANS isolation at the present time made
it extremely difficult for her to secure any
intermediary by which she could conduct
initial steps toward securing peace.