The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-15
SPANISH MINISTER
Denies that Senior CebatIos Is Acting as n
Commissioner ofSpaIn to Make Terms
with the Cnban Insurgenta,

with the Cnbsn Insurgentzs
WASHINGTON. March "A. The
Spanish minister, seror Polo y Bernabe,
received a number Of dispatches to-day
from the minister OF state at Madrid
and from Captain General Blanco.
Those rromZ General Blanco- were-reas-
surirg in tone and stated that the stu
alton at Havana and throughout the
Island was quiet and satisfactory. The
minister Of state cabied saying in SUBJ
stance: THE uprising in the Philip
pines is so Insignificant that It will be
ended by the time you receive this"
Senor Polo did not have occasion to
visit the state department to-day. At
II o'clock he made his first formal call,
by appointment, on the French ambas-
sador, and at L. o'clock on the British
ambassador. Informal social exchanges
had previously been made, but the calls
to-day were In the nature OF the formal
meetings OF the representatives OF the
two governments.
The minister asked that an emphatic
denial be made In his name TO the re-
ports that Senior Juan Ccbalios had
been in Washington as q commissioner
from the Spanish government to make
overtures for terms OF settlement With
the Cuban Insurgents.
'Senor Ceballos Is not n commissioner
OF Spain." said the minister, nor has
he any authority, directly or indirectly,
TO speak for the Spanish government.
The only person qualified to speak for
Spain In the United States Is her ac-
credited minister. wish to make the
denial as broad and emphatic as possi-
ble."
II was explained by the minister that
Senior Ceballos had recently been named
by the autonomous cabinet OF Cuba as
an aid to him In framing the proposed
commercial treaty between the United
Staes and Cuba. This was In accord
auce with autonomous plan by which
the Cubans themselves were given con-
troll of their tariff affairs. But in nam
ing Senior Ceballos, the minister point
ed out, he and his associates were to as
sist him as the plenipotentinry officer
Of Spain. Whether Mr.. Ceballos, on his
personal responsibility. made oyertures
here Is not known at the legation. He
did not call there. ard II Is said that
anything he, may have done was with
out that consultation or sanction which
would give 1t the slightest status as the
act OF the Spanish government.
Senior Polo's attention was called to
the reports from Spain us to the pros
pectlvc suiling Of the Spanish torpedo
fleet for Havana and to the significance
which had been attached In this coun-
try to this movement The minister
said that the movement Of torpedo
craft had been long contemplated and
even before he left Madrid tho queen
had bid good bye to the captain Of tho
fleet. Their coming had TO relation
whatever, he declared, to recent cond!-
tions, as they were wanted for work
along the Cuban coast. Some Of them,
he said. were designed for use in tho
Cauto river, while others being swift,
could be used as dispatch boats be-
tween shore points In case land com.nu-
nicatton was interrupted.
The minister has received no intima-
tior MS, to the findings OF the Spanish
naval commission which In Investigate
Ing tho Maine disaster. He says this
commission Is proceeding with the same
formality and secrecy az the United
States court OF inquiry, and that no in
tImation of Ito findings will be justified
until the formal report Is presented to
the Spanish government. Mr.. Polo add
cd that his personal belief. however,
was that there Is no doubt the Spanish
commission will report that the Maine
explosion was due to accident. md snId
he was convinced that this also would
be the conclusion reached by the people
In this country when NIL the facts In the
matter were made known. 5