The San Francisco call., 1898-03-16
THE PRESIDENT HOPES TO AVOID
 WAR WITH SPAIN
Pins His Faith Upon the FOrma- tion of Syndicate to Pur- chase the Freedom
 of the CubdnS.

4 the Herald telegraphs. T would Y rather my administration should Y 4 be an ignominious failure than < that it should be responsible for < 4 an unholy war"
 This was the declaration made Y 4 by President Mckinley to-day < f to an administration Senator 4 with whom he was discussing t 4 the danger of conflict with 4 f Spain.
 This shows that the President. while vigorously preparing for national de- fense and for the successful prosecution of war, should it be thrust upon us, still hopes for a solution of the present troubles with Spain, and is determined that if there is war it shall be one that Spain is responsible for bringing on. The President will main tain the honor and dignity of the coun- try. He will insist upon reparation for the Maine disaster and he will take steps to bring about the termination of the Cuban insurrection.
 His course will be such, however, that if war results 1t will be war which will not only meet the approval of the people of the United States but one which foreign nations and the calm Judgment of history will justify the ad- ministration in waging. The clamor of jingoes will not influence the President, and he will not be driven into plung- ing the country into an unjustifiabIe war. Though public men do not share his hope, the President is still hopeful that the latest proposition for the pur- chase by the Cubans of their independ- ence from Spain by the formation of a great European and American syndi- cate to take the bonds of the new re- public may succeed.
 l now have definite knowledge that on Saturday last cablegrams were sent from Washington by advocates of tbe proposed syndicate to foreign financial institutions and banking houses in terested in Spain's debt, and to the English Government with the end in view of having strong pressure brought to bear upon the Spanish Government immediately after President Mckinley shall have submitted his demands to Spain.
 President Mckinley hopes that if these great financial interests and the English Government then bring pres oQlC lO DCdl upOH Opdlu, the SdEaSta Ministry will yield to the demands made by the United States and war will be avoided. The note which the President will submit to Spain will be drawn so as to avoid as far as possible the giving of offense to that country. The demand for reparation for the loss of the Maine and for the death of her officers and men will be straightfor ward.
 It is on the question of Cuban inde- pendence that the note will be concilia- tory in it's terms. In his first commu- nication at least, the President will de- mand acknowledgment by Spain of the independence of the republic of Cuba. He will make the suggestion that Spain enter into negotiations for allowing Cubans to purchase their independence with the understanding that bonds will be taken by a syndicate of bankers of such standing as would assure Spain the full purchase price. This would, it is believed, be less offensive than would a proposition to have Cuban bonds guaranteed by the Government of the United States. The Government