New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-07

would be- the equivocai triumph OF securing Cuban
independence. II Spain takes the hrst step Amer
| lea will have herself TO thank.
CAME THROUGH MINISTER WOODFORD'
UNUSUAL PROCEDURE OF THE SPANISH GOVERN
MENT IN COMMUNICATING IT'S WHITES
THE PRESIDENTS ACTION.
| IGENERAL PRESS DIsPATCH.]
Washington, March G.-The request for Gen.
! eral Lees recall is understood TO nave conie
within the last few days and doubtless since
the last Cabinet meeting on Friday. az DO Teie'-
ence was made to 1t at that time. 1t came
! through Minister Woodford a somewhat un-
usual procedure as the common mode or re-
| ouesting the withdrawal of q Minister or Co"-
| sui Is through the representative of the Govern
| ment making the request, which in TINS case Is
| Senior Du Bose, the Spanish Charge d Aha'res
Senior Du Bose had received no INSTRUCTIONS OH
the subject, and was In complete ignorance VI
the demands made through Minister "ooui ''u
The other suggestion Of the Spanish Govern
ment-that relief supplies should not De sent III
war vesses-did not come through MINISTER
Woodford, as the Madrid dispatches state. pu'
was presented by Senior Du Bose TO the state
Department last Friday
The responses in bo.h cases went direct W
Minister Woodford There was no loss or tme'
however In assembling special session Oh 'he
Cabinet or even In any general conference be-
tween the President and his Cabinet ADVISERS
,nd,v,duarv. In the protest against the Mont
geometry and Nashville, Judge Day conferred
with Secretary Long who in turn called In Cap
tain Crownnshield. chief Of the Bureau OF
Navigation. There appeared to be no reason
why change should be made in the plan TOT
sending these ships on the relief mission and
until significance
orest OF the Spanish Government. the an
swer was made that the plans for the trip were
completed. and that the stay Of the ships would
be brief and Of the most pacific character
NEGATIVE REPLY RETURNED.
In responding to the request for Generai
Lees recall the President does not appear to
have deemed the subject open to such discus
sion as would require the views Of his Cabinet
associates, and after brief exchange between
the White House and the State Department, the
negative answer dispatched to Minister
woodford One phase Of the incident that tends
to show the firm stand taken by the Admins
tration is the expedition with which the action
was ACCOMPLISHED Such a matter ordinarily is
laid before the Cabinet. the views Of all its
members personally given, and the fullest OPP
portunity afforded for discussion. But in this
case the Associated Press bulletin furnished to
some members of the Cabinet the first informa-
ton they had that General Lees service
open to question Before the Cabinet meeting
no hint or complaint Of any kind relating to
Lee had been made.
The grounds on which General Lees recall
was asked not officially disclosed. II is
known. however, that the Spanish Government
has chafed for some time over General Lees
presence in Havana, although this had never
taken the form Of definite protest prior to the
present time. 1t began to assume a more eeri-
Gus aspect shortly after the arrival of the Maine
at Havana.
ALLEGED CAUSES OF OFFENCE.
At that trle General Lee escorted Captain
Sigsbee on his round OF official calls These
were made with due formality. but the Spanish
officials took offence when the calls were re-
stricted to General Blanco Admiral Mantelrota
and the representatives Of the military arm Of
SPANS service and did not inclul, Premier
Gavez and his associates OF the autonomous
Cabinet, who represent the new civil regime
which Spain is seeking to enforce
The matter came to the attention Of Sef or
Dupuy de LONE, then Spanish Minister at Wash
ington, and although there were no protests, the
situation doubtless reached the State Depart
men, as suitable amends were made by Cap
tain Sigsbee's calling on DR.. CongOsto the Civil
Secretary General. and Premier Galvez. and his
associates. There like irritation over a
dinner given by Consu-General Lee to the Off
GERS Of the Main. The list of guests on that
occasion is said to have omitted some Of the
Spanish naval officers. and to have included.
quite conspicuously. the names Of a number Of
American newspaper correspondents who were
regarded by thu Spanish officials at Havana an
antagonistic to them.
This also came to the attention OF the officials
here, but was not made the basis for any action,
but rather of unofficial Spanish criticism of
General Lees mode of procedure.
SURPRISE AT THE REQUEST.
Within a few days it has been understood by
officials here that the feeling against General
Lee had been smoohed over and the request
for his recall was FOR hat reason In the nature
OF a complete surprise. There circum-
stances. however. which clearly disclose the
grounds for the recall. although ii Is not known
that Spain has made any exact specifications OF
complaint Since the Maine disaster a report
has been circulated that General Lee neld the
personal opinion that the explosion due to
external cause. No official report Of this char
acter was ever sent to Washington, so far as
is known. But the mere circulation of the re-
port 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 dis
close that General Lee is held accountable at
the Spanish capital for the project OF the pur-
chase OF Cuba by the Uni ted States from SPAIN
as we'll as for a general sentiment of sympathy
toward 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 inhu- |
ences which induced the Sagasta Cabinet TO |
ask his recall In this connection the fact is |
noted that Senior Dupuy de LONE is due in
Spain at this time. His enforced retirement, |
on a demand by the United States, is felt TO |
Ter finaAnt Madrid |