The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-09
THAT MEMORANDUM"
Diplomatic Significance of the Paper
Handed to President Mckinley by
the FOREIGN AmbassadOrs

Correspondence the Chicago Record.
WASHINGTON. d. c., April THE paper
which was presented to the president today
by the ambassadors of Great Britain, Ger
called a memorandum in diplomatic parl-
ance If it had been addressed to any one
and signed it would have been a mote" but
it is written in the third person and is an
indirect presentation Of the views Of the gov
ernments represented, offered in a form as
diluted as possible to oblige Spain.
1t had been expected FOR several days and
the president and the officials of the depart
ment of state supposed that it would be more
definite. They were led to believe that it
would be note signed by all of the am
bassadors, and containing distinct propo-
sition IN behalf of Spain. for they have been
assured by their colleagues at Madrid that
the queen regent would authorize the Aus
rtian ambassador there to promise that she
would concede all that the United States had
demanded. provided the bitter pill should be
sugared to suit the Spanish taste, but when
be abe to offer such settlement and that
the government of the United States would
not consider anything short of a proposition
Tor Cuban independence, they decided to fol-
low the forms or mediation, and omit the sub
stance as far as possible
None except the Austrian minister had any
heart In it. In the first place. as one of them
remarked this afternoon they do not care a
rap for Spain, are thoroughly disguised with
her duplicity In the negotiations thus far, and
s St symhathies are entirely with the United
tnrown out of Cuba, and, while they would
take great pleasure in sharing in any move
ineht mat would accomplish that result, Spain
t mas a.i0Wed them no ground to work on, and
they Iulnlled their instructions with as little
zeal as can be imagined
AT hrst Great Britain and Russia declined
TO 60 in at all But finally the former de-
cided to do so after reaching a perfect IN
Outstanding with the United States that the
movement would not be offensive, but would
n De ,Gord,aiy received There was another
m erlve - ihSoived' which was the chief induce
IN Inef ~ TO Drlng Russia into the combination
IN TACT. the Russian government has declined
TO 90 anything in behalf of Spain from the
In to t,, me car is absolutely Indifferent
W 10 tnls morning the Russian If gatinn
was entlreiy without instructions and WouId
t toe nave Deen represented but for the fact
i inined Ell OF the ambassadors in Washington
t ti last night asking that its represe6ta-
1--WE i've IN might unite with them in order that
side I hx ere sdeas powers of Europe might stand
i states Ior the first time in history harmon
ious upon a single proposition. and establish
s,t prece .i which may be useful at some
IN In fact 1 understand that neither Great
Brltlsh nor Italy would have remained if
i huss "a mad 1 refused to do SO but this morn
mission. not instructions, to act with "i his Pei pei
leagues. None of the ambassadors exnect
any Tbe practical noaea !. results .S to follow.
grams batw is me result Of no end Of cable
represented rep and their ambassadors in til :
CITY CITY, T Inc correspondence began suaea
Washingto oe nrst b meeting of ambassadors in
MONDAY afternoon. Rir Julian Pauncefote held
a. preliminary conference with Judge Day
w hesaa wsr morning in behalf of his colleagues
that day. Another meeting was held VS.
l .y morning. but the Russian charge
IL an as had received no instructions, and
was decided to wait for him. Nearly every
one or the ambassadors went to the capitol
Yesterday expecting to hear the message
in tb tney learned that it would not be sent
where they discussed the matter over VIM VIM
and cigars for courle of hours and then
81 seho OF Julian as an emissary to Judge Day
TO explain their intentions and instructions
and to inquire how an offer of maGiaeinn
would be received on
Judge Day explained that the president con-
reopen negotiations until after he he'd sub'
mitted his message to congress. He had
PROMISED to take congress into his confidence
anu dnus would have done so that day, but for the
Danger TO Americans In Havana He ex-
planned that the people Of the United state,
would net be satisfied with anything short
OF Q, the surrender of Spanish sovereignty in
Cuba. and if the ambassadors had any propo-
s1tlohs to submit on that basis he would take
pleasure In receiving them and referriIg
them to congress for instructions.
When Sir Julian reported to his colleagues
al the Austrian legation last night it was de-
cided that the French, German and Austrian
s ami IS could not avoid submitting some
structions from their hcf1e governments
and violating the assurances which the latter
had given Spain. and Sir Julian was asked to
prepare the paper which was presented this
morning and make it as mild as possible.
Certainly nobody complain that Il is
violent, for milk and water is strong drink in
comparison, and it would be impossible for
any professor of decorum, even Lord Chester
field himself. to tell the ambassadors to mind
their own business in terms more polite than
Judge Day has used in this instance
OF course 1t was all cut and dried in ed
vance. When Sir Julian finished his ra
markable composition he took it up to Judge
Days house and left it with an explanation
of the sentiments of himself and his col
leagues. which l have described above. He
also requested that Judge Day would be
good enough to allow them to see his reniv
before the papers were formally exchanged.
White house. talked the matter over with
the president, prepared the reply and re-
turned 1t to Sir Julian, and this morn:ng the
representatives of the seven greatest patiors
on earth went through the little farce in
order that the appeals of Spain might nos
go unanswered.
But this is the end of European inter-
vention in Cuban affairs 1t is a. recognize,
of the Monroe doctrine. 1t is an ackno vi
edgment Of the justice and wisdom Of the
policy which the government Of the United
States has pursued with Cuba and DESTROYS
the last hope of Spain.
The wishy-washy memorandum does not,
however represent all that the ambassadors
have said and done concerning the Cuban
difficulties. Every one of them has given
his principals a complete and distinct ac-
count of the situation in the United States
and has set this government right in the
eye OF the world as to its position and in
tons that have been sent from Madrid to
the several powers have been corrected and
several fa!sehoods exposed. The Madrid
government still insists that it is willing
everything no boc
manded, but at the same time declares that
he has never asked or suggested the indie
pendence of Cuba. The correspondence on
this subject has been seen by some of the
ambassadors, and they have corrected this
impression both at their own capitals and
Madrid
United States had to suggest the president
submitted two propositions; first, that the
reconcentrados be sent back to their homes
and assisted to make themselves se1f-sup-
declared in order that the people OF Cuba
might have an opportunity to peacefully es-
tablish form of ,'self-government." On
patch Gen. Woodford inquired what the presi-
dent meant by "self-government." Judge
pay replied Le "iindelp,endence, and unless
eminent has no excuse for its misrepresenta-
ton this point.
Another important service of the am
bassadors, with Sir Julian Pauncsfote as the
medium of communication, was to suggest
that the position of the United States before
the president in his message to congress
would set forth clearly his attitude con-
corning annexation. This would relieve US
from any suspicion Of selfshness or inter
ested motives and would disarm critics in
Europe who are net broad minded enough to
construe the movements of the United States
as meaning anything but conquest AS a
result of this suggestion it is understood that
the president has inserted in his message
vigorous paragraph asserting the disinter-
estedpess of the United States and present