The Portland daily press., 1898-02-11
WHAT THEY SAY IN WASHINGT 7 ON.
Senator Hale Has An Apology Ready for
Spanish Minister.


Spanish Minister.
Washington, February 1G.-The De-
LONE incident WAS the principal subject
of comment in all circles at the Capitol
today, and the uniform remark was that
the Minister had in resigning pursued
che only course left open to him after the
authenticity of his letter had been
established. In the Senate there were oc-
casional expressions of surprise that u
diplomat of the experience of the Spanish
Minister should have entrusted letter of
that character to the mails, and one or
two Senators expressed peronal sympathy
for Mr.. De LONE. Following are some of
the expression heard on the floor of the
Senate:
Senator A Allison-Having confessed,
should say that there was nothing left for
Mr.. De LONE to do but TO get out of the
country and the sooner he goes the better.
Senator Platt, N. Y.-The incident is
very unfortunate at this time, but now
that MIR. DE LONE is going away perhaps
the less said the better.
Senator Jones, Arkansas-In view of
Mr.. De Lome's unjustitiable attack upon
the personal character of the President of
the United States, I should have given
him his passports at once instead of ask
ing for his recall.
Senator Davis chairman of the Senate
committee on foreign relations-There
was nothing left for Mr.. Dc LONE but to
resign after acknowledging the author
ship of the letter. He has taken that step
and / presume the matter may be con-
sidered ended.
Senator Turpie, also of the committee
on foreign Observation-Disclosures
Mr.. De Lome's resignation it will still
rest with the President to say whether he
shall be dismissed. / should say that he
should be, in case there Is any great delay
in his departure from the country.
Senator Hale-There was nothing left
for De LONE to do but to resign after ac-
knowledging the genuineness OF the
letter. Still, the incident is a melancholy
instance of man injuring his own
fortunes and possibly destroying a
brilliant career by one unfortunate mis-
step. With this exception Mr.. De Lome's
career here as the representative of his
country at critical time has been entire
ly oreditable, and he has done much to
maintain amicable relations between the
two nations. He has been wise, prudent
and conservative and has done much to
preserve peace when many less cautious
man would have been apt to commit an
offense that would havo resulted in
hostilities. 1t was certainly indiscreet
on his part to write such o letter and
commit it to the mails and he should
have known better. l have not conferred
with MIR. De LONE since the letter was
made publ C, but feel confident that the
translation given out gives it the harshest
possible tone and believe that proper
translation would soften it very much
Personally I feel the deepest sympathy in
the matter and am sorry that Mr.. De
LONE Is to retire, but do net allow myself
to think for moment that the incident
will be the cause of straining the relations
between this country and Spain. The
Liberal ministry will, of course, send us
a man of it's own party and I have no
doubt we shall secure an acceptable andt
a competent man as Mr.. De Lome's sue
cesSOr