Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-04-21

committees and the grave trend of af
fairs, Polo has decided not to accept
farther social courtesiss. There is a
feeling in diplomatic circles that I'M
der ordinary circumstances the action
in congress would make it incumbent
on the Spanish minister to leave; but
it it is known that the Spanish govern
ment will not, by the Withdrawal of
her minister, or any OTTER conspicuous
step, place itself in the position of
having invited recourse to war. The
entire policy at Madrid is to remain
..assive until the United States not
only makes a tender of war, but exc
cutes it by unmistakable overt acts. 1t
has farther developed as the unmis
taxable policy of Spain that she will
resist armed Intervention in Cuba as
an attack upon her sovereignty. AL
though unofficial suggestions have ap-
peared in the inspired press of Madrid
that a protest might be made against
that feature of the presidents message
suggesting armed Intervention, no
such protest has been made. The only
certain feature is that the Spanish
cabinet is resolved to yield to no
pressure, no matter how great, toward
American intervention in Cuba, but
accept such act of Intervention as
meaning war.
The text of the Spanish minister
note delivered to the secretary of state
last Sunday night, which stands as
the last step taken in the diplomatic
negotiations, became available yester-
day, and is in part as follows:
The minister plenipotentiary Of
Spain has the honor to inform the
honorable secretary of state of the
United States that her majesty, the
queen regent, yielding to the reiterat-
ed request of his holiness, and inspired
by sentiments of peace and concord
which animate her, has given instruc-
lions to the general in chief of the
army in Cuba that he should con-
cede an immediate suspension of hos
tllltles for such time as he shall
deem prudent for preparing and facili-
tatIng peace on that island. The gov
eminent, her majesty, by this import
ant measure, has crowned it's extra
ordinary efforts to obtain a pacifica-
ton of Cuba by means of reason and
right. The autonomic constitution
which grants to the inhabitants of
Cuba political regime at least as lib
eral as that which rules in Canada will
enter upon its complete DEVELOPMENT
when the elections having taken place
the insular parliament shall meet in
Havana on the fourth of May next and
the franchises and liberties granted to
the Cubans leave no pretext to them
to ask for more ample concessions.
Furthermore, as Cuba is represented
| n the cortes of the kingdom, which is
lot enjoyed by any other foreign au-
tonomlc colony. the Cuban senators
and deputies can explain their aspira-
lions it they have any. No one who
| knows the liberal spirit of the major
ity of the Spanish cortes recently elect
ed and the patriotic attitude of the
principal parties of the opposition can
doubt that the Cubans will obtain
eoSd dS IACy Inlay U0S1T0
| injustice and within the limits of rea-
sen and of national honor, according
to the solemn offer of the preamble of
the royal decree of the 9th of Novem-
Der, 1897; while at the same time the
government, her majesty declared,
would not withdraw, nor consent that
| there should be withdrawn anything
| from the colonial liberties, franchises
and privileges accorded The repeal
OF the decree of recommendation and
| the aid of all kinds which the govern
| ment and her majesty have granted
and permitted to be given the recon
centradoes have put an end to the
lamentable state of affairs which was
an inevitable consequence of the
bloody conflict provoked by a small
minority of the sons of Cuba, directed
and supported principally by foreign
influences. No impartial mind which
has a full knowledge Of the facts, so
distorted as they have been, and actu-
ally in everything referring to Cuban
questions, can, with justice, charge
Spain with being remiss in seeking
means for pacifying the island, and her
concessions of privileges, liberties and
ness of its inhabitants. The
government does not doubt that the