The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-03
All Europe Regrets the Hispano-
American Crisis.
FEARS THE WAR BACILLUS
Expected That 1t VIII Stir Up the Spirit
of Unrest in the Old world-Gen-
eral Interest in the Situa-
ton Is Intense.
1895 by Associated Press.

stock exchange. has been fully reflect
ed in diplomatic circles, which have
experienced almost as much difficulty as
outsiders in extracting facts from the
mass of contradictory statements re-
Z CARING the Hispano-American crisis
to-day. Beyond opining generally that
matters We're nearing a crisis there was
not a man in London of real weight who
was willing to risk an opinion as to
whether the outcome would be peace
/ or war. Even now. there IL difference
! of opinion; but. the distinctly warlike
| tone of the great mass of evidence and
the marked divergence of the United
States demands and Spains proposals
| have led the majority to conclude that
the parting of the ways has been
| reached unless. within few hours
Senor Sagasta is able to give assurances
| that the delay he asks for will ensure
| the complete freedom of Cuba. Ii is not
| too much to say that all Europe re-
grets it, though for different reasons.
some because genuinely friendly ma
tions are involved. and others because
they dream that the war bacillus will
spread and aggravate the feversh spirit
or unrest already i'm evidence i'm the old
world. To the last. therefore. il is
hoped that a solution will be found.
even when Spain is apparently intract-
able. The best informed persons be-
lleve Spain Is only temporizing. as IL is
recognized there is difficulty I'm the
Spanish government accepting without
demur the demands Of the United
States. in view of the danger of revo-
luton and the overthrow Of the mon
archy. So, though realizing the immi-
nenoe Of hostilities. the apparent hope
lessness of avertng war has come as a
shock. IL was generally believed that
the enormous majority obtained by
Senor Sagasta in the new cortes would
make him master of Spain and permit
him to yield to the inevitable, but Il
seems that the IS per cent. of the voters
who did not participate in the elections.
including the army and the Barcelona
and other merchants who are vitality
interested I'm Cuba, do not propose To al
low him free hand. They have been
among the most fervent i'm the patriotic
demonstrations of the past few days.
General interest in the situation is In
tense All the news bulletins are eager
~ scanned and In the lobbes of tho
house OF commons yesterday evening
there was an animated discussion Of
the crisis. Interest has been enhanced
by the statement by prominent shin
owning member of the house of conn
mons that the United States during the
day had been Offering very large sums
for 19-knot steamers.
Although tho -jnseusus of opinion is
that there is no escape from hostilities
unless the Unforeseen. as so frequently
happens in politics, changes the course
of events, there are a few hopeful peo-
pie left.
James Brice. NJ. p. the former presi-
dent OF the board of trade and author
of The American Commonwealth" is
quoted as saying: Somehow. ] fancy
that. as near as the two powers may
have drifted toward war we are not
going to witness so frightful n caIam-
ity. / know President Mckinley and
all his administration. and I know they
do not wish for war In fact none OF
the really clear-headed men in the
United States want war. They can see
too far ahead"
opinion in London has been s--e in
fluenced by the character Of Senior Sa-
gastas counter proposals. AS an OFF,
cial OF the foreign office remarked:
The Americans will naturally decline
TO accept such proposals as a sufficient
guarantee that a power which has so
long patiently failed TO discharge its
duties In humane administration cannot
be trusted to give effect to its tardy
conversion"
The foreign official added: The re-
sponsibilty resting upon each party is
terrible. Happily. nothing will tend so
effectively To quicken the feeling of re-
sponsibility among Spanish statesmen
as the prospect Of having to face inn
mediately the grim consequences OF
persistence Reading between the lines
of Senor Saeasta's proposals. have
reason to think he does not mean to
drive matters to extremes and that he
viii learn from the construction put
upon them that his condition will not
relieve the United States of the duty
of intervention, compelled. as the
Americans are. by a sense of moral
obligation, to take action I'm the matter.
So. If Senor Sagasta is as strong as he
is unquestionably well meaning. he will
persuade his countrymen 10 accept un-
reservedly the American conditions"
The positive semi-official declaration
telegraphed last night To the associated
press from Madrid. i'm which IL was an
nounced that no proposition containing
the slightest allusion to the independ-
ence OF Cuba either with or without in
demnity. has been made to the Spanish
government. that the government
would straightaway reject any such
propositions. and that there Is no party
or statesman in Spain disposed 10 list
en- to such solution OF the crisis. has
created a mild sensation here. as IL has
been assumed that the independence OF {
Cuba was the cruX OF the difficulty. IL |
has even been suggested in pro- Spanish I
circles that the war party OF the United /
States launched this device in order to |
upset diplomatic negotiations at Ma
drid.
Spanish circles here have been great
ly excited by the publication Of an in /
terview with the Spanish consul gen.
eral here. Senior Juarado. who conveyed |
the impression that II the settlement Of I
the difficulty was left to the Spaniarfs /
Of London. Spain would fight. but 9TH |
er people here point out that the Snan- I
iards do not realize the volcano which /
is beneath them. They suspect the /
United States Of "blufing." and be- /
lieve she is afraid "a come to close l
quarters. In addition, the Spaniards /,