The San Francisco call., 1898-06-06
MADRID WOULD
 END THE " AR Spain Anxious to Make
 Peace. POWERS NOW HOLD ALOOF. NONE WILLING TO ACT AS
 INTERMEDIATES.
Fear That Their Action Might Arouse Resentment on the Part of the American
 People.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House,


 Washington, June 5.
 The belief is growing in the best in- formed Government circles that Spain is sincerely anxious to make peace, and that even now she is seeking a favor able opportunity to make overtures in that direction. Numerous evidences of this have come to the attention of the authorities here, but up to this time no actual move has been made toward as- certaining on what basis the United States would consider peace. It is said the first step would be toward having some disinterested power make inquiry Of this Government as to what terms would be accepted, after which, the terms being stated, 1t would be for Spain to form a commission, and make a formal tender of peace.
 The authorities here feel that Spain is feeling her way toward a movement of this kind. One evidence of it is the utterance of the Spanish Ambassador at London urging that a peace move ment is opportune at this time. It is thought to be highly improbable that a Spanish official of his rank would make statement of this kind unless it
 
 thorities at Madrid.
 Another evidence is the sending of Senor Castillo to Paris, his principal mission being to enlist sympathy there and to encourage a movement toward obtaining peace on a basis honorable to Spain. With this comes the report of the serious embarrassment of the Bank of Spain, on which the Govern ment relies for funds to carry on the fQ nf 70 Spanish forces at Manila, Santiago and Havana are looked upon as added req sons why Spain should be SoicitiouS at this time for peace.
 But while Spain is thought to be anxious to obtain peace, she appears to be unable to secure the services of a disinterested power to take the initia- tive in a peace movement. This was the view expressed to-day by a leading member of the diplomatic corps. He said much surprise had been caused at foreign capitals by the resentment in the United States against the kindly representations of the great powers, made to PreSid mt Mckinley some weeks ago, which had been treated by the American press and by pubic opin- ion throughout this country as an in- trusion on the part of the great powers. For that reason the efforts since made by Spain to induce the European pow CTS to interve. had met with flat fail ure, because none of the powers wish to arouse the enmity of the United States. For the same reason, this diplo- matic official pointed out, the European powers were 10th to befriend Spain at the present time, even to the extent of making inquiry as to what basis of peace would be acceptable to the United States. No one power would undertake such inquiries, he said, as it would sub ject that power to the possibility of be- ing snubbed. He thought such snub quite likely in view of the manner in which the kindly representation of the powers had been received some weeks ago.
 And, while DO power was willing to act alone neither could the powers be brought together for united action along that line. For this reason, 1t is pointed out, Spain's isolation at the present time made 1t extremely difficult for her to see any intermediary by which she could conduct initial steps toward securing peace