The herald., 1898-06-06
SPAIN DESIRES PEACE
BUT LACKS A FRIEND TO MAKE
OVERTURES
POWERS UNWILLING TO ACT
Because the Reception of Former Of
fers Points to the Possibility
of Getting Snubbed
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, June 5.-The belief is
growing in the best informed government
circles that Spain is sincerely anxious to
make peace, and even now Is seeking
favorable opportunity to make overtures
in that direction. Numerous evidences of
this have come to the attention OF the au-
thorities here, but up to this time no actual
move has been made toward ascertaining
on what basis the United States would con-
slider peace. 1t is said that the first step
would be toward having some disinterested
power make inquiries of this government
as to what terms would be accepted. after
which, the terms being stated, it would
be for Spain to form commission and
make formal tender of peace. The au-
thorities here feel that Spain Is feeling her
way toward a movement of this kind. One
evidence of 1t is the utterance of the Span
ish ambassador at London urging that
peace movement is opportune at this time
1t is thought to be highly improbable that
a Spanish official of his rank would make
a. statement of this kind unless 1t voiced
the view entertained by the authorities
at Madrid Another evidence is the send
ing of Senior Castillo to Paris, his principal
mission being to enlist sympathy there and
to encourage a movement toward securing
peace on a basis honorable to Spain. With
this comes the report of the serious en-
barra ssment of the bank of Spain, on
which the government relies for carrying
on the war; The desperate condition of the
Spanish forces at Manila, Santiago and Ha-
yana are looked upon as added reasons why
Spain should be solicitous at this time
for peace.
But while Spain is thought to be anxious
to secure peace, she appears to be unable
to secure the services of a disinterested
mower to take the initiative in peace move
ment. This was the view expressed today
bv a. leading member of the diplomatic
corps. He said that much surprise had
been caused in foreign capitals by the re-
sentiment in the United States against the
kindly representations of the great powers.
made to President Mckinley some weeks
ago. which had been treated by the Ameri-
can press and by public opinion through
out this country as an intrusion on the
mart of the great powers For that reason
the efforts since made by Spain to induce
the European powers to intervene had
met with fiat failure because none of the
mowers wish to arouse the enmity of the
limited States. For the same reason, this
diplomatic official pointed out, the Euro
pean powers were loath 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 In
ouiries, he said, as 1t would subject that
power to the possibility of being snubbed.
He thought such a snub quite likely In
view of the manner in which the kindly
representation Of the powers had been re-
ceived some weeks ago. And, While no
power was willing to act alone, neither
could the powers be brought together for
| united action along that line. For this
reason, it is pointed out that SPANS $50
lation at the present time made 1t extremely
difficult for her to see any intermediary
by which she could conduct initial steps
| toward securing peace.