The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-04-04
PEACE SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE NOW
Everv Phase of the Question Is Close
ly Watched and Freely Discuss
ed Throughout England.

stock markets which was emphasized by a
sudden drop of three points In Spanish ~
at the opening Of the stock exchange, mas
been fully reflected in diplomatic circles
which have experienced almost as much
difficulty as outsiders in extracting 1dctS
from the mass of contradictory statements
regading the Spanisll-America crisis until
today.
Beyond opining generally that matters
were nearing a crisis, there was not a man
in London of real weight who was willing
to risk an opinion as to whether the OUT
come would be peace or war
Even now there is a difference of opinion,
but the distinctly Warlike tone of the great
mass of evidence. and the marked diVerS-
ence of the United States'.s demands and
SPANS proposals have led the majority
to conclude that the parting of the ways
has been reached unless within few
hours Senior SagaSta is able to give aSSur-
ances that the delay he asks for will insure
the complete freedom of Cuba. 1t is not
too much to say that all Europe regrets it.
though for different reasons; some be
cause genuinely friendly nations are in
VOWED, ard others because they dread that
the war bacillus will spread and aggravate
the feveriSh spirit of unrest already in
evidence IN the old world. To the last.
therefore. it is hoped a solution viii be
tractablc
Spain Is Temporizing.
The best informed persons believe Spain
is only temporizing, as 1t is recognized there
is difficulty in the Spanish government ac-
cepting without dcmur the demands of the
United States. in view of the danger of
revolution and the overthrow of the mon
archy. So. though realizing the imminence
of hostlities, the apparent hopelessnes9 Of
ave war h1 - Ghi
generally believed the enormous majority
obtained by SagaSta in the new cortes
would make him master of Spain and per
init him to yield to the inevitable; but 1t
seems that some 10 per cent of the voters
who did not participate in the elections, in
Guiding the G-Tiny and the Barcelona and
other merchants. who are vitality interest
ed in Cuba, do not propose 10 allow him a
f:ec hand.
They have been among the most fervent
In the PATRIOTIC demonstrations of the past
few days.
General interest i'll the situation is in
tense. All the news bulletins are eagerly
scanned ana in the Hobbies OF the house of
commons yesterday afternoon there were
animated discussions of the crisis. Whi-I
have given enhanced interest to the state
mcnt of 4 prominent ship owning member
of the house Of commons chat the United
States during the day had been Offering
very large sums for nineteen knot steam
CrS.
No Escape from Hostilities.
Although the cOnconsus of opinion is that
there is no escape from hCStuities unless
the Unforeseen. as so frequently happens
H. politics. changes the course of events,
there are Il few hopeful people left. Mr.,
James Brcc. NJ. T., the former president
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 ir.ghtful a
calamity. ! KNOW President Mckinley and
all his administration. ana 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"
Dpnion in London has been little inhuenc-
cd by the specious character of senior Sa-
gasta'S counter proposals. As am othclai OF
the foreign office remarked;
"Thc Americans will naturally decline to
accept such proposals as a sutHriehi guar
antcc that power which mas so long
patiently failed to discharge It's duties IN hu~
name administration can now be trusted
TO give effect to its tardy conversion"
The foreign official added
THE responsibility resting upon - each
50 effectively to quicken the feeling Of re-
sponsbility among Spanish Statesmen as
the prospect of having to face Immediately
the grim CONSEQUENCES Of persistence III an
UnCompromising force.
Sagasta Means Well.
..Reading between The lines of Senior sa-
eaSta's proposals, / have reason 20 th'hk
he does not mean to drive matters 10 tA-
tremes and that he VIII learn rom "
construction put upon them that ms coh"'c
tiOns viii not relieve the United Std,eS Oh
the duty of intervention, conpeIed' as
the Americans are. by sense OF moran
.,,Ix. ion
So if Sagaeta is as strong as he Is uhpu.S-
ti0uahly wen meaning, he Will p"rS,'dIe Ms
COuntrYmen to accept Nhi'StIN''lS '''
American conditions.
The positive semi-otficial declaration tel
eeraphcd last night to the Associated Press
from Madrid IN which it was announced
that no proposition containing the thRh'-
est allusion to the Independence of CUBA.
either with or without indemnity, has been
mad, to the Spanish government. That the
government would stralEhtWaN REJECT any
such propositions and that there is no par
" or statesman In Spain disposed 20 lis
ten to such a solution Of the crisis, has
created a mild sensation here, as it has
been assumed the Independence Of cuba
was the cruX Of the difficulty. 1t has even
been suggested in Spanish circles that the
war party in the United States launched
this advice in order to upset diplomatic
negotiations at Madrid.
Spanish circles here have been greatly
excited by the publication of an inter
view with the Spanish consul general here,
Senior JuradO who conveyed the impression
that if the settlement of the difflcuIty was
left to the Spanards of London. Spain VIII
fight: but ether people here point out that
the Spaniards do not realize the volcano
which is beneath them. They suspect the
United States of "blufiing' ana believe she
Is afraid to come 10 close quarters. In ad-