The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-07
Good Offices of the United States
Now Under Consideration.
TO END WAR in CUBA
PROPOSAL TO INSURGENTS OF
AN. ARMISTICE.
It Is Admitted That Such a Proceed
ure Would Result In Revolution
In Spain, But the Madrid Govern
ment Is Prepared to Take Desper-
ate Chances.

Chicago, Jan. GA special to the
Tribune from Washington says;
Spain is considering a formal request
to the United States to use its good
offices to stop the fighting in Cuba.
limitations have been received at the
state department that the Sagasta
government has become convinced that
the only way to save Cuba was to ac-
cept the often proffeyed good offices of
the United States. Canovas repeatedly
replied to President Cleveland declining
these good Offices. and Sagasta did the
same last November. Now the prime
minister has become completely dis
heartened over the evident failure of
autonomy.
FUTILE EFFORTS.
All efforts of Spain to bride the sub
ordinates of Gomez to surrender on the
basis of home rule have proven futile.
Blanco has completely failed in his
efforts to open up communication with
the insurgents, and Pando has likewise
been defeated in the field. The Spanish
minister now feels that the only thing
left is to accept the good offices of
Uncle Sam, in spite of the humiliation
involved. They hesitate only because
they feel that public announcement
of this fact would result in revolution
in Spain.
Secret negotiations with the state de-
partment are now actually in progress.
The Spanish government has lost the
confidence of the loyalists in Cuba, and
it recognizes the fact that the island it
self is lost entirely, unless the country
will at this late day negotiate with the
insurgents for some basis of peace.
ARMISTICE PROPOSED.
The Spanish propose that the United
States should propose to the insur-
gents an actual armistice pending ne
gotiations for peace on the basis of
American guarantees of the integrity
of home rule, or even of independence
on a monetary consideration. While
no such formal proposition has been
made by Minister de Lone, the state
department has been given to under
stand that only the fear of revolution
in Spain stands in the way now of ac-
cepting the friendly offices of the
United States, which have been re-
jected so often.
1t has been intimated- that if this
country sees fit on its motion to open
communication with the insurgents
Spain will not throw any objections in
the way. Any such move would be
practical recognition of the insurgents
such a crisis in Cuba that even this
must be faced.
CUBAN INsIsTENCE.
1t is understood that the Cuban re-
public will insist on formal recognition
before undertaking any negotiations
with the United States, claiming that
they cannot treat with a power that
regards it only as an organized con-
spiracy of riot and piracy. The sit
uation is critical in Cuba, and the fire.
quent visits of the Spanish minister to
the state department are sufficient in
dication that the Spanish empire in
Cuba is almost at an end. Officials
here are inclined to the belief that the
public announcement of the acceptance
Of this country as a mediator will re-
suit in instant revolution in Spain, but
they admit that it is the last hope, and
is being seriously considered