The herald., 1898-04-08
A SURRENDER BY SPAIN
Is THE ONLY MEASURE WHICH
WILL AVERT WAR
POWERS MAKE MILD PROTEST.
The Presidents Reply Shows the De-
termination of the United States
Government to Act
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, April 7.-There u
no longer any doubt as to the purposes
Of this government with respect to the
situation in Cuba. War, in the opin-
ion Of the administration, Is inevitable
except for the unlooked-for event Of
surrender on the part OF Spain.
The presidents message, which hs
had intended to send to congress yes
terday, has not been changed in any
particular whatever, and embodies
the unanimous views Of the cabinet,
without the slightest variation or ex-
oeption. Any movement to avert
war now must come from Madrid and
must concede American demands, In
cluding an end to Spain's domination
in Cuba.
THE DAYS DEVELOPMENTS
Three features stand out plainly In the
developments Of today At noon the sin
great powers Of Europe. through theiY
|
House and presented to President McKin-
ley a jointnote expressing urgent hope for
peaceful adjustment between the United
States and Spain. to which the president
replied with mistakable plainness az 10
the duties and unselfish efforts of this gov-
ernment to terminate the present situation
in Cuba.
. Another and probably the most sig .
. nificant actual step showing the final .
| . ity reached by the United States gov .
. eminent, was the authoritative STATE .
. ment that Consul General Lee would
| . leave Havana on Saturday. This step .
| . 1t is known will be regarded by Spain .
| . as akin to an overt act preceding war.
. as 1t will terminate the medium Of
| . official intercourse between the .
| . United States and the island. .
Third, and almost equally important.
| was the ominous tone Of press advices from
Madrid, where the war fever seems to
dominate. Instead Of concessions the
opening of prison doors and the other man.
| festations Of peace and good will which
Holy Thursday was expected to bring
| forth, and the more definite announcement
Of action that would bring peace to Cuba.
| the heavy guard about Minister Wood
| fords house, the imperative character az
his note, the war utterance Of Minister
Correo, and the turbulence at the Spanish
capital, left little hope that pacific counssls
| would prevail.
No negotiations are proceeding at Mad
rid on the part of this government. but
the powers Of Europe, 1t is understood. are
doing their utmost to persuade tho Spanish
government to yield and avert war. On
| the highest authority 1t can be stated that
70 instructions have been given as yet to
Minister Woodford contemplating hlo
| withdrawal the only step in that direct
| ton being the determination that General
Lee shall leave Havana Saturday.
The note Of the European powers pre-
sented to the presidentntoday has not.
| in the opinion Of the members of the ad-
| mnistration, changed the situation In the
| slightest degree. What pressure was
| brought to secure even this mildly ex-
pressed hope that further negotiations
| would result In the maintenance Of peace,
| is not known. but it is confidently be-
lieved that 1t is the result of persistent
appeals on the part Of Spain for some
expression in favor Of peace between the
two countries.
The note Is not regarded In any sense
as a protest against the course being
pursued thus far, or as likely to be
adopted to secure a stable government in
Cuba. Some of the governments repre-
sented In the note are known to be in full
accord with this government In its pur-
poses with respect to the Cuban question,
and therefore any theory that the noto
was intended as a remonstrance Is not
regarded as tenable.
The reply Of this government, which had
previously been read and approved by
members OF the cabinet, is not considered
as indicating any change in the fixed
purpose of the president to intervene In
Cuba at once, nor is 1t believed it was the
expectation of the majority of the foreign
representatives present that the United
States should change its policy or regard
the joint note as other than an expression
in behalf Of peace and without special sig
nificance So far as known in admins
tration circles. no further repres entations
on this subject are expected. No offer Of
mediation on the part of any European
power has been received, and there is some
authority for the statement that none will
be accepted or proffered. This has been
the fixed policy Of the government from tbs
first, and there Is no prospect of a change
In this regard.
A GREAT EVENT
At the embassies and legations the pres
entation of the joint note of the powers
was regarded as the event of the day. An
ambassador from one Of the great powers
of Continental Europe stated that 1t was
without parallel in history; that 1t was
the first and only time that the six great
nations of Europe, representing in the ag-
gregate the power of civilization, had
united in this solemn manner to secure the
peace of the world.
1t was. this high authority stated, q
movement historic In character and one
fitting to occur at the advent of the twen-
tieth century.
M'KINLEY'S REPLY
Calls at the various embassies and lega-