Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-15
| THE NEW SPANISH MINISTER
Finds Himself Busy Already, Denying
Reports and Rumors

Which Connect Him and His Gov.
eminent With Schemes of VAR
ious Sorts-Wants it Understood
That So Far as SPANS Represen-
tation in the United States is
Concerned, He is the Whole
Thing Senior Cebellos Has No
Authority and is Not Here TO
Sell Cuba to the Insurgents.
Washington, March 1.-THE Spanish
minister, Senior Polo y Bernabe, re-
ceived number of dispatches to-day
from the minister of State at Madrid
and from Captain General Blanco.
Those from General Blanco were re-
assuring in tone, and stated that the
situation at Havana and throughout
the island was quiet and satisfactory.
The minister of state cabled. saying in
substance: THE uprising in the Phil
| ippines is so insignificant that it will
be ended by the time you receive
this"
Senior Polo did not have occasion to
visit the State Department to-day. Al
! II O'Clock he made his first formal
call, by appointment, on the French
ambassador, and at IL o'clock on the
| British ambassador Informal social
exchanges had previously been made.
but the calls to-day were in the nature
of the formal meetings of the repre-
sentatives. of two governments.
The minister asked that an emphatic
denial be made in his name to the re-
ports that Senior Juan Ceballos had
| been in Washington as a commissioner
from the Spanish government to make
overtures for terms of settlement with
| the Cuban insurgents.
''Senor Ceballos is not commits
| sioner of SPAIN" said the minister,
nor has he any authority, directly or
| indirectly, to speak for the Spanish
government.
THE ONLY PERSON
qualified to speak for Spain in the
United States is her accredited minis
| ter / wish to make the denial as
broad and emphatic as possible"
| 1t was explained by the minister
| that Senior Ceballos had recently been
named by the autonomist cabinet of
| Cuba as an aid to him in framing the
| proposed commercial treaty between
! the United States and Cuba. This
| was in accordance with the autono-
nous plan, by which the Cubans them
| selves were given control of their tar
| iff affairs. But in naming Senior Co
| ballos, the minister pointed out, re
and his associates were to assist him
as the plenipotentiary officer of Spain.
whether Mr.. Ceballos, on his per-
! sonal responsibility, made overtures
here, is not known at the legation.
He did not call there, and it is said
that anything he may have done was
without that consultation or sanction
which would give it the slightest
status as the act of the Spanish gov
eminent.
Senior Polo's attention was called to
the reports from Spain, as to the pros
pective sailing of the Spanish torpedo
| fleet for Havana. and to the signifi-
canoe which had been attached in
this country to the movement. The
minister said that the movement of
torpedo craft had long been contem-
plated, and even before he left Madrid
| the Queen had bid good bye to the
| captain of the feet Their coming has
no relation whatever, he declared,
TO RECENT CONDITIONS,
| as they were wanted for work along
| the Cuban coast Some of them, he
sad, were designed for use in the Cauto
river, while others, being swift, could
| DO used as dispatch boats between
| shore points in case land communica-
| ton was interrupted.
| The minister has received no init
nation as to the findings of the Span
ish naval commission which is inves-
tigating the Maine disaster He says
this commission is proceeding with
the same formality and secresy as the
United States court of inquiry and
that no intimation of its findings will
be justified until the formal report is
presented to the Spanish government
Mr.. Polo added that his personal be-
lief however, was that there is no
doubt the Spanish commission will re-
port that the Maine explosion was due
TO accident. and said that he was con-
WINGED that this also would be the
conclusion reahed by the people in
this country when all the facts in the
matter are made known
MINERS WAGES ADVANCED
ChatfauQOpa Tanu March TIL.