The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-23
ECHOES FROM ABROAD.

The Madrid press. with few exceptions.
has during the past few days been try
ing to convince the public that there was
never any question of Gen. Fitzhugh
Lees recall from Havana. The facts in
the case, however. are exactly as cabled.
Senior Sasasta, in conversation with Gen.
Woodford. did suggest that friendship
and good Will between the two countries
would be promoted were Gen. Lee to be
recalled, and after consulting his Govern
ment, Cen Woodford did inform the
premier that such step could not be
considered. Nothing would have been
known of the affair had il not been that
some one in the Spanish foreign office
coniided the information to the official
news agency Of Spain-the Fabra agen-
cy- The fact that this agency received
it, and that the censor allowed it to be
telegrapEed by them abroad, is to those
familiar with methods in Madrid, con-
elusive evidence that it was correct
II was only when the effect of this news
produced in America was cabled back
and after there was a fan on the oourse
that there was any question of denying
its authenticity.
gan in a leading article says it can
only mislead those who are ignorant OF
the traditional evidences of the stock
exchange. adding that neither the Gov
eminent nor public opinion should pay
greater attention to the phenomenon
than its merits
THE present blow. it continues,
comes from Paris. and is due to two alb
surd rumors. namely. that the United
+ n
Gen Lee at the request of the
Spanish government, and that no lesser
person than his holiness, Leo Nil. had.
through his secretary of state commit
ted himself to favorable statements with
regard to the Cuban insurgents. The
/ first has no basis whatever, the govern
/ ment having neither officially nor indi-
rectIy suggested Lees removal and the
latter we opine, arises solely from Car
/ dinal Cascajares's pastoral. But 1t Is
/ well known that the said pastoral has
( not been well received at Rome.
The impartial refers to the Gen. Lee
! rumor and to the government denial OF
the truth as accounting for the fall in
/ prices 1t declines to decide on which
( side the truth really lies.
/ Commenting on the tranquility of the
( government, and especially of Senior Sa-
/ gasta, it says:
I'VE presume the ministers have reas-
surfing information which discounts in
their minds the panic reigning in finan-
cial circles. But, it adds, 'ff they have
not what frghtful responsibility lies
upon them We do not wish to admit it.,
/ nor even to think It, for if the day should
come when war is inevitable and the
/ present government tranquility turns
I out to be neglect and want of foresight,
then the foreign question will be as moth
ing as compared TO the home one started
in our midst. We have already pointed
out that the most dangerous thing which
! can happen is that the nation should i'm
agine the government is neglecting either
: the defense of our honor or our interests
For that will leave the road open for
some ambitious man who has a name or
/ political party of some strength
With respect to the affair of Gen. Lee.
/ the Pals SAYS:
1T is quite clear the government is de-
termined to live as divorced as possible
from public opinion, and it carries out
this plan with a consistency worthy Of a
better cause. At the very moment when
the whole of Spain-OT rather the whole
J of EuroDe-is rejoicing at the rumOrs of
complaints addressed by the Spanish
/ government to that of the United States.
! our minister of state labors to prove that
/ no SutH complaints nave ever ptcIl mace
and that the government has not even
/ incidentally occupied itself with the af-
fairs. People doubt of these statements.
+ We do not We prefer to credit them
rather than suspect what must otherwise
have happened namely that the govern
ment makes the complaint, but in face
of the insolent refusal of the Yankees
/ to make satisfaction had not the courage
to abide by them. Nevertheless, the
rumOrs we must admit, look true. All
the world believes in their authenticity,
and those who do not are of the opinion
that they ought to be true"
The Pals says: Gen. Lee may now
/ quietly continue plotting in his Havana
! consulate"