Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-08

FRII---It Looks Like War, but Pence
May Come.
Our record of the developments in the
threatening situation between the United
States and Spain closed last week with the
announcement of the fact that the Presi-
dent received on Thursday evening des-
patch from Gen. Woodford, our minister
at Madrid, giving the reply of the Sagasta
ministry to the proposals made by our
government. This reply was, in effect
That the independence of Cuba means
the parting or cesson of Spanish territory,
which cannot be done without the consent
of the Spanish Cortes, which is not in ses-
sion and will not be until April "a, and
consequently no definite answer can be re-
turned to the demand of the United States
until the Cortes assemblies.
THAT Gen. Blanco has revoked the
bando relating to the reconcentrados in
the western provinces of Cuba. The
Spanish government has placed at the dis
pOsal of the governor-genera the credit of
5000, 900 pesetas $500, ,000) to the end
that the country people may return at
once and with success to their labors. The
Spanish government will accept whatever
assistance to feed and succor the necesi-
tous may be sent from the United States
in accordance with the plan now in opera
tion.
THAT Spain proposes to cOnfide the
preparation for an honorable and stable
peace to the Cuban parliament without
whose concurrence the Spanish govern
ment would not be able to arrive at the
final result, it being understood that the
powers reserved by the constitution to the
central government are not lessened or di-
minished.
"As the Cuban chamber will not meet
until the 4th of May, the Spanish govern
ment will not, on its part, object to a sus-
pension of hostilities, if asked for by the
insurgents, from the general in charge, to
whom it will belong to determine the du-
ration and the condition of the suspen-
SION
In this reply there was no suggestion of
any concession whatever to the demands
of the United States, and all diplomatic
negotiations were considered to be ended.
This development intensified the excited
feeling IN Congress, and the "war" and
jingoistic Senators and Representatives
were anxious to force the hand of the
President and compel an immediate dec
laration of war. II was at first the plan
of the President to send message to Con-
gress upon the situation on Monday, but
early in the present week it came to be I'M
derstood, and was definitely stated that
his message would go in on Wednesday,
and it was agreed that action by Congress
should be delayed until it had been re-
ceived. This message, it was expected,
would review the whole Cuban situation,
give the history of Spanish misrule in the
island of Cuba, and tell the story in detail
of the negotiations which had been under
taken with Spain, but which had failed
through her obstinacy. In other words,
this message was expected to make clear
to Congress and the American people the
whole situation, what has been done, and
what ought TO be done. Further than this,
it was expected to bring the whole ques-
tion of our relations with Spain to a crisis.
The general suppostion was that its result
would be authorization by Congress to is
sue an ultimatum to Spain requiring the
withdrawal of her troops and administra-
tion from the island of Cuba If she re-
fused, then the military and naval forces of
the United States would be used to COM
pei compliance. And that would mean
war.
Such was the expectation when Congress
met on Wednesday. The galleries were
packed with people who had gathered
in the confident belief that they were to
see and hear the presentation of Presi-
dents message which would become his
toric. Suddenly came the announce
ment that the message wOHld not be sent
in that day-that it would not go in until
Monday-it might even not go in at ALL
Lee at Havana had wired the President
that he must have more time to get the
Americans out of Cuba, that he could not
do this before Friday, and that the publi-
cation of a message advocating interference
in the affairs of the island might lead to an
outbreak which would cause the loss of the
lives of many Americans. This was not a
wholly convincing reason, and there was
general belief that another and perhaps
the real reason lay in the fact that renewed
negotiations for peaceful settlement had
been opened in Madrid. The President
and his advisers were absolutely silent on
This subject. Nothing whatever was known
Of the actual developments, though the
newspaper men sent out columns of con-
lectures. On the one hand l. was said
hat the Queen Regent of Spain had taken
affairs into her own hands and was dealing
directly with Minister Woodford in behalf
If peace; on the other it was said that the
European powers had united in an effort
o persuade or compel Spain to make an
adjustment which would satisfy the de-
nands of the United States. Further
han this it was said that the ambassadors
representing Great Britain, France, Ger
many and Italy, and the Austrian minister,
net at the British embassy in Washington
Wednesday afternoon and agreed on the
terms of joint note rendering
he good offices of the Powers to avert war
between the United States and Spain. But
his also was entirely matter of conject-
Ire.
No Change through Yesterdays DeveI-
Opments.
Nothing appears, from study of yes
.erday's dispatches, which changes, from