Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-10-12
PREDICTION VERIFIED
Made by an American Minister to
Spain Years Ago.
Who Solicited Proposals from Spain
Regarding the Control of Cuba
and the Relief of the
Monarchy.

I Two things have long puzzled the
student of Spanish history. One is a.
to how Spain has managed to exist sc
| long with a deI.ctcd treasury, and iii:
l other is as to how sEe has so lcrg kept
! such valuable islands as in the West In.
dies and the Philippines.
| In 1925 this government was repre-
sented al MADRID by Alexander II
Everett. his former teacher and con.
| iidential friend, john Quincy Adams
/ being president. in the fan of that
year Mr.. Everett wrote a pcrsCcatI let
Ter to the president that was not pre-
served in the archives of the state de-
| part ncnt and which was not made pub
lie until more than so years later. 1t is
of special interest in view of our pres
ent relations and impending negotia-
tions with Spain.
As secretary of state, Mr.. Adams
had himself brought about the treaty
under which Florida end all the claims
of Spain north of the parallel of IL
degrees. as far west as the Pacific.
were coded to the United States. He
insisted upon these cessions ard re-
ceiNe ed the credit of getting them, Mon
roe. Calhoun ard other prominent
statesmen of the lime being lukewarm
in the matter. Mr.. Adams had also
held in this connection that Cuba wa
really a part of the Florida, and
should pass under the control if not
the ownership of the United States.
Mr.. Everett was in full sympathy with
this view of the case, and il no doubt
had a bearing upon the course that he
pursued with the government at Mad
rid. He found the king o~bstinately de-
termined not to recognize the indie
pendence of Cuba. then in revolt. He
also found Spain without credit and in
pressing need of money. a chronic con-
dition that has since become familiar
20 that power.
Under these conditions, ostensibly
upon his W motion. but approved by
the president, he sought to elicit GER
tain proposals from the troubled mon
archy. These can be set forth in much
less space than they occupy in the let
ter referred TO. Spain was just as
Jealous Of her honor then as now, and
the scheme was baited with the assur-
auce that honor and eNpediency went
together in this instance. The finan-
cial distress of Spain was to be relieved
by the loan of a large sum from the
United States and the burden of mill
tary charges in Cuba was to be lifted.
Full title and ownership of the island
was TO remain in the parent govern
ment. hut it was to be turned ever to
the United States temporarily" as
eccn~ity for the loan, made for an in
definite period and without interest.
We were to have full control of har-
bors and ornaments. guaranteeing
against invasion or seizure by other
powers, and to restore actual posses
sion to Spain when the debt was
paid"
In arguing this plan Mr.. Everett
made some predictions that have been
fulfilled and others that history has
failed to verify. He urged upon Spain
that the Cubans would persist in their
revolutionary movements until their
independence was granted or their re-
lease from Spanish control was effect
ed through foreign Intervention. Tie
insisted that the government could no'
stand sin months without re?lcnish-
Ing its treasury. lie declared that the
"uhans were not capable OF sclf-Eov-
eminent. that their affairs would have
equitable administration at the hands
Of the United States and that the one
way of maintaining Spanish honor
had been opened through this pro-
rosal. Some Of the kings advisers
urged his acceptance of the PROPOSE
tion. but he obstinateiy and plindly
~@rused 10 alienate the island upon any
terms CT for any purpose.
How history would have been
changed had these secret negotiations
been successful is largely n matter Of
Imagination. but il is not credible thai
Spain would have repaid the millions
it WAS proposed TO advance her. ac:d i;
is certain t:iat the var LOW in progress
would never have been fought. III
scheme was revived when the acquis!
ton of Cuba was agitated under III"
second Grant administration. but the
sequel to it all is being read in the
story of current events.-Detroit Free
Press.