The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-20
DoNs ExULTANT.
Trying to Make Themselves Believe
Uncle Sam Is Merely RIuffing.

Uncle Sam Is Merely Rluffing.
ST. LOUIS. March ia cablegram to
the Globe-Democrat from Madrid says
One might imagine that the Spaniards
had won great victory, judging from the
exultation which pervails tonight in the
clubs, cafes and places of public resort. 1t
is all due to the reported departure of the
Montgomery from Havana, which, accord
ing to the story industriously circulated by
the nlinsterialists, was brought about ny
very peremptory demand addressed to
President Mckinley by the Spanish gov
eminent. Although 1 am unable to get any
statement from the ministers themselves,
yet their self-satisfied air and the remarks
made by the members of their encourage
go to confirm the story universally believed
that if the Montgomery is no longer in Gu
ban waters it is due entirely to the fact
that Spain has objected to her presence
there. 1t is to this that must be ascribed
tho otherwise unaccountable slight rise of
Spanish stocks here. to-day since there is
nothing certainly in the financial situation
to warrant any move upward in treasury
bonds
That such a demand should have been
made upon the President and conceded by
him tends to confirm the people here in
their conviction that the United States is
reluctant to gogto war q belief of which
the Spaniards may be relied upon to take
advantage to their hearts content One of
the results thereof is to be found in the
aggressively worded semi-official announce
ment issued to-day by the Cabinet intimat-
ing that the claims put forward by the
United States for indemnity based on the
argument that the destruction of the Maine
was due to an external explosion will be
Indignantly repealed by the government
here. The official 'communique" goes on
to condemn the f'American assertions in
official quarters to the effect that the YES
sci was blown up through. some agency
from the outside as tending to mislead
public opinion and rendering still more diff
hcult the maintenance of friendly relations
between the two countries" The MESA ge
concludes with a definite announcement
that should the United States government
commission present to the President a re-
port declaring the disaster to be due to an
external explosion both the Cabinet and
the nation here viii firmly refuse to ac-
cept any such finding.
Meanwhile the situation of the WoodfOrds
and of the Americans here is becoming
daily, nay, hourly, more delicate, and even
critical; Until few days ago they were
mated, but respected, and even to certain
extent feared. That is to say, they were
looked upon as prospective foes, members
OF a nation with which the people here
would soon be engaged in mortal combat.
Since last Saturday, however, the fear and
respect have given way to something very
much like contempt, arising from the con-
viction that. while the United States has
been talking big and trying to brighten
the people here by means of threats and
bombast, 1t has no intention whatsoever of
putting. Its fnenaces into execution The
Spaniards are indeed. acquiring the impress
sion that the Americans are afraid of them
and that. no matter what slight be placed
upon the United States, it will not be re-
sented by means of arms. This is likely to
lead to the preparation OF fresh indgnities
at the expense of the United States, since
people always become doubly brave when
assured OF immunity from punishment.
New demands will be made upon the
United States by the Spanish government
and there Is no doubt that the past demands
for the shipment of the supplies for the
reconcentrados by means of other vessels
than men-cf-war, for the withdrawal of the
Montgomery from Havana and for the
abandonment of the concentration of Amer
lean war ships at Key West. will be fol-
lowed rapidly by other still more presumptu-
GUS requirements and pretensions on the
part of the Spanards. Thus if President
Mckinley communicates to Congress- as IL
has been asserted that ne would do. the
reports of the American consuls in the An
titles respecting the suffering of the recon-
centrados and the horrors perpetrated by
the Spanish troops on the inoffensve Gu
bans. the Madrid government is certain to
withdraw the exequaturs of the consuls and
to insist upon their leaving the island on
the charge Of having been guilty of gross
Misrepresentation. Judging by the manner