The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-19
D'ARCOS INCIDENT ENDED
MINISTER sTORER COMMENDED FOR
EXPRESSING REGRETS.
All Invitations to Foreign Represen-
tatives to BE Examined by State
Department., If Possible.

WASHINGTON, April 1S.-It is learned
that no instructions were sent from Wash
ington to Mr.. Storer, the United States
minister at Madrid, relative TO the presen-
tation of regrets for the extension to the
Due d ARGOS the Spanish minister here, OF
the invitation to attend the celebration. In
Chicago, of the destruction OF the Spanish
fleet in Manila harbor. In other words. Mr..
Storer acted according to his Judgment and
on his own responsibility in any representa-
tions he may have made TO the Spanish
Foreign Office on this subject. 1t is not to
be inferred from this statement that his
action, even IL it is as reported. is disap-
proved here. On the contrary. it is declared
that his course was in thorough accord
with the proprieties of official etiquette and
that he showed excellent judgment in an
ticipating a complaint which would have
been disagreeable to meet. His course is
closely akin to that pursued by Lord
Pauncefote, the British ambassador here.
in stating to Secretary Hay, in advance of
any information as to the alleged opening
of Mr.. Macrum's mail, that if such an act
had been committed it was source of re-
greet, and was unauthorized.
The officials are careful to make 1t clear
that Mr.. Storer did not make an apology
in the name of his government. and they
are confident that the Madrid dispatch
conveys an erroneous impression on that
point Inasmuch as the offense, if there has
been any offense, was perpetrated by
municipality, for whose actions the United
States is in sense responsible, 1T would,
Of course, not be proper for the United
States government to make apology.
On the other hand, as already indicated, il
was entirely competent for Mr.. Storer to
personally explain to the Spanish minister
of foreign affairs that the United States
government has jurisdiction in such
cases, and also to point out how the Incl
dent may occur without intentional disre-
Spect to Spain.
1t has been enormously stated, in connec-
ton with this subject, that the Spanish
minister was singled out for insult in this
matter; that he alone of the entire diplo-
matte corps was the recipient of an invita-
ton to attend the May-day celebration.
Undoubtedly this would have added greatly
to the gravity of the offense, were the
statement correct But inquiry to-day dis
closes the fact that many of the members
of the diplomatic body have received invi-
tation to attend the demonstration in Chi
cago, and IL is assumed that, If others have
not received their invitations, il is only be-
cause of delays in the mail AT any rate the
diplomatic representatives of the principal
continental powers have been honored in
this fashion.
The Spanish minister is satisfied with the
explanation of the affair that has been
made by Mayor Harrison, and he says that
he will not make the incident the subject
of any representations to the State Depart
ment, that is the end of it, The whole
occurrence, however, has had the effect to
emphasize, In the minds of officials here.
the propriety of RENTING to the State De-
partment any exchanges between the dip
lomatic body here and the promoters of en-
terpriSes and celebrations, whether this
latter are national, state municipal. 1t
has only recently come to be the custom for
the managers of ceremonials, such that
about to take place in Chicago, to address
themselves directly to foreign representa-
tives in Washington. With the best Of in
much mischief may result from this lax
ity. In the present case, for instance, IL
may readily be perceived that the accept
ance, by a member of the diplomatic body
in Washington, of an invitation to glorify
the crushing defeat of the Spanish navy at
the hands of Americans, might constitute
a gross violation of the spirit of neutrality,
and might involve in difficulty with his own
government the unwary diplomatist who
accepted such an invitation. 1t is said, at
the State Department, that 1T is too much
to expect that there should be general
knowledge on all these little diplomatic in
tricacies, wherefore, to prevent humiliating
incidents, it would be better for projectors
of public demonstrations who desire to Sc
cure the attendance of the diplomatic corps
to avail themselves of the knowledge and
experience of officials of the State Depart
ment