The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-26
THE D ARGOS
INCIDENT
Minister StOrer Makes
AmendS.l
EXPLAINS ABOUT CHICAGO
The State Department Warns Num-
cipaIities to Let Diplomatic
ENJOYS Alone.

United States Minister at Madrid, has
apologised to the Spanish Government
on behalf of the United States, for the
insult given the Duke d'Arcos by the
authorities of Chicago.
WASHINGTON, April 1S.-It is
learned that no instructions were sent
from Washington to Mr.. Storer. United
States Minister at Madrid, relative to
The presentation of regrets for the ex-
tension 10 the Duke u ARGOS, Spanish
Minister here, OF the invitation to at
tend the celebration in Chicago of the
destruction OF the Spanish fleet in Ma
Mia harbor. In other words, Mr.. Storer
acted upon his own responsibility in
any representations he may have made
TO the Spanish Foreign Office on this
subject. Nevertheless IL Is declared
that his course was in thorough accord
with the proprieties OF etiquette and
that he showed excellent judgment in
anticipating a complaint which would
have been disagreeable to meet. His
course is closely akin to that pursued by
Lord Pauncefote, British Ambassador
here, in stating to Secretary Hay, in
advance of any information as to the
alleged opening of Mr.. Macrum's mail
that IL such an act had been commit
ted, 1t was source of regret 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
despatch conveys an erroneous impress
sion on that point. Inasmuch as the
offense, IL there has been any, was per-
petrated by a municipality for whose
actions the United States is in no sense
responsible, it would, of course, not be
proper for the United States Govern
ment to make an apology.
On the other hand, as already indi-
Gated. 1t was entirely competent for Mr..
Storer to personally explain to the
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs
that the United States Government has
no jurisdiction in such cases and also
to point out how the incident may have
occurred without intentional disre-
spect to Spain.
1t has been enormously stated that
the Spanish Minister was singled out
for insult in this matter; that he alone
Of the entire diplomatic corps was the
recipient of an invitation to attend the
celebration. Undoubtedly this would
have added greatly to the gravity of the
onense were the statement correct.
But inquiry today discloses the fact
that many members of the diplomatic
body have received invitations to at
tend the demonstration in Chicago, and
it is assumed that If others have not re-
celved their invitation II Is only because
of delays in the mails. At any rate the
diplomatic representatives of the prin-
cipal 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 Department; so that is the
end of It.
The whole occurrence, however, has
had the effect to emphasize in the minds
of the officials here the propriety of re-
hitting to the State Department any
exchanges between the diplomatic body
here and the promoters of enterprises
and celebrations, whether these latter
are state, national or municipal.
| It has only recently come to be the
custom of the managers of ceremonials
such as that about to take place in Chi
| cago to address themselves directly to
foreign representatives in Washington.
| Win the pest or intentions on the
part of the projectors, much mischief
may result from this laxity In the
present case. for instance, 1t may readi-
| ly be perceived that the acceptance 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 which is supposed
to animate governments and might in
volve In difficulty with his own govern
ment that unwarry diplomatist who ac-
cepted such an invitation.
IL is said at the State Department that
IL Is too much to expect that there
should be a general knowledge on all
these little diplomatic intricacies to
prevent humiliating incidents and 1t
would be better for projectors OF public
demonstrations who desire to secure the
attendance Of the diplomatics corps to
avail themselves of the knowledge and
experience OF the officials OF the state
department.