New-York tribune., 1902-02-06
SPAIN AND CUBA.
EX-SENATOR CHANDLER THINKS WAR
NIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
MINISTER WoODFoRD SAID TO HAVE NEGo-
TTATED FOR THE PURCHASE OF
CUBA WITHOUT AUTHORITY

| Book for 1898, with many extracts from and
references TO the communca tions between the
I state Department and Minister Woodford at
Madrid. He declares that General Woodford
was negotiating for the purchase of Spain with
| out authority from Congress or the President
and that might have been avoided if Spain
! had been asked 10 make Cuba free
After considering the details of the negotia-
tions between the United States and Spain Mr..
! Chandler goes on to say:
! Accurately and carefully stated how did the
5e stand @ between Spain and the United States
Und states O0 se o demands of the
Frst-The revocation of the Tec9nce1trsfio1 or
deIs Gs. and food supplies for the sufferers.
Second-An armistiCe
b In addition add there should have been demanded but
The concession of Cuban independence.
THE UNAUTHORIZED DEMAND
! but was demanded:
1t cannot he said that this third demand, for the
sale Of Cuba to the United States was not made
aut6ority Prasdent Gi 4d' McKney Pi in germs as
out exactly what the Unted States really wanted
repIfe s mas WAS an Sficial Of prominence and good
ministers Fan3 learned qnmistakaby what Mr.. Wood
right to feel sure and did feel sure that such was
the the true and ultimate desire of the American
MI &Mr. Woodford told them plainly what his position
OFirst-opposition to increased autonomy under
Sbdhsh , sh sovereignty. That would be doing. he
sag Sal1' injustice to men who have fought hard and
seeond-opposition to Cuban independence. That
part of it's nbabtant asain {ne lSno b { oyer 10
many or its most educated and wealthy residents
purpose 9 TO heg9tiate la the purchase and
States 'e'S'''p u 0uOd Oy the 0"''eu
Any one see the infatuation of Mr. woodford
almost unbalanced mentally to press these views
home 9e ha IS IRS MSaf fgat ge did be pa1s
Queen and ministers had 10 meet him upon his own
10 a ed q
them and It must be admitted that they acted with
not be mercenary; will not sell for money" the
queen ofs ana the ministers said They yielded to
proclamation of an armistce-too late it IS true.
men Of Mr. WoodfoPd of the sae of Caba to him.
which they did not know was unauthorized, they
would not agree to, and so war came and they
went TO their doom.
1t is careful perusal of the pages of the Red
the advocates Of war to deny positively that the
without war.
WHY SPAIN COULD NOT SELL.
1t is easy to discriminate between the upon
the Spanish m mind % Of demand from us for the in
demand that the island should be sold to us To
surd After the lofty ground which she had always
proud Queen should come down 10 a vulgar bargain
and sale OF the island to a government. however
with war for a purpose so selfish and mercenary,
a eF ss In to SsT e
demand made upon her-the repeal Of the reconcen-
to send food and supplies TO her avowed enemies
and Wlth9ut any re4utSt iIoni rom Ihe sut gents @ Sne
against her rebel subjects. What other one thing
cuba for money to the United States. This she
could not bring herself to do. and rightly refused
But If a different appeal had been courteously
yielded TO one more request-a declaration OF free
Ever Faithful Isle She could have done this as an
act graceful and noble In proclamation such as
pendence to Canada and Australia whenever those
Of be s6ahs aS d to5 sendns out no the
family, Of independent nations would have, have been
proyal by the great mass OF her people AZ home ana ana
1gtary a assumed large portion Of the public in;
debtedness Of the mother country and spain would
nations of the earth. But TO sell Cuba for money |
Spain could not 60 ,naT ,aT aa We @ neng the dis
honorlng proposition of Minister Woodford
The whole case upon the point under discussion |
people Of the United States State Tt Th0 took 6 an t
Spain there were four classes
THE WAR ADVOCATES.
The first class included the strenuous advocates
OF immediate war. They believed that in the log
come for the AngIo-Saxon race in the United states
to end Spanish colonial rule In the East ana Mesf
purposes-one the most prominent although not
inenf but equally real and greater, 10 free the
Philippines from Spanish rule. The protection OF
Cha were other objects The destruction of the
n Maine Could maae not @n be Of the
less 1t clearly proved that Spain was resPonsi-
ble-which was not clearly proved ana T, span an
lfeyed that the United States was better prepared
for both naval and land warfare than Spain, and
immediate war which they felt would result in
victory by sea and land and the the M3eTaton rom
so In three months It did happen to the credit re-
and honor Of the United states les de destined tined
unselfsh and disinterested war ever Wased by any
nation OF the earth.
OF war under all circumstances They were deaf to
the cries OF oppressed humanity They refused to
They were held to action by wea!th-the money
power, by the cOwardice OF capital Ihey were not
Unwilling TO see the condition of the Cubans ale
Waited by American representations 10 Spain which
should cost nothing but they recognized no Amer-
and thev had purpose or desire to threaten or
to use forcible methods TO change conditions IN
Cubans would to-day have been grinding In the
prison house of Spanish bondage and suffering all
the old tortures OF Spanish misrule
In the third class the wemeaning op-
moments of war. Their sympathies were right, but
tives, fea rs of business disturbances fears of
long war fears of defeat in war fears of political
fuI II is in this class that are found those men
whose favorite assertion is that the United States
t6a freedom of Cuba and who, II is to be feared.
will continue thus to talk when they come to
oTr Government when IL conducting negotid-'
tions prior TO the war wholly omitted 70 say 10
Spain that Cuban independence was indispensable
10 neace and that with such Independence peace
would be preserved
MINISTER WOODFORD'S CLASS.
Class 4 is Minister Woodford alone by himself,
who negotiating TO buy cuba Tor the United
eress or the President, who was opposed alike to
Cuban autonomy and Cuban independence, who
never told Spain that she could have peace by max
ing Cuba independent. and whose whole plan ap-