The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-17
CONGRESS ALWAYS In
M'KINLBY'S CONFIDENCE
Statement That He Withheld
Information Denied.
SPANISH NOTE NOT SUPPRESSED
That Government said to Have
'NirtuHIIy Conceded Peace When
American DemHnd Mas Middleton
elusive Proof Now Presented.

The bubble Of sensation which was
blown across the Atlantic yesterday i'm a
New York despatch % the London
Times. that President Mckinley withheld
/ from Congress q communication from the
| Spanish Government virtually conceC-
/ ing the American demands on the eve
: OF peace. is easily pricked by reference to
4 Mr. McKinley's famous message Of April
/ IL, 1898, asking authority TO terminate
/ the then prevailing conditions in Cuba.
This implication against Mr. Mckinley
( related TO the alleged suppression of a
note from the Spanish Governments OF
April 10, lS9S, notifying the United States
/ that General Blanco. the Captain General
+ Of Cuba had been authorized by the Queen
Regent to declare an armistice with the
J insurgents for such time as he shall
/ deem prudential"
II the author OF the despatch had taken
/ the trouble to look at the issue Of any
+ American morning newspaper Of April y.
! 1898. or any afternoon paper Of the day
4 before, he would have discovered that Mr..
MeKinley's message 20 Congress con-
/ ciuded with this statement:
Decree Of Queen Regent.
Yesterday and since the preparation
OF the foregoing message. official informa-
ton was received by me that the latest
decree Of the Queen Regent directs Cen
eral Blanco. in order to prepare and facil-
itate peace, to proclaim a suspension Of
hostilities, the duration and details OF
which have not yet been communicated
10 me
his fact. with every other pertinent
. consideration, viii. ! am sure have vour
Just and careful attention in the solemn
dehOerations upon which you are about
TO enter II this measure attains a sue
ccssiul result. then our aspirations as a
. Christian. peace-Ioying people will be
/ realized. If 10 fails. il viii be only an
oiner justification CT our contemplated
1t VIII thus be seen that instead Of
Keeping Congress in Ignorance OF the
promise Of the Spanish Government to
uselaTe an afmistice. Mr.. Mckinley
promptly communicated the Information
ana went so far as 20 indicate thar If
the armistlce had a successful result. war
could be averted-
Z Chance TO ReconsIder.
In one Of the dispatches 20 the Times"
r'r- ~ "t-o 1-.-A AAAL DarDLu u
doubt Lord PaUncefote believed that the
Spanish note Of April 10 contained conces-
+ silns Of such a nature that the United
( states might reconsider its resolve for
4 war"
In his comments on this despatch our
I correspondent said.
4 do not know If Spaiu's note Of April
: 10 has ever been published"
/ Inc Spanish note has been published
/ In his reference 10 II in his message tc
. congress, Mr.. Mckinley succinctly pre-
sented the only definite concession that
II contained. There was nothing in the
note that appears TO Justify the asser-
ton that Lord Pauncefote believed II con-
tanned concessions which might induce
the United States not to 60 to war
Inc note was addressed TO John Sher-
man, Secretary Of State, by Senior Polo de
I Bernabe, Spanish Minister in Washington.
I II informed Mr.. Sherman that al the in
stance OF the Pope instructions had been
sent TO General BlaEco for an ''iInmedi-
ate suspension Of hOstilities in Cuba for
such time as he shall deem prudential in
I order to prepare and facilitate peace on
that island"
Bando for Peace.
The Spanish Minister also said. Gen
I eraI Blanco has today CApril 10) published
/ the corresponding bando. and reserves to
( himself 20 determine in another bando
/ the duration and other details Of its exc
( cutiOn. with the sole aim that so trans
/ cendental a measure shall lead within the
B shortest possible time % the desired pa
: cifcatiOn Of the Great Antilla"
The rest Of the note was devoted TO
| references TO SPANS scheme Of autonomy,
I which was regarded by this Government
/ and the Cubans as mere makeshift to
/ the abrOgatiOn Of the recOncentrado de-
! cree. and TO pleading that Spain had moth
/ ing 70 do with the destruction Of the
I Maine.
/ Mr. McKinley's attitude with reference
. 70 this proposition is disclosed in teIe-
/ ETam sent at p m. April 10 TO Minister
/ WOOdford by Mr.. William r. Day. the As
| sistant Secretary Of State. This tele-
/ gram also contained the Governments in
/ depreciation Of the Instructions 20 BlancO.
/ IL follows.
Authority 90 Proclaim.
THE Spanish Minister today informed
me that authority had been given Goner-
al Blanco to proclaim suspension Of hos
/ tiiities. and thereuDon invited, on the
1 generals behalf indication Of the nature
{ and SCOPE OF such proclamation.
The Spanish Minister had been an
| sWered that the President must decline
| TO make further suggestions than those
/ heretofore made known, through you and
! the Spanish Minister here but in send
I ing In his message tomorrow the Presi-
/ dent VIII acquaint Congress with this
/ latest communication Of the Spanish Gov
I eminent and add any further Information
/ which Minister Polo may be in a position
| 20 furnish IN regard 70 the nature and
I terms Of General Blanco's action under
! the authorization so given him. The
/ above is sent for your information"
Hoped for Pence.
II was well known to members OF Con-
/ gress on April g. 1885, that President Nc
| Kir3ey was hopeful that Spain woul,
| make concessions which would prevent
/ war but that he had little faith in the
/ efficiency Of an armistice in securing tran
! g,il.ity in Cuba. On that date a despatch
! sent from this city contained these
/ statements:
/ should the Queen actually Issue q proc
| lamaticn announcing her intention Of pro
| posing an armistice, the President would
/ merely inform Congress of that fact In
! a supplemental message II, however, she
( should declare her purpose to withdraw
/ spanish troops from Cuba. with q view 10
L