The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-16
SPAIN DARES
NOT TELL OF WAR
Nevertheless Madrid Is Amused
at Claims of Powers.
GERMANY is CONTENT NOW
BELIEVES THAT AMERICANS
CREDIT HER STATEMENTS.

7 ONDON, Feb. 15.-The dispute over
the attitude of the powers towards
the United States prior to the
Spanish-American war continues TO
take up columns of the London dailies.
Opinion is much divided as to the wis
dom of Lord Cranborne's course in
making his first statement on the sub
ject in the house of commons, and
since the later developments the OPP
position TO further disclosures by the
British government has been strength
ened into a determined protest against
the revealment Of secret documents
relating to the negotiations of that
period.
Lord CranbOrnes statement of Fri
day, which was the result Of cable dis
patches exchanged between Lord
PauncefOte and the foreign office, is
probably the last word Great Britain
VIII have to say on the subjects, since
It will be impossible to overrate the
irritation expressed in Downing street
at the German publication of docu-
ments relating to the incident, though
implicit belief is expressed that Amer
lean opinion is not to be influenced
thereby
should Lord LansdoWne, the foreign
secretary, make a more explicit state
ment regarding the dispute it would
not bring matters much more forward,
for the foreign office has no record of
the deliberations at the diplomatic
meeting held in Washington on April
IA, 1888, ana Great Britain's contentious
would thus be only strengthened to the
extent Of the reliance placed on Lord
la
cations of the German officials Pri-
vately, the foreign office officials de-
clare that Lord Cranborne's two re-
plies, especially his answer to the first
note, effectually establishes Great
Britain'S attitude, even if Lord Paun-
cefote is chal ged with secretly COM
bining against the United States, which
is Indignantly declared to be an utter
ly absurd suggestion.
Pro-Spanish Feeling.
Americans resident in Loy Ton during
the month of May, 1898, recall how
ever, that an intense pro-Spanish feel
ing existed on many Sides especially
in society, where women connected
! with government officials appeared
wearing Spanish colors. In this and
many other ways London became at
that period none too comfortable a
dwelling place for Americans, for the
press teemed with anti-American edi-
tOrials.
The cessation of the latter was due
to remarkable occurrence, which the
Associated Press is able to announce
for the first time.
After Deweys victory Lord Sails
bury took the almost unprecedented
step of communicating with the edi-
tors of the leading conservative dailies,
urging them TO desist from criticism
of the United States, pointing out how
vital it was to Great Britains interest
that the side of the United States, and
not that of Spain, should be advOcaed
in the English press. As a result pub
lie opinion was reversed and the gov
eminent was thoroughly supported in
its efforts TO strain its neutrality to
| the point of helping the United States.
What the Saturday Review now
terms Lord Cranborne's "indiscretion"
would doubtless have brought upon
the government severe criticism had
not the Anglo-Japanese treaty diverted
public attention and had not the alIi-
ance been generally regarded as a great
stroke of diplomacy. AS it is, the dis
pute has served to strain to a really
serious point the relations between
! Great Britain and Germany, which
were none too harmonious prior TO the
first question asked on the subject by
Henry Norman in the house of COM
mons.
Among the diplomats in London the
controversy is generally regarded as
offsetting the benefits which had been
privately termed "England's coup in
emma An influential member of the
Spanish diplomatic service, who is now
mere. said to a representative of the
Associated Press:
We view the squabble with consid-
cradle amusement, but have no inten-
I ton of putting in an oar. Should we
say all we know, our relations with
several of the European powers. which
are now quite satisfactory. might be
seriously impaired Moreover. we are
not in the habit Of breaking the hard
and fast laws Of diplomatic secrecy.
We are naturally pleased, however.
that the affair has brought out the fact
that we practically gave in to all the
conditions demanded by the United
States, and our submission. on which
| the ambassadors deliberated April IA.
1898. was suppressed.
This allegation of the suppression of
SPANS submission is also discussed at
length in English official circles. where
1t is declared that unless a satisfactory
.SA - 10 tiNbIAA4AlS tIiC 1IClutnL
VIII be handed down to history as a
| repetition OF Prince Bismarck's action
IN regard to the Ems dispatch.
There are indications that pour par
lerS have recently been exchanged be-
tween some of the European powers
regarding the Philippines. exactly for
what purpose or with what prospect of
Undertaking. into definite action il is
not possible at present to say. How
ever the Associated Press is able 10
state that there has recently been a
keen recrudescence of interest in
Downing street and at other chanceI-
/ tories in the conditions prevailing in
the Philippines and the attitude of the
! United states towards these islands.
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