The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-07
FIRST FRIEND
BEFORE THE WAR
Germany Insists Upon Honor of
the First Refusal.
WO0DFoRD MADE REQUESTS
BUT HE DID NOT ASK FOR INDIE
PENDENCE.


Berlin. Feb. 6.-The official British
denial that Lord Pauacefote, the Brit
ish ambassador at Washington. on
April Il, 1898. made a second proposal
70 the powers to demonstrate with the
United States. was today laid before a
nigh German official. whose functions
give him absolute first hand knowledge
or everything just as il occurred. He
reamrmed the statement made in these
dispatches yesterday. Referring TO his
eopious notes he dictated therefrom to
Inc correspondent of the Associated
Press the following:
on Feb. Ia the Spanish ambassador
at Berlin asked the German govern
ment whether Germany was willing to
head European movement against
the United States in defense of the
monarchic principle. The next day the
ambassador was informed BY order Of
the emperor that Germany would un-
der no circumstances take the action
desired
Spain renewed her efforts in March
TO secure some action by Germany, but
she was again answered with a refusal.
AT the same time DR.. Won HOlieben was
instructed to only take part in any
steps at Washington in the interest OF
peace If all the other five great powers
participated. Then on April z the JOINT
note was handed to President McKin-
ley.
We were informed from Washington
on April Ia. that the British ambassa-
dor there had proposed a second col
lective note, declaring that armed in
prevention in Cuba would be unjusti-
liable. Again, upon the emperors or
DER, the German representatives at
Washington, Rome. Vienna and Mad
rid were instructed that Germany
would refuse TO participate in such a
declaration, as she saw no prospect
that anything could be accomplished
thereby"
The correspondent of the Associated
Press gets the impression that while
the German government wishes to
avoid the appearance of desiring to fall
INTO the United States arms. on the
other hand she regards it as imDorta nt
10 eontrovert the wrong impressions
that Germany was disposed to do any
Ihlhg unfrlendly to the United States.
New York, Feb. 6-A COPY of ex
Senator Chambers article declaring the
war might have been averted if indie
pendence had been demanded. was
Ashown to General Steward L. Woodford
eX-minister to Spain, and, after read
ing, he said:
l have no idea that the public will
be interested in this matter of ancient
history. If so, the simply answer is: It
is true. I never demanded independ-
ence. 1t Was absolutely impossible to
do So It would have resulted in nv
being ordered away within twenty-four
hours, and have precipitated the war
sooner than ii came. l never had any
70
The only thing looking to it was a sug-
gestion of the president for my own
guidance. l answered that the indie
pendence of Cuba was, under the Span
ish constitution, impossible without
prior sanction Of the cortes, which was
not then in session, and would not
meet for j month Thereafter my in
structions loeks,a q an armistfce.
AS to the purchase. the thing never
was in the remoteSt way suggested to
me by the administration. On my own
hook | sounded one or two persons at
Madrid and found that as impracticable
as the suggestion of independence, and
SO l never suggested it to the Spanish
government. Meanwhile 1 did suggest,
having clearly in my mind the ques-
ton of independence or of cessiOn by
sale, an armistiee during the rainy sea
son, believing that if l could induce
Spain to that step, then influences at
work during the first six months would
make the next step possible, tO-wit:
Either independence or cession to the
United States by sale.
1T is much easier three years after
ward and coOlly looking over the rec
ords in a comfortable study to say
what might have been done or what
ought to have been done. II is mighty
easy to forget the strain under which
the minister Of the United States was
devoting himself heart and soul to
what was, as everybody knows, the
very first wish of the president. and
that was the avoidance Of war and the
rio,, Of