The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, April 13, 1898, Image 1
r&K SUMTJEB WATCHMAN, jKatabiisbed April, 1850. "Be Just'and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SODTHKOX, EstabHehed Jane. 13^.9
Consolidated lag. 3,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13,1898. New Series-Vol. XVII. No. 37
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Spanish Standpoint. .
Minister Bernab? Discusses
' the Situation.
Washington. April 5.-The Span
?ah minister, Senor Polo y Bernab?,
was seen at the Spanish legation to?
day and consented to talk on the
present condition of affairs He
spoke freely and at times with in
tense earnestness. The interview is
authoritative throughout.
"1 am still hopeful of peace." said
he. "That .may seem optimistic at a
moment when such passions are
aroused, such naval and military ope.
rations are going on. and when the
current of public sentiment seems to
be that war is inevitable. I cannot
say that I base my view that peace
will prevail upon any direct or official
information. On the contrary, it is
my individua) judgment, based sole?
ly upon the conviction that in these
enlightened days two self-respecting
nations, made up of men and women
of high aspirations and noble im
st?ncts, cannot and will not resort to
that last and brutal expedient, war.
To be sure, I cannot close my eyes
to certain obvious circumstances ex
isling both here and in Spain.
THE OTHER SIDE.
?Consider for a moment some of
the elements of this present criais,7'
the minister went on, speaking with
much vigor. "Can it be possible
that your people will consider only
one side of the case T Let us fer a
moment admit that there are two
sides to it
"Cuba has been a colony of Spain
from time immemorial-from the time
of the discovery , by Christopher Col
umbus-and as a part of Spain there
is clustered about it a reverence * of
most sacred Cuba i ^regarded al
our people just as you regard one by
the States of your Union. What
would be said if some foreign power
Said to the United States that Illinois
or Texas or California most be free
and independent of the United States?
To be an re. your press tells of brutal
savagery existing m Cuba I do not
rcish to deal in recrimination. The
time for that has gone by. Bot I
give you my word that this savagery
does not exist at all ; that all reliable
reports, official and unofficial, Spanish
and American agree that whatever
may have been the condition of affairs
a years ago, General Blanco bas in?
augurated a humane and beneficent
system, characteristic of the man.
AS TO AUTONOMY
.'Now, as to autonomy. For some
reason, intense feeling has been
aroused in this country against the
borne rule regime which Spain has
inaugurated in Cuba. It seems to be
overlooked, in the passion of the
moment, that this home role has been
the aspiration of the Cubans for
years, lt seems to be overlooked
also that President Cleveland and
Secretary Olney urged a full measure
ol borne rule as the. means likely to
bring about a termination of the
Cuban conflict. Spain has granted
that-granted it with the deepest sin?
cerity. I do not wish in this to repeat
an argument for autonomy, but sim
ply to call attention to the fact that
plain justice dictates that a system of
home rale, brought forth after the
deepest solicitude and consideration,
and based upon what the Cubans them?
selves have long desired and on what
the United States government deem?
ed most fitting as a settlement, should
not be lightly dismissed on represen?
tations c? the press, or even on the
representations of men of sober judg?
ment.
THE INSURGENTS
**As to the insurgents, they have
boroo arms against Spain for three
years, entailing terribie loss of life and
money ; and yet, believing these men
to be misguided, the government has
sought to regain their confidence.
Even fo-day the Official Gazette at Ha?
vana publishes an appeal bj 'be homo
rule government, urging all those in
arms, insurgents as well as Spaniards,
to eease hostilities, join baodsaod unite
io celebrating the restoration of peace.
It tells them also that if this home role
is oot perfect, it may be improved In
short, the insurgents are invited to join
the Spanish soldiers io layiog dova
their arms, stying that a period of
ci?m may be given daring which jost ;
aod wise c^noselfi may prevail for the j
permanent oetiermeot of Cuba.
-
Spain the Same Yesterday !
and To-rJay.
Well may all nations of this cen?
tury stand appalled at the story told
by Senator Proctor of the horrible
condition of the inhabitants of Cuba.
Of no other nation save Turkey alone
could such stories be told, but the
Spain of the Sixteenth century in
Europe and America is the Spain of
to-day ; brutal, bigoted, ignorant and
obstinate. What is said now of Spain
in Cuba has been told of Spain at
home, of Spain in the Netherlands,
of Spain among the American In?
dians ; the' ages change Spain not
the least. Commerce passes her by ;
the ages of science and discovery do
not enlighten Spain, and Weyler of
3S98 is the legitimate successor of
Torquemada and tho Dike of Alva.
Motley tells us that during the
eighteen years of Torquemada's ad
ministration of the Inquisition, 10,
220 individuals were burned alive,
and 97,321 were punished with in
famy, confiscation of property or
perpetual imprisonment, so that this
one friar destroyed 114,401 famines.
Natorally when Charles V. pro
posed to establish this Spanish inqui
sition in the Netherlands, the Nether?
lands revolted. -.
In the Netherlands Alva organized
bis Council of Blood. Here is Mot
ley's description of its work :
"Thus the whole country became a
charnelhou8e ; the dea th bell tolled
hourly in every village ; not a family
but was called to mourn for the dear?
est relatives, while the survivors
stalked listlessly about, the ghosts of
their former selves among the wrecks
of their former homes The spirit of
the nation, within a few months after
the arrival of Alva, seened hopeless?
ly broken The blood of the best
and bravest had already stained the
scaffold; the men to whom it bsd
! been accustomed to look for guid
andce and protection were dead, in
prison or in exile. The scaffolds, the
gallows, the funeral pyr es, which bsd
been sufficient in ordinary times furn*
i shed now an entirely ir adequate ma?
chinery for the incessant executions.
Columns and stakes in every street ;
the door posts of privatle houses, the
fences in the fields were ladened with
human carcasses, strangled, burned,
.beheaded. The orchards in the conn
try bore on many a tret! the hideous
fruit of haman bodies "
This is the story of the Spaniard
in Europe ; it is reproduced when we
read of the Spaniard ic Mexico and
Peru. ..Indians," says Fiske, in
writing of Peru, "Indians were
slaughtered by the hundred, burned
alive, impaled on sharp stakes, torn
to pieces by bloodhounds In retali?
ation for the murder of a Spaniard it
was thought proper to call fifty or
sixty Indians and chop their heads
off. Little children were flung into
the water to drown with less concern
than if they bad been puppies In
the mingling of sacred ideas with the
sheerest deviltry, there was a gro
tesqoeness fit for the pencil of Dore.
Once in honor of Christ and His
twelve apostles, they bi nged thirteen
Indians in a row at such height that
their toes could just touch the
groond, and then pricked them to
death with their sword points, taking
care not to kill them quickly "
The story is too well known and
too horrible to be repeated at further
length It i s the same bloody record
of brutality from beginning to eud ;
a stoty ia which Spain is ever the
foe ot civilization, of humanity, of
freedom, and the apostle of bigotry,
cruelty and despotism.
As Spain wa9 then, so is she to?
day in Cuba ; more feeble, it is true,
but because feeble, more cruel. She
sees power slipping from her, and
she clings to it with the tenacity of
despair.
Let Spain and Turkey remain to
blot the map of Europe if Europe
will have it so, but the u'me has come
' to c'.oee the history of Spain iu the
New World, after five hundred years
of almost uninterrupted savagery and
bloodshed -Home and Farm
* Most Cordial Sympathy.
London, April 6 -On the highest
authority, the Associated Press an?
nounces that the British government
has assured the United States of its
fullest and most cordial sympathy in
its Cuban policy This assurance was
given with the most complete knowl
edge of tbe latest developments in
the negotiations between the United
States and Spain, and on the under?
standing that even these aro tending
steadily toward armed intervention
in Cuba
The British government is even
more friendly to the United States
than the newspapers here, having
more accurate knowledge of tbe real
nature and purport of the dealings
between the United Sta-ea and Spain.
Queen Regent Working For
Peace.
Believed in Madrid That
Damancl of This Country
Will be Granted at
Once.
Announcement of Armistice Mo
mentirily Expected.
Madrid, April 6, via Baronne,
France, . April 6 -The developments
in the situation to-day are doe to the
important pari; the qaeeo regent is tak?
ing in the crisis She is practically
taking matters out of the hands of ber
(maisters aod is dealiog direct with the
United States minister. Gen. Stewart
L Woodford, through the German and
Austrian ambassadors and is working
earnestly for peace
It is known beyond donbt that Spain
is now prepared to give all America
has asked, although the form of this
concession mast be gilded to snit
Spanish palate? and jast take into con
sideration the political difficulties whiob
ooofroot Spain.
12:15 p. m.-A ministerial crisis is
imminent. It is understood Senor Sil
vela, the teador of the dissident con?
servatives and the Conservatives, will,
if necessary, accept office on a pro?
gramme of sn immediate armistice,
with fall authority to the autonomist
government to negotiate and cone]ade
an immediate aod effectual peace in
Coba.
12:20 p. m.-It is confidently assert?
ed at this hour that a proclamation of
the queen recent announcing an im?
mediate armistice in Cuba, will he issued
to-morrow. In is added that some of
the cabinet ministers may resign, but if
necessary the ministry will be changed.
The Aus tri io ambassador, Count
Dubskjr, had an interview with the
United States Minister, Gen. Stewart
L. Woodford to-day. They seemed
much pleased s t the situation
5 :30 p. m -The family of United
States Minister Woodford will start this
eveniog for Biarritz, Eraooe.
The staff of the United States lega?
tion ha9 lefc Madrid and will probably
remain io Parin for tbe present.
Nevertheless the latest information is
of a more assuring character. A cabi?
net council is DOW in session and it is
believed the deliberations are of a very
important nature, but the ministers
maintain absolute reserve.
M Patenot-e, the French ambassa?
dor, visited United States Minister
Woodford thia afternoon.
7:40 p m -The official statement
that affairs have taken a pacific turn
bas not yet become generally known
and public opinion remains much ex?
cited
Tbe bourse has declined heavily,
owing to the belief that there is dissen?
sion in the cabinet, which, however,
tbe ministerial supporters absolutely
deny.
The hope of reaching a peaceful set?
tlement with the United States is grow
iog stronger. It is reported that the
basis of an irmistio in Cuba have
been arranged. If this be true a royal
decree will appear in The Gazette to?
morrow or Friday announcing the con?
clusion of an armistice.
The Viczaja and jjthe Almirante
Oquendo will await orders at Puerto
Rico.
9 p. m -Mrs Woodford, wife of the
United States mioister, accompanied
by her nieoe aod Lieut. G. L Dyer,
the United Steten naval attache, left by
the 8 o'clock train for Biarritz.
Considerable surprise is expressed at
their departure, "in view of the settle?
ment/' but Miss Woodford remains and
it is explained tbac the others will soon
return.
The President's Alleged Pol?
icy.
Efforts by ISuropsan Powers to
Mediate.
Washington, April 5-That the
President's me-saige will go to Coogress
to morrow is tte best information obtain
able in Washington this evening,
though the kaleidoscope of international
events appear lo bc moving so rapidly
at Madrid ss to make possible
some possibly new and pos?
sibly remarkable change in the aspeot
of affairs, that will prevent this state
ment holding good. The message is
ready, makes about 7,000 words and
been approved by the oabinenr. It
recommends armed intervention (but so
far as known without stating that this
should be inmediate) by the United
States to prevect hostilities and succor
the starviog puoplc lt makes an ar?
gument against recognition of indepen?
dence at tbia time and leaves it olear
that in the opinion of the administration
it is the daty of this government to
supervise tho Uws of the island until,
in the light of fuller and later knowl?
edge, a stable government oan be estab?
lished. The attitude of Congress oo
this policy cannot be foretold.
Toe day ban been prolific of reports
of mediation on the part of tbe Euro
pean powers bet a summary of all the
news on this point is that thc powers
of Europe canoot agree, and that their
interference would be unacceptable to
the government of tbe United States.
The safety of Geceral Lee our con?
suls and other Americans io Caba is a
matter of concern to tbe State Depart?
ment but advices from General L3e in?
dicate that the transportatioo of all
Americans from Cuba would take some
time, and apparently showed that be
did not share fully in the apprehension
felt here
AMBASSADORS ACTIVE.
Thronghout the day unusual activ?
ity was manifested at the foreign
embassies and legiations representing
the great powers of Europe. These
were the British ambassador. Sir
Julian Pauncefote ; the Prench am?
bassador, M Cambon ; the German
ambassador, Dr von Holleben ; the
Italian charge d'affaires, Count Vanci,
and the Austrian minister, Mr. von
Hengel Moller. These officials were
kept fully advised from their foreign
offices, and it was expected that a
concerted movement would be made
almost any moment. About midday
the British ambassador went to the
French embassy and conferred with
M. Cambon on the situation, and
shortly after Count Vinci was at
the British embassy Again at 5
o'clock it was understood that the
French ambassador and Austrian
minister conferred with Sir Julian at
the British embassy. But while con?
ferences were thu? going on and ap?
prehension was keen over an antici?
pated move, it could not be learned
up to a late hour that any actual offer
of mediation bad eventuated. It
certainly bad not been made np to
the close of office hours at the State
Department The German ambassa?
dor, Dr. von Holleben, appears to be
the only one not actively participat?
ing in the conferences to day, but
there is reason to believe he is kept
fully advised on the sentiments at
Berlin concerning the Spanish situa?
tion.
The Spanish minister. Senor Polo y
Bernab?, did not take part in any of
the diplomatic conferences, nor did he
have occasion to visit the State De?
partment during thc day. If the
negotiations have taken any new di?
rection, it has beeo between Minister
Woodfc ri and the authorities at Mad?
rid, and not at Washington. To-night
the Spanish minister dined with Post?
master General Gary.
At the capitol to-day tremendous ef?
fort was made to have Congress sup?
port the outlined policy of tho Presi?
dent. A general belief was expressed
when the House adjourned that a ma?
jority of the House committee on for?
eign affairs was ready to support Mr
McKinley's plan, and the impression
prevailed that a resolution in line with
the recommendations of the President
would be reported from the committee.
There is a great deal of uncertainty
regarding the Senate committee.
CONSERVATIVE SENATORS.
An important conf?rence of conser?
vative Senators was held duriog the
day, when it was determined that in
case the foreign relations committee
did not report io accordance with the
President's recommendations, there
would be a long debate upon the reso?
lution reported, and unanimous aotioo
by the Senate could not be expected.
General Miles said to-day that the
only regiment th CB far ordered to
Cbiokamaaga was the 25th regiment
of colored infantry, and so far as the
present intentions are concerned, they
are only to stop there temporarily, on
their way to Key West and Dry Tor
togas, to which piace they were origi
nally ordered about ten days ago
A PROTRACTED DEBATE.
A debate which occurred in the exe
cuti ve session of the Senate late this'
afternoon would indicate that no matter
what the character Of the resolution to
come from the committee on foreign re
lations, the resolution would cause a
prolonged, discussion. It emphasized
the fact that these are two clements in
the Senate-one fer mdepaodence with
intervention, another for intervention
alone, and these two factions will fight
vigorously for their idea9.
min i i ?
President Changed His Mind
at Last Moment.
Washington, April 6 -Notwith?
standing the impatience and disap?
pointment caused among the Repub
lican members of the house by the
withholding of the President's mes
sage, the frank statement of the
President to the leaders and to
several prominent Democrats that
such a course was deemed absolute
ly necessary by Consul General
Lee to insure the safe departure
of the Americans still in Cuba has
caused them to accept the situation
in good faith. Some of the most
radical, after hearing the statements
of those who saw the President, ap?
peared satisfied. Those with whom
the President talked come away with
a very strong impression that the
message would mean war . unless
Spain backed down squarely. One
of them who has been very active j
in antagonizing delay says the mes- j
sage will be perfectly satisfactory to j
him and will fully meet the especia j
tion of the country.
Pending the transmittal of the j
messsage, in view of the situation
presented by the President, ail plans
looking to action in the house will be
abandoned. But those who have
been taking part in the radical move?
ment and who always admit the pos
sibi?ity thsit the time may come when
they will have to part company with
the President are, according to the
leaders of the movement, more
determined than ever to ulti?
mately obtain what they desire.
They, however, are at preent
satisfied with the assurances they
have received as to the char?
acter of the message. But this has
not prevented them from organizing
for possible contingencies The con?
ference which was to have been held
to-night after the message was in
was abandoned, but 50 of those who
originally inaugurated the movement
met immediately after the house ad?
journed to discuss the situation AU
who were not heartily in sympathy
with them were invited to leave.
Those at the meeting unanimously
agreed to wait upon the message,
but the movement for a caucus start?
ed by the President's supporters,
which was also abandoned during the
afternoon, exposed to them a danger
upon which they had not reckoned
namely, that a caucus of Republicans
might be called to bind them by the
party action and place them in the
position of bolters if the occasion
arose for them to adopt an independ?
ent plan of action A committee of
eight was therefore appointed to
count noses, to watch the situation
and to devise ways and means to
meet any tactics of the opposition
The committee is as follows : Messrs.
Hopkins of Illinois, Lorrimer of Illi?
nois, Tawney of Minnesota, Cooper
of Wisconsin, Hepburn' of Iowa,
Brorawell of Ohio, Joy of Missouri,
Knox of Massachusetts.
Several rather vigorous speeches
in denunciation of any policy of
delay were made in the course of the
meeting. In order to emphasize this
position, a proposition wad made to
unite with the Democrats and block
all legislation, adjourning from day to
day until the message appeared and
the house had acted on the Cuban
resolutions Mr. Hull of Iowa, who
is pushing the army reorganization
bill, made such an ardent plea to al?
low that bill to come to a vote thal
the proposition was temporarily
abandoded. Whether it will be re?
vived depends largely upon the
course of events. It can be stated,
however, that it is seriously contem?
plated One of the other chief de?
velopments of the day W38 the prob?
ability that io the event of a split on
the Republican side the Democrats
would unite with the radicals and
allow the latter to force the issue
If the Democrats should seek to as?
sume the aggressive the chances are
they would solidify the Republicans
against them.
The delay of the message was re?
ceived in the senate with varying de?
grees of favor of disfavor, depending
largely upon the predilections and
personal and political associations of
the members Senators united in the
necessity for protecting the safety of
Gen. Lee and the other American cit?
izens in Cuba Many, however, were
inclined to criticise because our cid
zens had not been removed hereto?
fore, while others declared protection
for them should have been sent to
Habana "It is ? humiliating spec
tacle," said Senator Quay of Penn?
sylvania, "that with our fleet within
90 miles of Habana we are not abie
* to protect our people in that port."
"That request,*' 6aid Senator Proc
tor, "merely illustrates the character
of the people we are dealing with in |
this matter/'
The inteuse Cuban sympathizers on
both sided of the senate chamber
were free in the expression of opiu
ion that there was some motive for
the delay that did not appear on the
surface They did not question the
good faith of the representation as to
the danger of Americans in Cuba,
bul they agreed that there must have
been other causes for the administra?
tion's conree When the Madrid
bulletiu stating the probability of an
armistice in Cuba was made known,
they found in it a verification of their
surmises.
At one time during the afternoon
the indication was strong that dis
satisfaction would find voice in the
open session of the senate, but those
who felt disposed to discuss the ques?
tion were restrained from a feeling of
delicacy because not fully certain of
their ground
The conservative element did not
find encouragement in the situation.
They were not displeased over the
prospect of delay, but they expressed
regret at the occasion for it. "The
publication of the fact of danger of
Americans in Cuba," said one of
then*, "will set the country aflame
and the war spirit will be more ram?
pant to morrow than ever."
Altogether the day's proceedings
had the effect of leaving the senate
in an unsettled condition, but it also
relieved the tension to a perceptible
degree
ll 40 p rn - It is said that a satis?
factory settlement has been arrived
at between the United States and
Spain
Later-The most careful investiga?
tion in official circies to-night faiis to
develop anything in support of the
theory that the delay of the Presi?
dent's message was doe to the situa?
tion at Madrid When the announce?
ment was first made to-day that the
message had been withheld, the in?
ference was drawn in some congres?
sional circles that the delay was par?
tially influenced by the attitude of
the queen regent, who was reported
willing to yield everything demand?
ed by the United States, provided it
could be done without precipitating
a popular disturbance in Spain, Press
dispatches of a pending cabinet
crisis in Madrid tended to confirm
this. Those closest to tbe President
refused to discuss the Madrid situa?
tion further than to say that there
was not information from that quar?
ter, and that no fresh negotiations
had been opened It was reiterated
tbat the crux of the situation was in
Habana. This was confirmed by
members of the foreign relations com?
mittee, to whom this explanation bad
been made in such form that they
professed themselves sali?fied w!th it.
War With Spain.
What Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward
says about the jingo newspapers : ;
"What should be said of the news?
paper men who might be guilty of
causing such an immeasurable woe ?
God only could forgive them. This
country never would. Let us remem?
ber that civilized nations are no longer
thugs and pirates It is out of date to
settle natiooal differences by slaughter.
The incendiary editor raves hotly over
the loss of three huodred men But he
coldly instigates the murder of three
hundred thousand or three times that.
He pours fiery rhetoric about the miser?
ies consequent on the explosion of one
battle-ship. But he is layiog the
torpedoes which may blow up two
navies. He places the minc. He
trails the wire ; he puts his finger OD
tbe electric button. He is the ermina!.
He is a thousand fold mere guilty than
any possible savage, or maniac, who
might, by any conceivable turo of
events, be suspected to know more than
he chose to tell about thc destruction
of the Maine "
We Cannot Turn Back.
Spain must quit this country. Tbat
is manifest destiny, and the hour bas
struck. There is no stopping place
short of the absolute independence of
Cuba There is no peace short of thar.
It would bave been as easy to end the
war of the revolution at Bunker Hill
or the civil war at Bull Ruo as to turn
back now We have become the in?
strument, tbe evolutionary force, by
which Spanish rule io the hew world
she onoe owned is brought to its histor?
ic end. Finality is the very essence of
the undertaking. We should be very
great fools to make these martial prep?
arations and go through al) this worry,
suspense and loss for some miserable
compromise that ?onld break down
next fall or next " .r or ic ten years,
and leave ua to make oar martial prep?
aration and go through the worry, the
suspense and the loss again. Time and
again we have temporized and post
poo ad. Wc were wi?hin a measurable
distance of war with Spain in 1873,
and again in 1875 We had a "Cob?
ban war panic'' in 1896, and McKin?
ley's solemn words of warning last De?
cember brought the ultimate necessity
of intervention and possible hostile
aotion clearly into view The "war
scare" cf 1898 wilt ced thc series.
New York San.
Washington April 8 -President
McKinley is determined that no
change will be made in his message
to Congress and he will abide by
the result of the record as presented
to Congress. He had many callers
this morning.
j_WOVM. POWDER CO., WSWVQWC