Newspaper Page Text
The Abbeville Chronicle.
VOL. II.
Sent by Spanish
Government
NEITHER ACCEDES NOR DE
CLINES PROPOSITIONS.
Makes Counter Argument- That
Spain, Herself, Be Allowed
To Make Terms.
Spain’s official reply to President
McKinley’s last demand in the Cuban
situation was received in Washington
Thursday night. An anxious party,
comprising most of tho cabinet and
several close friends of the admiuistra
tion, waited until late in the evening
in expectation of developmients. About
half-past 10 o’clock the message began
to arrive in cipher, and , the work , of
translation was begun at once. It was
officially stated, however, that no inti
mation as to the nature of the reply
could be divulged at the time.
Among those at the white house
where Senator Hanna, Secretary Al
ger, Secretary Bliss, Assistant Secre
tary of State Day, who dined with the
president; Assistant Secretary of State
Adee, to whom was confided the trans
rition of the message; Senator Spooner
and Senator Aldrich.
There was an intensely expectant
crowd of newspaper correspondents,
larger than often gathered at the
white house at night, waiting in the
lobby outside the president’s office.
But they were destined to disappoint
ment, for after the telegraph instru
ment in tlio adjoining offico had stead
ily clattered "or half an hour Mr. For
ter, the president’s secretary, ap
peared with the announcement from
Secretary Day that it was impossible
to translate the message in time to
give out any statement at that hour,
All those who had been with the
president were reticent on leaving the
executive mansion, most of them de
claring that they had not seen any of
tho translation of the cipher dispatch,
and that they had no idea of its pur
port.
A special dispatch from Washington
to the New York World, timed 2 a. m.
Friday, gives the following outline to
the .. note presented ,, by Minister . — Mood- ,
ford:
“simln Neither accede* to nor decline*
President McKinley’s Propositions.
“Shu makes counter argument that Spain
should herself be allowed to propose terms
as to wliat should he done regarding her
own territory; that the United States
should not do so.”
Both committees . of congress dealing
w ith foreign affairs were in session
Thursday. The senate committee con
tinued its examination of the report on
the Maine and the house committee by
a party vote refused to take any action
on Cuba till Monday.
The senate committee agreed to and
Senator Lodge reported a bill appro
priating $5,000,000 to purchase one or
more of the Danish West India islands
to be used for naval purposes.
The senate committee had before it
Captain Sigsbee, of the ill-fated Maine,
and Captain Barker, Secretary Long’s
naval aide. What these officers told
the committee is treated confiden
tially.
There was a spirited debate in the
house Thursday of a partisan nature,
and its effect has been to solidify the
parties—the republicans to await action
by the president and the democrats to
force the Cuban question to the front,
The most important action taken by
the navy department during the day
was the determination to have the
naval militia of the several states pre
pared for immediate service should this
he found necessary. The decision was
the result of a conference of the naval
strategic board.
Letters were sent to the governors
and to the adjutants general of the
states where there are naval militia
organizations, asking them to set in
motion the machinery for drilling and
equipping the state organizations
promptly so they may be ready within
a very few hours’ notice of a call to
arms.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt has
charge of all matters pertaining to the
naval militia and he feeri the response
to this request will be hearty and
prompt. The officials express hope
that there will be a unanimous senti
ment on the part of employers to per
mit such of their men as are members
of the militia free opportunity to join
their commands.
SEVILLE, GA.. THURSDAY APRIL, . ISMS.
SPAIN GIVEN LIMIT
To Answer President's Note Demanding
Cuban Independence.
A Washington special says: The
president assured a committee of sen
ators who waited on him Wednesday
afternoon that he had given Spaiu
sixty liofirs to make reply to his note
demanding independence. Spain cer
tified her "intention of responding
within the prescribed time, thus al
lowing us to intercept the Spanish flo
tilla should tho answer tie unfriendly.
Tho Spanish government wired Wed
nesday afternoon asking this govern
ment if it would consider any other
proposition to eoaso Hostilities save by
the plan of total independence. The
president has wired that this country
would not.
In anticipation of Spain’s reply Mc
Kinley begged the republicans in con
gress to wait one more day. Republi
cans in tho house promised him to do
so on his pledge that the matter would
be brought to a focus.
THREE MORE WARSHIPS
I.eave Spanish Naval Station Headed In
the Direction of Havana.
A matter that caused a great deal of
excitement among the officials at
Washington Wednesday was the iu
formation that had been received from
United States Minister Woodford of
the departure westward of a formid
able Spanish fleet of three vessels.
Naturally there was a disposition to
criticise the action of Spain iu this
particular in view of the many peace
protestations that have been made by
that country, and such action was re
garded as auything but u frion d!y
move.
The ships sailed from Carthagena, a
Spanish naval station on the Mediter
ranean sea, and according to the min
ister’s dispatch they were headed
“westward.” This, it is said, is no
doubted! v the most formidable array
of vessels that has departed from Spain
in this direction during the present
crisis, and the presumption generally
field by the navy department officials
; s that they are headed ultimately for
Havana, and will be first heard of at
the Canaries,
SPAIN IS ALL ALONE.
* Vl)t Probable That Any of the Power*
Will Intervene.
It was stated Wednesday in a high
diplomatic quarter at Washington that
the Spanish government within the
last ten days had addressed a note to
the great powers of Europe fully set
ting forth the grave aspect of the con
troversy with the United States and,
at least inferentially, suggesting that
the time was now opportune for Euro
pean influence to be exerted,
It is said this note has been the
cause of activity at European capitals
within the last few days in connection
with Spanish American affairs. Up to
tho present time, however, no actual
step toward mediation or intervention
bas been taken by any of the great
powers, although' there is little doubt
that France stands ready to take the
initifttive if there is tho slightest evi
dence that the United States govern
ment will view such a move with fa
vor.
SENATOR EARLE EULOGIZED.
Glowing Tribute* Paid By Senator* Mc
I.aurin and Chandler.
The tributes to tire late Senator
jr ar [ e j n {fi e senate were of an unusual
character. Senator McLauren made
the opening memorial address.
He was followed by Senator Chand
i eIi 0 f New Hampshire, whose eulogy
to tbe dead South Carolinian was one
of the most beautiful delivered in re
eeTi ^ years. Senator Tillman closed.
other senators who spoke were
Spooner, of Utah, Kenney, of Dela
ware> an( 3 McEnery, of Louisiana,
Senator Clay, of Georgia, spoke for a
b alf bom . au q fii s eulogy to Earle was
f u ji 0 f pathos and a beautiful tribute
to bis iif e an d character,
WOULD KILL LEE FIRST.
__
Threat of Wholesale Butchery of Ameii
can* In Havana Reported.
The Ward steamer Vigilancia ar
rived at New York Wednesday from
Havana. The Vigilancia brings no
news of a special nature except that it
was commonly reported in Havana Spain
that on a declaration of war on
being made by the United States a
wholesale murder of Americans in
Havana will take place and Consul
General Lee would be the first to be
assassinated,
CAR LISES CONSOLIDATED.
Knoxville Ha* Now Only One System For
Future Operations.
It is stated definitely that C. C.
Howell, who has been manager of the
Knoxville Street Railway Company,
will remain as manager of the Knox
ville Traction Company, formed by
the consolidation of three street rail
ways and two electric light systems of
the city,
The deal was consummated at Bal
timore Tuesday and consideration was
$881,450. The purchaser was a syn ;
dicate organized by Hamilton & Sons,
of Baltimore, Baltimore Trust eorn
pany, and Kauntze Bros., of New
York, interested.
IE DECIDES TO RESCIND THE
11EC0XCENTRAD0 ORDER.
WILD SCENE IN THE HOUSE
•'“liny, of Texas, Attempt* to Force Re
publican* to Overrule Speaker Rued
ami l*a«* a Cuban Resolution.
The Spanish legation at Washington
received a cablegram late Wednesday
night from the governor general of
Cuba saying that the captain general
reported the pacification of the eastern
provinces so far advanced that it had
been decided to rescind the reconcen
trado order in these provinces and
allow all subjects of this decree to re
turn to their homes in the country.
To aid in the re-establishing of the
reconceutrados upon their farms, the
cablegram states, the government will
grant them the protection of the Span
ish military forces aumented by local
relief committees to look after their
immediate needs.
Ecouemic kitchens, it says, are to
be established to support the recon
centrados while waiting for their first
crons to mature, and they are to Vie
furnished farming implements and
seeds by the government. To supply
them with ready money, such of them
as are able, will be given employment
upon public works, and it is asserted
that these measures will result in the
speedy rehabilitation in the rural por
tions in the eastern provinces.
A wild and uproarious scene oc
curred in the house of representatives
Wednesday when Mr. Bailey, the
democratic leader, attempted to force
the hand of the republicans upon a
proposition to overrule the spenker
and pass a resolution recognizing the
independence of the Cuban republic.
He was cheered on by the crowd in
the galleries, but the members of the
majority refused to support him. They
were rallied by two of the leading ad
vocates of armed intervention, and
the speaker himself, from the chair
made an indirect appeal to his party
associates to stand firm, at the same
time intimating that if their impatience
was curbed a little longer they would
have the opportunity they coveted.
The scene throughout was most dra
matic and the members and the spec
tators in the galleries were wrought
up to a high pitch of excitement.
Mr. Bailey offered the following
resolution as a privileged question:
Resolved, by the senate and house of rep
resentatives, That the heroic struggle of
the Cuban people against the force of arms
and the horrors of famine has shown them
worthy to he free, and
Second, The United States hereby recog
nizes the republic of Cuba as a free and in
dependent state.
Mr. Boutelle immediately made (lie
point of order that the resolution was
not privileged, and upon that Mr. Bai
ley demanded to be heard. He de
manded that the subject with which
the resolution dealt was too serious
and the occasion too important to be
hastily disposed of. He insisted he
had a Tight to present the resolution
under the rules and rulings, and the
responsibility must rest with tho ma
jority if it was ruled ojit of order and
the ruling sustained. He called at
tention to the fact that in the fifty
tli : rd congress, when Mr. Crisp was
speaker, Mr. Boutelle, who now made
the point of order that this resolution
was not privileged, presented a resolu
tion of a similar character relating to
Hawaii, which the speaker held was
privileged, but must go to a. commit
tee. Against that latter ruling an
appeal wus taken and tho whole republ
ican side had voted against the bill on
the appeal. AVhen he said that at the
head of [the list of distinguished re
publicans who voted on that ocacsion
was the honorable speaker of this
house, the democrats went into raptu
ous applause.
After the announcement of the vote
Mr. Bailey asked what became of the
resolution, and the speaker replied
t' at it would not go the committee on
foreign affairs, hut if introduced in
the regular way, through the box, it
would be referred.
Mr. Bailey appealed from the deci
sion, but the speaker said it was a par
liamentary inquiry that Mr. Bailey
had made and that no appeal could be
taken.
A DEAL WITH DENMARK.
Report That Our Government Has Bought
Islands and War Ships.
A special frqm Washington says that
there is some reason to beffhve that
the government has made a most im
portant deal with a foreign nation
which will have a most important bear
ing upon our relations with Spain.
It is said that negotiations have been
concluded for the cession to this coun
try of the three Danish islands in the
West Indies—St. Thomas, St. John
and St. Croix.
It is also understood that Denmark
sells to this country two cruisers and
three torpedo boat destroyers.
MADRID I’HE.SS IS HKLLICOSE.
Ndw.ipftporn «ro Convinced That Conflict
Will Como.
Tho Madrid new s aptrs regal’d Avar
as inevitable. They think General
Stewart L. Woodford has communi
cated a linal answer ti the govern
ment.
The Liberal says:
“It is clear that no concession will
independence satisfy the United Slates except the
of Cuba, and we hud
better immediately end the uncer
tainty.”
The whole article of The Liberal on
tho subject is bellicose in tone.
The Pais asserts that great uneasi
ness prevails as Washington concern
ing the attitude of the southern states
in case of war with Spain, and also
because the Spaniards are organizing
in Mexico to invade the states “vilely
wrestled from the Mexican republic.”
Much excitement was caused during
the day by the receipt of a dispatch
saying that it is expected that the pass
ports of the Spanish minister at Wash
ington will he handed to him shortly.
The queen regent is taking a very
active part in the negotiations and has
thoroughly identified herself with the
war section of the cabinet. Her atti
tude is much approved by the officials
in file army, and has undoubtedly
strengthened the dynasty for the time
being.
Her majesty is reported to have told
Senor Sngastn:
“I received from my husband a her
itage for our son, and will never agree
to have that heritage curtailed.”
At the same time it was reported
that the queen regent is doing much
to avoid a rupture.
Spanish cabinet has decided that
the torpedo flotilla is to remain at the
Cape de Verde islands until further
orders.
They will then be joined by a squad
ron composed of the armored cruiser
Emperor Charles V, the cruiser Alfon
so XIII, the armored Infanta Maria
Teresa and the armored cruiser Cris
tobal Colon, which will accompany the
torepdo flotilla to Cuba.
It has also been decided by the gov
ernment to send the cruisers Vizcaya
and Almirante Oquendo, both of 7,000
tons, back to Havana. They will re
ceive orders to this effect as soon as
they sight Porto Rico.
EDITOR BRANN KILLED.
Fouglit Duel to tlio Death With Captain
Davis in the Streets of Waco.
At, Waco, Texas, Friday, W. C.
Bvann, editor of The Iconoclast, and
Captain M. T. Dayis, met and fought
a revolver duel to the death.
The combatants met just at 6 o’clock
in front of the Cotton Belt ticket
office, and after exchanging a few
words, both began emptying their re
volvers into each other’s bodies.
When the battle was over Braun
was found to he perforated in the left
lung, the left leg and the right foot,
and died after being taken to his
home. Davis was shot through the
right lung and through both arms.
He is likely to die.
The difficulty between the two men
grew out of the Brann-Baylor fend of
last year. Captain Davis’s daughters
are pupils of Baylor university, and
the reference made in The Iconoclast
to Baylor, which were generally con
strued to mean reflections on the moral
character of tho pupils and faculty,
brought forth from Captain Davis a
denunciation of Bran.,, delivered in
,„ w «... lorcib,
MRS. NOBLES’ LIFE SAVED.
Georgia Prison Commission Acts Favor
ably In Her Case.
The Georgia prison commission lias
recommended the Governor to com
mute the sentence of Mrs. Elizabeth
Nobles to life imprisonment.
The commission has not yet made
a recommendation in the case of (Jus
Families, the associate of Mrs. Nobles
in the murder of her husband.
Tlrere is no room for doubt, how
ever, that the sentence of the negro
will also be commuted to life imprison
meut. He lias at all times been ad
judged the less guilty of the two, and
in as much as clemency has been ex
tended Mrs. Nobles there is every
reason to believe that Families will
not be hanged. It is understood that
the people of Twiggs county are unan
imous on this point. They are un
willing to have the negro hanged unless
the woman shares a like fate.
REQUEST TO GOVERNORS.
Aftkeri to at Once Organize, Drill and
Equip Naval Militia.
Supplementing the action taken by
the navy department Thursday in re
questing governors of states to drill
and equip the naval militia so as to be
ready for any emergency, Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt Friday sent letters
to tho governors of those seacoast
states not having such organizations,
to take steps looking to the formation
of naval militia so far as possible under
the state laws.
It is hoped by the naval officials
that each of these states will lie ena
bled to promptly acquiesce in the de
partment’s request, and be prepared
to assist in the naval auxiliary work.
.... I AWaitlng , ...
j a
the Climax.
WILL DEPEND ON PRESIDENT
M’KINLEY'S MESSAGE.
Many Diplomats Declare That
a Conflict Cannot Now
Be Avoided.
A Washington special of Sunday
says: The opinion almost universally
held in Washington by lending public
men and diplomats is that tho crisis
will reach its climax within a day or
two, and that the question of war or
peace will he fully determined.
Senators and representatives met
and conferred all day about the grav
ity of the situation, and at the white
house the president consulted with
several members of his cabinet and
other confidential advisers regarding
the message which he is preparing to
send to congress.
No absolute day has been yet an
nounced when the message is to be
sent to congress.
In addition to the physical work of
preparing the comprehensive docu
ment upon which the president ex
pects to rest America’s case with the
world, there are other reasons why
those in charge of the war preparations
will welcome every hour’s delay. War
material which we lim e ordered abroad
is not yet shipped, and tlio factories
in this country whicli ure at work day
and night making powder and pro
jectiles are anxious for delay.
Some of the factories in Connecti
cut with contracts have telegraphed
Representative Hill urging nil the de
lay possible. They say every day now
is precious. opin
There is still a divergence of
ion aH to what the president will rec
ommend in his message; indeed, there
seems to be still a question as to
whether the president will make any
specific recommendations.
Some of his most intimate friends,
however, assert emphatically that his
recommendations will be specific and
vigorous, ami such that his party and
the country could willingly follow
when he points the way. One of these
"W* “•« P"“‘J ent »> bis strong desire
f ”>' l>eaee and Ins earnest hope that war
might possibly be avouled was yielding
somewhat to the sentiment of the lead
of hiS party ami country He has
not 8‘ven up hope yet that hostilities
may be inerted,
There are those who believe the
president has not yet made up his
»••««! *«> »« he will
pursue, and there seems to be a ques
tion as to whether the consular reports
«>*< the diplomatic correspondence is
to be translated with the message,
The suspense caused by the neces
"ary delay in the preparation of the
ally discussed question in Washington
right now is whether congress can be
restrained until the message is truns
mitted.
All realize the difficult and arduous
task of preparing our case for the
world's inspection, and the care which
must be exercised, and there seems to
be no disposition to “unduly” hasten
the president. The party leaders are
extremely anxious to avoid a breach
with the executive such as would oe
our if congress were to take the initi
ative.
ASK FOR RESTORATION.
Shoe Worker* In Massachusetts Want
Their oh! Wage* Reinstated.
The boot and shoe workers of Marl
borough, Mass., have notified the
shoe manufacturers of that city of the
desire of the shoe workers that the
reduction of 5 per cent in wages which
has been in operation for nearly a year
shall be restored on the first of May.
AVAILABLE VESSELS.
Over Sixty Merchant Marine Ship* Can Re
Made ('riiiHcrH.
A Washington dispatch says: There
are sixty-one steamships plying be
tween New York and various ports to
day which only need an order from
the secretary of the navy to be turned
into United States cruisers. They
are the ships that form our auxiliary
navy. American Line
Among these are the
steamships St. Paul, St. Louis, New
York and Paris. Each is about 535
feet long, each could easily carry a
thousand men, and if necessary half
as many more, and there is not a
cruiser in our navy as speedy
NO. 12.
BltYAN FAVORS INTERVENTION.
Ni'bvawknn (llvoa HIr Views on llequeit of
AgRoclated Fretta.
A special from Lincoln, Neb., says:
Hon. W. J. Bryan made tho following
statement for the Associated Press
Thursday night, in answer judgment to tho qncs
ti° n whether in his the time
had arrived for tho United States to
intervene in behalf of Cuba and bring
the war to an end:
“Yes, tho time for intervention lias
arrived. Humanity demands that wo
shall act. Cuba lies almost within
sight of our shores and the sufferings
of her people cannot he ignored unless
wo as a nation have become so en
grossed in money making as to bo in
different to distress.
“Intervention may be accompanied
by danger and expense, but existence
cannot be separated from responsibil
ity, and responsibility sometimes leads
a nation, as well as au individual, into
danger. A neighbor must sometimes
incur danger for a neighbor, and a
friend for a friend.
“War is a terrible thing, and cannot
bo defended except as n moans to au
end, and yet it is sometimes the only
means by which u necessary end cau
lie secured. The state punishes its
own citizens by imprisonment persuasion or even
death when counsel and
fail. War is the linal arbiter between
nations when reason and diplomacy
are of no avail.
“Spain might not resist interven
tion. It is to be hoped sho would
recognize the right of tho United
States to act, and immediately with
draw from Cuba, but whether she re
sents intervention or not, the United
States must perform a plain duty.
“Spaiu lias only herself to blame
for the condition of affairB in Cuba.
If she denies to her former subjects
the light of war and calls the Cuban
army a mob, let her remember the
words of Victor Hugo: ‘The
mob is the human raco in misery.’
No nation can afford to make its peo
ple miserable.
“Tf the Cubans prefer death to
Spanish rule, it must be because Span
ish rule has robbed life of joy and
hope. If u nation sows the wind it
must reap the whirlwind.”
GOV. BLACK IS PATRIOTIC.
Kuconunoml. Appropriation For War
Fund l>y New York legislature.
Governor Black of New York has
sent to the legislature of that state au
emergency message advising an imme
diate appropriation of 81,000,000 as a
contingent war fund.
Governor Brick’s message, in part,
says: “Events are now transpiring of
so grave and general import that the
attention of every people is fixed upon
our own. The crisis which our na
tional government now meets involves
those considerations whioh affect the
future of the race. To aid the gov
ernment by approval and support I
recommend that before you adjourn
you take such action as your wisdom
shall decide upon, to provide against
such urgent needs as the future may
disclose. ”
GERMANY IIAN GRIEVANCE.
Demands Satisfaction From Spanish Gov
ernment In Canuainuba Case,
Advices from Berlin state that Ger
many has commenced diplomatic rep
resentations to Spain relative to the
Caunamaba case, and the German
cruiser Geler, on her way to Bahia,
has been ordered to got ready to pro
ceed to Cuba if satisfaction is not
quickly forthcoming.
The German version of the Canna
maba case is that some Cuban insur
gents, during the night of March 18th,
attacked u German refinery at Canna
malia (also written Caunamabev) be
longing to the firm of Fischer <fe
Schmidt, of Trinidad, province of
Santa Clara. The insurgents are said
to have rifled the safes, burned the
buildings, killed four persons and
wounded ten occupants of the refinery.
DEAL IN FOAL LANDS.
KaMtcrn Money Flown Into tho Birming
ham, Ala., Dl&trtct.
Another big deal has been made in
coal lands in the Birmingham, Ala.;
district by the Ivy Leaf Coal and Coke
Company. Walter Moore and a Car
rollton, Ga., syndicate arc the pur
chasers. The price paid is $125,000.
The property consists of 11,800 acres
of coal land in the vicinity of the town
of Cordova, in Walker countv. a part
of which is now mined under lease by
the Ivy Leaf company. The Ivy Leaf
company has been merged into the
new organization.
VESSELS OF WAR READY.
Stripped of Tlielr Woodwork and UihiflC
essary Obstacles Removed.
Every preparation for action was
taken by the warships at Key West
Thursday. AU woodwork was stripped
off exposed spots and sent ashore, The
wood pilot houses on the cruisers were
taken down. To a certain extent in
terior woodwork was also removed and
sent ashore. Even the sailors’ wooden
boxes were removed from tho ships.
These precautions have been adopted
to prevent so far as possible the danger
of flying splinters in ease of action.
The officers sent tlieir personal valua
bles and belongings to be stored on
shore.