The Morning News

SPAIN NOT YET SATISFIED.
Patronizing Attitude of the United States Resented.

London, Dec. 27.-The Madrid correspondent of the Standard says:

"Gen. Woodford's note dwells at length upon the Spanish complaint against filibusters and other moral and material assistance given in the United States to the insurgents, which the Washington government reasserts it has done all within its power to check, with a view also to satisfying the representations made by the Spanish diplomacy.

"The Madrid papers say the note is very friendly and so laudatory of the present home rule policy in Cuba and Porto Rico that there is a general impression in official circles that the relations between the two governments have a decidedly reassuring aspect.

"At the same time papers of every shade of opinion, including the ministerial organ, censure very sharply the conduct of the United States government, and are unanimous in saying that all the compliments the United States pays the new Spanish colonial policy cannot make a proud nation tolerate the pretension of a foreign government to have the right to criticise and condemn the conduct of Spanish generals and of the late Spanish government in dealing with the rebellion.

"They equally resent the American pretension to interfere in the Spanish West Indies, which is also practically claimed in the notes and the presidential message, and recently in Secretary Sherman's advocacy of relief for destitute Cubans.

"The Spanish press is much dissatisfied with the Woodford note on account of the arguments used to cite the Spanish complaints against aid given the Cubans. America is charged with infringing all the rules and usages of international law in order to suit the aims of its encroaching policy in the West Indies. It is an open secret that the note has caused surprise and displeasure in official circles, because the government had hoped that President McKinley and Secretary Sherman would refrain from increasing the embarrassment of the situation in Spain in consideration of all the concessions already made to Cuba.

"The government will delay replying to the note for several weeks, as the United States took nearly two months to reply to the Spanish note. When it does reply Senor Sagasta will rebut the arguments of the note in a friendly, but firm, tone. The government cannot longer risk the charge of not being in touch with the national feeling, which is getting weary of American interference. The Spaniards think the note gives them an excellent opportunity to reply to criticisms, which naturally could not be challenged or noticed diplomatically when set forth only in the President's message."