Are Verging On War

Washington, Nor. 25.- The Cuban situation is now acute. The summary trial and conviction of the Competitor prisoners by secret tribunal in a Havana fortress, against the protest of the United States government, has thrown the state department into a ferment, and indications point strongly to decided action on the part of the administration. Nov. 2 Consul General Lee entered formal protest on behalf of the United States against a military trial of the Competitor ere, who were under the American flag whcn captured, except under conditions tnat would entitle them to a fair hearing as citizens of the United States. This protest has been ignored, and tho state department has only one recourse, which is to demand the setting aside of this trial and a reopening of the case. A refusal at this time would necessarily fcring the relations between Spain and the United States mstantly to a war hasis The Competitor incident was the subject of a cabinet discussion this morning. The flndings by the Spauish court in Havana were unknown to i Secretary Olney until the facts were read by him in the morning newspapers. That was the flrst he knew about tne later developments. He has declined to make any statement with regard to the matter except to say that the first information that reached him was through the Associated Press dispatches. Minister de Lome refused absolutely to discuss the situatioa in any of lts phases, pleading ignorance of ny ana each detail. General Fitzhugh Lee, who la now in Washington was equally reticent, but he was in personal commimication with the secretary of state previous to the deparare of that gentleman from the state department to the White House to attend the cabinet meeting. He was at the White House during the session L' the President and his advisers I Whether he was called in to make a personal statement is not disclosed.but i he was on hand in case he was wanted. The charge has been made many times during the last few days that Spain was seeking an excuse for a war with the United States as a desperate measure to protect the home administration from overthrow. The arbitrary action of the Spanish military court at Havapa ivould seem to carry out these stories, which have not been believed by the general public, or, for that matter, by the state department. Secretary Olney has proceeded upon the theory that the relations between Spain and the United States were of the most friendly possible character and that both governments were trying their best to avoid any excuse for a disturbance between the two countries. The only thing that remains for Spain to do is a complete backdown. The United Statea is compelled, in the fflaintenance of lts honor, to make a firrn stand on the lines suggested in the protest fi!ed by Gen. Lee against an exparte secret hearing of the prisoners captured by the Spaniards on the Com)etitor. Any action falling short of his must be regarded by the people of he country and the "world at large as an evidence of weakness. - . b ARE NOT DISCOÜKAGED. Spaniards Say That Weyler's Return to Havana Means Nothing. Washington, Nov. 25.- The dispatch from Jacksonville, Fia., reciting that a cipher telegram has been received from Havana, in which.it is stated that Gen. Weyler was driven to return to Havana through fear, is discredited here. The Spanish view of the return of Gen. Weyler is entirely different .ia me nrst place, n is said that no cipher telegram can be sent from Havana except by the representaties of foreign governments to the governments they represent. This, it is explained, would be true of any place in time of war. Again, it is pointed out that Gen. Weyler is not only commander of the troops but governor-general of Cuba, and in Havana there is a large amount of official business needinsr hu attention. It is stated that in the campaign just made Weyler has been to the strongholds of the insurgents passed through many towns and destroyed their supplies. From the Spanish point of view the war at present has resolved itself jato chasing small bands of msurgents ahout the country and it i would be absurd for the captain-general I to place himself at the head of one I company or another of these troops and follow the straggling bands of ' gents from one cover to another. eGn. ' unpos was quite severely criticlzed because he absented himselif f rom Ha vana for such long periods. As to the assertion that Gen. Weyler says it is too hot to fight, it is said that the rainy season has not yet ended in Cuba and that the movement of troops is still very difflcult Froni the Spanish point there is nothing discouragine in the return of Gen. Weyler.