The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 25, 1898, Page 1

- e This Pape 1 to be taken + et s ' the Library. r 0t from SAN FRANCISCO, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS. "VOLUME L3 HIS SILENCE NOT WORTH THE PRICE The Southern Pacific Company Balked at William R Hearst’s Blackmail. Documents That Demonstrate the Danger of Private Immorality in Public Affairs. The Secre The Call has given to the public of Ban Francisco a plain story of plain facts in reference to Willlam R. Hearst and the newspaper vehicle through which he levies tribute upon this com- munity. As a further evidence of its faith to the people of San Francisco The Call publishes this morning a fac simile of the original secret agreement in which Hearst deluded a powerful corporation into an absurd belief that he, even as a blackmailer, would re- main bought. The document thus published repre- gents something more than an affair of passing interest. It demonstrates to the people of the State that the single remaining shibboleth of the Exa the cry of “Railroad, Railroad, in tics,” is dictated and voiced in Southern Pacific building. William R. Hearst va and his paper’s silence at public is certainly at liberty whether the silence of the pape honor of its proprietor W pri But the road offici agreed to pay the money and William R. Hearst accepted it a with it the p of dishonor that ent people place upon ch a transaction. the ed his honor The udge r the h the ade the con- William R. Hearst resorts to 1 abuse of those that expos: his infamy. He for- got that personalities are dangerous weapons in such hands as his own, but he remembe with a coward's confi- dence, t T are some facts in some per: history that a decent newspaper cannot publish. The Call, in justice to itself and to its readers, uss Mr. Hearst as a person. is concerned only in pre- the public the facts that . Hearst a blackmailer spaper a.cheap subsidized a corporation that has given a cheap notoriety. be briefly stated. Wil- t sold whatever position occupy among ent people He 1d his p v 000. and asked in the sale only one eon- on, that his purchaser would not expose his shame to the community upon which he imposed. In his secret contract with the South- ern Pa Compar that his newspaper and his para- sites would indulge only in **such criticism as may found mecessary 1o keep and maintain the confidence of the public.”” Hearst promised more. He was bought not only to silence what the South rn Pacific people believed to nt tongue and a malicious but to open at the same time of his newspaper to what- ad officials cared to print. through the medium of vloyes, has declared that the expose of his o of the partles to his *tion were dead. and A. N. Towne but William R. Hearst is was the blackmailer and they They need no more de- conduct than a way halted on the road by a and throws up his hands. Hearst's blackmail is a long period preced- miner had persistently outhern Pacific Com- deliberate misrepresentation. ration felt itself powerless the attacks unless it bribed and his newspaper to silence malirnity. A conference was held and a compact was made. Hearst wanted money, and the Southern Pa- cific was eager to give it for fair treat- ment. Agents of the Southern Pacific Com- pany and employes of William R. Hearst met in consultation. There was some haggling over terms. Hearst had one of his en The Call de! ad, H placed himself on sale and wanted the best price he could obtain. His pur- chasers sought to drive a bargain, and, as was proved by subsequent corre- | spondence, which The Call publishes this morning, the outhern Pacific Com- pany made the most of its predicament. It e 'Ewl from H st the privilege of using the columns of his newspaper as well locking his tongue for thirty monthe At that time Hearst, through his authorized agents, promised in con- sideration of $30,000 to give the raflroad and its interests immunity from un- warranted abuse. The columns of the Examiner were opened for what the railroad pleased to say. A bogus quar- rel with the Southern Pacific was to be maintained to delude the pubiic, but the raflroad was insured, as far as a kmaliler’s promise may inst material criticism. arst de °s that when the secret made he was in Egypt, H contract dozing on the banks of the Nile and striving to read the secret of the Sphinx. But when he returned, how- ever, he hypaothecated to a local bank his blackmail demand, sanctioned the extortion of his employes and pockated the ill-gotten ns of their labors as the price of his dishonor, It has been said that sometimes there is not honor even among thieves. Wil- liam R. Hearst had been bought but he refused to remain bought. He violated the conditions of the compact that his agents had made and that he, over his own signature, had indorsed. The con- tract is now public property. When it was made there was, as already indi- cated, a_heated discussion of terms. Some indication of this is given in the written statement of A. N. Towne, who wrote across the face of the contract: “As I remember the tatlk the above covers the understand- ine fuliy.”” This was Mr. Towne's emphatic as- sertion that no clause in the compact insure, t Compact. was to be i 2 Hearst or his employes. One of Hearst's agents, who was pre t at the confer- ence, objected to the rallroad’s demand that it was “to enjoy immunity from hostility in the columns of the Exam- ! iner.” Charles F. Crocker, W. H. Mills and A. Towne ir ted upon such an imm or declined to pay the trib- matter was thoroughly dis- ute. The cussed and Hearst's agent, who is now | one of his emplc , made his objec- tion and was overruled. Thirty thou- sand dollars is not obtained every day for one's employer, and F. H. Gassa- the Hearst agent who objected, ling to be overruled. ntract was therefore made and -d. Another compact was prepared and given to W. R. Hearst to protect him his shame against the lash of public condemnation. Both of these documents The Call has published. These papers prove on their face that the secret agreement was made four- teen days before the public imposition was penned. The conferences had ended when the secret compact was signed. The Southern Pacific Company had submitted to Hearst's blackmail. The proprietor of the Examiner was A time lock had been set upon his tongue. The money was already on the way to his purse. Only one detail in the transaction had not received at- bought. tention. The public was to be deceived, | and on June 29, 1892, the absurd “ad- vertising” contract was penned. After the centract was signed the Southern Pacific was not slow to de- | | mand what ‘t kad bought. Malice and \liznity were to pe silencel and the | columns of the Examiner were tc be crened for the presentation of Southern | Pacific interests as Southern Pacific | people saw these interests. Hearst had promised to silence his tongue and give the railroad the right to present itself as it pleased in the columns of the Ex- | | aminer. In accordance with that demand and | with the knowledge that William R. Hearst had become the purchased chat- tel of the Southern Pacific Company William ¥H. Miiis wrote as follows: i i San Francisco, March 24, '93. 1 gave to Mr. C. M. Palmer onal honor | copy of an article written by J. A. Woodson with the understanding that if the ‘ agreement heretofore made Hearst stipulated | With the Examiner was re- |} voked the copy was to be ve simply the property of the [ Examiner. | 1 have delivered to Mr. F. H. Cassaway this morning | copy, with illustrations, for | an article, which, if the con- | | tract heretofore entered in- |to with the Examiner had been pursued according to its terms, would have been | one of the articlies contrib- | | uted. The copy heretofore | given and given this day is with the understanding that | if the directory instructs me to abrogate the contract the copy given is not to preju- | dice the case, but is to be | given as copy which the Examiner can use as its own, and is not to be con- strued an order to publish the copy. Signed, W. H. MILLS. This also applies to pho- | tographs and cuts furnished | to us. Signed, THE EXAMINER, By C. M. PALMER, Busi- ness Manager. When C. M. PaJmer indorsed this de- mand that was at the same time a threat he was an authorized agent of William R. Hearst and one of the most trusted employes of the Examiner. Mr. Palmer knew what he was doing and saw that rebellion to such a demand meant a loss of what remained unpaid on the blackmail contract. The Southern Pacific Company and | the Examiner for many months had a | community of interests. The well-being of both demanded friendliness. Hearpt did not dare quarrel as the railroad of- ficials had in their possession his signa- ture as the proof of his shame. The Southern Pacific did not dare venture a breech as the Examiner was still in a position to resume its character as a public blackguard. | But as the months went by the | Southern Pacific Company grew bold. 1t insisted that Hearst had violated his contract. He had been bought to be | decent and then refused to be pur- chased for that purpose. H. E. Hunt- ington became anery, and the monthly installments on the blackmail contract ceased. Young Huntington explained the reason and took no pains to insin- uate his meaning. He was dealing with people who understood facts by their true names, and wrote as follows: H. E. HUNTINGTON TO T. T. WiL- LIAMS, SEPTEMBER 27, 1834 * * * You admit, that in consideration of the sum of $30,000, to be paid in month- 13' installments to the Examiner by the jouthern Pacific Company, the company rejected by Willlam R. | The Purchase of Hearst as the Railroad Understoo . Its Bargain. 09 ©0 90 co w3 £ % all et gg IZ""‘/ s Afi- aLscusrey 7\#‘ Z 7S /ff 2 gg 00 B —1 . AT o o0 00 P oo : Vo= o8 o0 00 o 00 og The Company (is to enjoy immanity from hostilicy in the gg 89 = oo oo ¢olumns of the Examiner and! is not to be the victim of malie tous ©0 oo ; o0 gg atisek or critteism or of misrepresentation ; that the Examiner gg lgg will not seek te create hostile sentiment in the minds of this gg |00 : 00 }go community against the Suuthern Pacific Company,or any of the gg o \gg interests it represents.and that while nat stipulating as against gg 10 % ’og 811 criticism.1t agrees that criticism shall not proceed from any §§_ (] |00 motive of malice or maligntty and thet such erfticism as may be 00 |0 00 \gg found necessary to keep and maintain the confidence of the puw lie, gg ) gg 10 the extent that any public sentiment may have been crealeg gg 199 0o/ |00 from other svurces.is to be avoided as much as possible. - 00 |90 co oo co |oo \}i« oo Qo 00 ‘go .g\ NG o0 i : co loo : \ & 90 co ¢0 0 co| 0y 00| = 00| [x15) o0 o0 ) 00 X+ °°i o0 00| o 1 00 oc| S0 oo %0 ©o 29 oo 2o 00 o9 wonelinoli oo (92 00 o0 Lot der oo 9o : ©0 oo co ¥ oc 2o 00 189 M 09 |00 ot °o o8 22 p [ i00000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO000000000000000000000' ;000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00OOO000000000000000000000000 was to recefve certain advertising and also fair treatment at the hands of the paper. There can be no question that the chief consideration to inure to the Southern Pacific Company in this trans- action was the fair treatment to be ac- corded by your paper, that it would not | have entered into an’ agreement to pay $30,000 for advertising merely, as the | ofit to accrue from such advertising alone was grossly inadequate to the sum of money involved. It is now assumed on behalf of the Examiner that the ques- tion_of fair treatment s one which could be determined by the Examiner manage- ment only, and could not possibly be a question _of debate or arbitration. You say to admit otherwise would be to sur- | render the entire disposition of your busi- | ness into the hands of your customers. | | Of course, if Mr. Hearst had not under- | taken by contract to accord to the com- any fair treatment he would undoubtedly | be the sole judge as to the course whic his paper should take concerning the com- pany and its interests, but when he chose | to_énter into an agreement that in con- | sideration of a m;p sum of money to be | paid to him the Examiner would accord | to the company fair treatment, he neces- | sarily, under all business rules of fair | dealing, submitted himself as to this question of fair treatment to the decision of an impartial arbitrator or tribunal, in | case any dispute should arise on this point between the parties. This contract was mutual in {ts character, and both parties to it should be protected. The Southern Pacific might as well in- sist that it has the sole right to determine whether or not it would make the pay- ments stipulated In this contract as for Mr. Hearst to insist that he has the sole | right to determine the question as to whether or not he performed the cove- | nants on his part. A fair analysis of this | case can yield no other result than that | the parties were equal ip the contract; | that the arbitrary right to determine whether the money had been earned and should be paid was not left with the Southern Pacific Company, nor was the arbitrary right to determine whether the consideration had been rendered on the part of the Examiner left to Mr. Hearst's | sole determination. i 1 do not understand you_as _insisting that it was jmproper for Mr. Hearst to make the fair treatment to be accorded by his paper to the Southern Pacific Gom- pany a subject of contract between. him- self and the company. During the nego- tiation which_ led to this contract it was | not suggested nor intimated that Mr. Hearst would solely and arbitrarily de- termine all _questions as to such fair treatment. It is unfortunate that this po- sition was not taken in the negotiations which led up to this contract. ~Had we been apprised of such intention on the part of Mr. Hearst it is not likely that the contract proposed would have been entered into by us. Willlam R. Hearst cannot quibble on the meaning of this letter. The terms of H. E. Huntington speak for them- selves. W. R. Hearst and his news- paper had been bought and the South- ern Pacific Company intended to enjoy the benefits of its purchase or to re- pudiate the price. When Huntington penned his letter of censure he evi- dently did not know that William R. Hearst had a new grievance. The pro- prietor of the “‘Monarch” felt that an insult had been thrust upon him. He had been eager to be purchased. He had fixed his price and the Southern | Pacific Company accepted it as reason- able. Southern Pacific officials had agreed that $30,000 was a fair sum with which to silence a lying tongue. And Willlam R. Hearst placed himself on the market at their valuation. It is one thing to be bought and an- other, however, to have the public know it. William R. Hearst was stung by the fact that Irving M. Scott knew of the shame of the proprietor of the Examiner. The great ship builder was informed of the private purchase of Hearst and mentioned the fact. Hearst thought nothing of the sale of his honor but he shrunk from the fact that the sale was known. One of his agents. T. T. Williams, | formerly an employe of William M. Neil- son, hastened to his master’s assist- ance and in answer to Huntington’s chiding, wrote the following letter: W. R. Hearst, by T. T. Willlams, to H. E. Huntington, September 29, 18%4: | * s = You say, “The Southern Pacific| might as well Insist that it has the sole | right to determine whether or not it would make the payments stipulated.” | Now, my dear Mr. Huntington, that is| exacily what you have done. ' Without | any notice to us whatsoever you in-| formed the clerk of the First National | Bank that you would not pay any more | on that contract; the reason for refus- ing to pay it was that the Examiner had failed to keep its agreement to treat you in a certain way, and you _even went so far as to point out on the contract to Mr. Murphy, then cashier of the First National Bank, the clause which you claim_covered that thing. Of course when I say ‘“you” I do not mean you personally. I mean your people or agents. Furthermore, your peo- ple did what I consider anything but a proper, courteous thing when they dis- cussed our business with the clerkofabank | where we deposit. A few days ago while talking with Irving M. Scott he informed me that the Examiner was in receipt of a subsidy from the Southern Pacific. to wit: the sum of $1000 per month paid monthly for thirty months, and he stated that the time was _arranged to cover two sessions of the Legis- lature. He had the most intimate knowledge of the matter under discus- sion, down to the smallest details, which he could only have received from some one high in the counsels of the Southern Pacific. Without notice to us, without explanation and without recognition of any right except your own pleasure, for a period of more than forty days, you kept silent on this subject except as to the communication made to a third party not interested. If this is not an assump- tion that you had the right to determine the matter 1 am very much mistaken. But very little else remains to tell the story of the purchase of Willlam R. Hearst. The facts merit publication, simply to illustrate the danger of pri- vate immorality in public affairs. If the proprietor of the Examiner cares to know, The Call will also tell to the pub- lic the part that the Examiner played in the conspiracy that wrecked the Pa- cific Bank. BLANCO DEFIES | SPAIN AND THE UNITED STATES Would Make Himself a Dictator. GRAVE SITUATION IN HAVANA REFUSES TO SURRENDER TO THE AMERICANS. Until His Troops Are Paid He Will Decline to Depart for the Penin- sula—A Trick That Failed. Special Dispatch to The Call. HAVANA. Oct. 22 (via Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 24).—Captain General Blanco, after a consultation with his officers. has defled the Governments at Madrid and Washington, and it may be that a renewal of hostilities will be neces- sary before American sovereignty in Cuba is established. Blanco early on Friday received telegraphic instruc- tions from the Spanish Ministry to turn the Government of Cuba over to the Americans on December 1, should the treaty of peace have been signed by that date, even though the complete evacuation, of the island by Spanish troops may not have been wholly ef- fected. After a consultation with his staff and a hasty council of war, Blance sent the following response in code per the French cable via Hayti: “HAVANA, Oct. 21.—Hasta que no se les parue les muchos meses que se le debe no_ embarcara guarnicion Ha- bana. Ni permito que los Americanos tomen posesion hasta que haya embar- cada todo el ejercito. Resistare. BLANCO.” This message, which was addressed to Sagasta, President of the Council at Madrid, is translated into English as follows: “HAVANA, Oct. 21.—Until they shall have been pald many months’ salary which we owe them, I will not embark the Havana garrison. Nor will I per- mit the Americans to take possession until the entire Spanish army be em- barked. I shall resist. BLANCO.” Spain owes her troops here six to eight months’ pay, amounting to $12,- 000,000 or $15,000,000, besides some $6,000,- 000 or $7.000,00v due contractors and clvil employes. And yet in response to Blanco’s repeated and urgent appeals for money. made almost daily since the ‘Washington protocol was signed, the ‘home Government has remitted him but the pitiful sum_of $3,000,000, and this came in silver. Under the Spanish law national troops and volunteers are required to be paid in gold. The money Sagasta sent here reduced to gold would be worth hardly | Premier Sagasta, whereby the bulk of mere drop in the bucket, considering the sum owed. Riots would have broken out days ago but for the cur- rent customs receipts, which have aid- ed Captain General Blanco in pacifying his soldiers. The situation is now becoming most critical. The troops supported by all the higher army chiefs refuse either to deliver up their arms or to return to Spain, unless their demands for money be met, nor will they allow Blanco him- self to leave Havana unless he first pays them their just dues. The Cap- tain General can do nothing to appease the army unless Madrid supplies him with the necessary funds. The Government trick suggested by the Spanish forces in Cuba were to be mustered out of the service and aban- doned here, did not work. The men would gladly accept relief from further military obligations to the crown and save the Government the expense of transportation to the peninsula, but be- fore giving up their arms they want their pay, and unless they get it there will be trouble. Owing to the rigid censorship it has been impossible for correspondents of American newspapers to send the truth concerning_the condition of affairs in Havana. It i8 known that Blanco is stripping the city and adjacent prov- inces of property that, under the terms of the protocol, should revert to the United States, and against which the American Commissionhas protested,but the protests have been disregarded. Complaint has been made to Washing- ton, but so far as appears on the sur- face here nothing has been done to check Blanco. The latter is now re- garded as ready to revolt and attempt to establish himself as dictator. The army in its present state of mind will follow him to a man. The Hispano- $1,600,000, or a LAmerlcn.n war is not yet ended. {/WILL FRANCE NOW AGREE TO RETIRE FROM FASHOD@? It Is Reported Government That the Paris Has Decided to Recede. Great Britain Issues a Reply to the “ Yellow™ Book and Continues the Warlike Prepar ations. Special Dispatch to The Call. LONDON, Oct. 24—The Paris corre- spondent of the Daily Chronicle claims to have authority to say a decislon has already been taken by the French Gov- ernment speedily to evacuate Fashoda, and that M. del Casse, the French For- eign Minister, will do his utmost to facilitate a _acific solution. The Fashoda yellow book issued by the French Government having left some slight misgivings in this country as to Lord Salisbury’s firmness in deal- ing with the French Embassador, Baron de Courcel, a speedy dissipation of these fears followed the publication of yesterday's blue book. It is specially welcomed by the London papers, which this morning express their satisfaction, | notably at the view of the Egyptian Regent, which is held to nullify entirely’| the French idea that England lacks the approval of the Egyptian Govern- ment. The Times says: “Lord Salisbury’s version of the interview with Baron de Courcel is decidedly a dispatch to re- lieve the British mind.” The Standard say: “The blue book removes apprehensions regarding Lord Salisbury’s position which it would | have been unsafe to leave uncorrected.” The Daily News thinks the blue book confirms the impression left by the yel- low book, namely that France is seek- ing a loophole. ENGLAND ISSUES A SECOND BLUE BOOK LONDON, Oct. 24.—The British Gov- ernment will issue another blue book to-night, the most important feature of which will be a dispatch dated October 12, from the Marquis of Salisbury to the Engbassador at Paris, Sir Edmund Mon- son, reporting the previous interview with Baron de Courcel, in which the latter wished to ascertain what solu- tion of the question was possible. In this dispatcth the Marquis of Salis- bury says: “I gently insisted that the Nile Valley had belonged and still belonged to Egypt, and that whatever diminution that title had suffered by the Mahdi's conquest had been removel by the victory at Omdurman.” The Marquis of Salisbury then point- ed out the helplessness of Major Marchand’s position, which Baron de Courcel denied, and finally the British Premier, in response to Baron de Cour- cel's suggestion, offered to supply Major Marchand with food and ammu- nition in order that he might be able to reach French territory. Baron de Courcel then! said France wanted an outlet to the Nile, and the Marquis of Salisbury requested that the whole proposition be made in writ- ing. This was the last interview between the Embassador and the Premier on the subject. Baron de Courcel then went to Paris and it is thought that the proposition which he brings to-night embodies the points indicated in this conversation. The British Cabinet council has been fixed for Thursday next. The Salisbury dispatch in conclusion said: ‘‘The extreme indefiniteness of Baron de Courcel’s proposition made it impossible for me to express or form an opinion relative to the territory claimed by France in the Bahr-el- Ghazal region. Under the circum- stances the discussion has been fruitful of misapprehension. I informed him that it was in no way my duty to dis- cuss the French claims now, but that in abstaining therefrom I must not be un- derstood as in any degree admitting their validity.” The blue book also contains interest- ing letters from Mustapha, the Regent of Egypt, to General Kitchener and Lord Cromer, the British diplomatic agent, respectively, showing Egypt's attitude. He wrote to General Kitch- ener warmly thanking him for taking possession of Fashoda and thereby re- conquering for Egypt the provinces which assure her existence, and from which she only retired provisionally. The Regent in writing to Lord Cromer protested against “the French violation of Egyptian territory,” adding that Egypt had never lost sight of the reoccupation of the province of the Soudan, which are the actual sources of the vitality of Egypt and from which she only withdrew owing to force. He also said that the reconquest of Khar- toum would fail to have its effect if the valley of the Nile was not restored to Egypt. Mustapha concluded with referring to the Anglo-French discussion on the subject of Fashoda, urging Lord Cromer to use his good offices with the Marquis of Salisbury *in order that the incontestible rights of Egypt may be recognized and that all provinces occu- pled up the rebellion of Mohammed Abmed to be restored to her.” FRANCE MAY RECEIVE SOME SATISFACTION LONDON, Oct. 24—The afternoon papers here to-day discuss the report of the French Embassador, Baron de Courcel, on the subject of the conver- sation here with the Marquls of Salis- bury regarding the proposed French outlet on the Nile, as being the leading feature of the yellow book on the Fash- oda question, issued yesterday by the French Government. The Conservative organs scout the idea of the Marquis of Salisbury entertaining the surrender of Bahr-el-Ghazal to the French, and the Pall Mall Gazette and the Globe suggest that the Embassador misunder- stood the Premier, and call on the lat- is recalled, the dispute is susceptible ot an arrangement by which France will receive some satisfaction in the Bahr- el-Ghazal district. i e e PREPARATIONS DUE TO THE STRAINED RELATIONS VICTORIA, B. C., Oct. 24—The preparations at Esquimalt, the naval depot of the Northern Pacific squadron, continue unabated. An air of activity pervades all departments. The Amph- ion, which, it was understood, would not go into drydock until after another steamer already booked had been dealt with, received instructions to-day from the admiral of the fleet to commence the necessary work immediately and she entered the drydock. The officers do not deny that the preparations now going on are due to the strained rela- tions of France and England. ADMIRALTY ISSUES SIGNIFICANT ORDERS LONDON, Oct. 24.—The Britsh Ad- miralty issued a number of significant orders this morning. ' The dockyards at Portsmouth, Devenport and Chatham have each received instructions to pre- pare six thirty-knot torpedo boat de- stroyers for commissioning so that they will be able to put to sea in twenty-four hours. Overtime hours have begun on the first-class cruisers Europa and An- dromeda, so as to hurry them for sea service. Several gunboats in the dif- ferent dockyards have been ordered to postpone unnecessary fitting. Finally, the Cunard Line and White Star Line have received word from the Admiralty to hold their subsidized steamers in readiness for turning over to the naval officials. INDICATIONS OF THE APPROACHING CONFLICT DALLAS, Tex., Oct. 24.—Cotton buy- ers of Dallas this afternoon received cables from foreign customers ordering them to make ail future shipments subject to war risks. Walter Glazener, who buys for hbuses in Havre and Liverpool, said to the Herald .corre- spondent concerning the cables he had received: *“This indicates to my mind that war between England and France is sure to begin soon. Buyers in this country may be embarrassed on pur- chases already made, as we cannot say what the war risk will be. They may be 1 per cent or they may be 2 per cent, possibly more than the last mentioned figure.” LIVERPOOL, Oct. 24.—Higher rates are being demanded for cargoes to French ports, and some ship owners have refused such cargoes. The aver- age increase is 3d to 2s 6d per ton on the net register. It is reported that several large vessels have been engaged on French account to load graim at American ports. FRANCE AND THE OUTLET ON THE NILE PARIS, Oct. 24—The newspapers here to-day warmly praise the exposi- tion of the French side of the Fashoda question presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. del Casse, in the yellow book on the subject, issued yes- terday. The Figaro says: “If the British Government rejects France's moderate and just proposals, it can only be be- cause the Government of Great Brit- ain desires before anything else the hu- imiliation of France.” The general tone of the French press comments is reflected by the Eclair, which remarks: “An agreement re- garding Fashoda can be arrived at pro- vided Great Britain does not persist in asking for the immediate recall of Major Marchand. But, as to an out- let on the Nile, we have an absolute right thereto, and will brook no re- fusal” e MUST STOP THE * SALE OF CANNON NEW YORK, Oct. 24.—The Herald’s Washington correspondent telegraphs: I was informed to-day on high author- ity that as a result of consultations be- tween the President and his Cabinet the Secretary of State was directed to send a note to the French Embassy, ex- plaining that this Government could not permit the sale of cannon or the removal of guns from the fortifications of Cuba, as reported by the American Commissioners, and that such proceed- ings must be stopped at once. This note was at once cabled to Paris by M. Eugene Thiebault, First Secretary and Charge d’Affaires of the French Embassy, where it will be transmitted to the French Embassador in Madrid who will present it to Senor Sagasta. So far as the dispatch of warships is concerned, I was told to-day the Presi- dent feels that such action at this time, whilé peace negotiations are in progress, would be injurious, but such action will be taken if the Spanish Government fails to heed the protest which has been made. On the same authority I can say that the American Commissioners have ac- cepted the proposition made by the Spanish Commissioners that January 1 ter to make some explanation. The Liberal and Radical papers are not displeased at the xrospect of a compromise being arranged, and they believe that, provided Major Marchand The President is determined Decem- ber 1 shall be the date when the United States shall assume possession of the civil administration of Cuba. be declded on ag the final evacuation of the island by %flnlsh troops.