and firmly kept the affair in his own hands, and reiterated the American position:
First: that there seemed to be no prospect of the revolt ever coming to a conclusion under existing conditions until the country was ruined completely.
Secondly: that the United States could not very well keep hands off this situation indefinitely. The reasons given were very frank and concise: That our pecuniary loss was enormous; that the sympathy of the people with the revolution was very great; that the governments were always at odds about Cubans naturalized in America carrying on propaganda in New York and filibustering to Cuba; that the insurrection involved the policing of an immense seacoast; that there was a growing and vehement demand for recognition and violent intervention.
Thirdly: that he offered mediation as a way out of the impasse.
"It would seem that if Spain would offer Cuba a genuine autonomy—a measure of
