The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-20
THE CABINET.
Deliberations Of Secretaries Net Par.
ticipated In by the President.
NOTHING GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Many Theories Advanced Re-
garding the Meeting.

WASHINGTON, July 20.--Ycstertiay, for
Che first time in many years, there was
midsummer cabinet meeting held here In
The absence of the president. Secretary OF
State Olney apparently came to Washing
ton from falmouth, Mass. for the express
purpose, for he arrived yesterday noon ana
left this city this morning.
Secretary Olney called at the war dc-
partment soon after his arrival at the
state department 10 talk with Secretary
Lamont. The latter was absent at tho
time and he failed to attend the cabinet
meeting, which was held later, although
m effort was made TO summon him by
telephone. Secretary Herbert next re-
ceiyed a visit from the secretary of state,
and about O'Clock the pair walked over
20 the state department and were closeted
in the Office of Secretary Olney. Here
they were joined in the course of a half
hour by Secretary Carlisle and Attorney
General Harmon who had been called by
telephone into the conference.
This lasted for fully two hours and from
time TO time Assistant Secretary Adee,
who has been acting as secretary of state
during the absence Of Secretary Olney
was called into the room to advise the
cabinet as to some point under discussion.
Whatever was the subject or subjects con-
sidercd cannot be learned, and apparently
1t was resolved to keep the proceedings
secret, for each of the persons present as
they emerged declined courtconsly, but
positively, TO answer single question
touching their deliberations.
Close-Moathed Councillors.
All that could be gathered was to the
effect tha othing had happened at Gray
Gables TO give rise TO any apprehension
Still there was an air Of gravity in the de-
meanor of the cabinet officers as they
emerged from the conference that would
indicate that some weighty and important
questions had been under discussion.
What these may have been can only bc
surmised without any tangible evidence of
probability.
One theory is that the Mora claim was
before the cabinet, in the shape OF some
proposition from the Spanish government
for its settlement, that perhaps involved the
element Of long time and consequently
justified some hesitation before II could he
disposed Of Another idea broached was
that there was an ugly question as TO full
fillmcnt Of our neutrality obligations to
ward Spain that had caused the sudden
This bad some color from the fact that
the particular officers gathered at the state
department. were just those who would
be charged with the execution of the neu-
trality l><ys. The secretary Of state would
be-1othed with general supervision; the
attorney general would look after the en-
forcement of the law ashore; the secretary
of the treasury, through the collectors Of
customs and revenue cutters, would care
for the ports and coasts, and the secretary
of the navy would maintain the patrol In
Bluewater.
In further confirmation Of this theory, II
was said that the Spanish minister, Senior
Dupuy De LONE, had suddenly arrived in
Washington from Massachusetts,, but
close search failed to discover his where
abouts, and Secretary Olney would not ad-
NIT that he had seen him. There are those
who believe that IL was this subject of the
neutrality which engaged the most serious
attention of the cabinet officers.
May Concern Cuban sympathixers.
1t Is known that they have been watch
ing narrowly the proceedings of Cuban
sympathizers who have been operating I'm
the United States, and IL Is believed that
the open and questionable operations at
the New York meeting lately, whom a
convention went through the forms of
electing presidents for Cuba, has given
Yise to some doubt on the part of our gov
ernment ~ to whether this was proceed
ing that did not In itself constitute, at
least in spirit, an infraction of that princi-
pie Of the neutrality laws which forbid
the use Of the United States as base of
operations against a nation with which
che United States is on terms of peace.
IL this view was taken of the matter by
the cabinet meeting yesterday 10 Is likely
that 1t will he manifested through tho
Issue OF another presidential procla nation
much more sweeping in its terms than
that already put forth warning the resi-
dents Of this country against any infrac-
tion of the neutrality laws and this in
turn may be followed by instructions to
the judicial officers of the government that
will summarily check any hostile move
ments against the Spaniards in Cuba
from this country.
Minister De LONE was seen last night.
but refused absolutely to be interviewed
as to the reasons for his presence here at
this time. The impression il vesy strong
that the cabinet meeting was for the pur-
pose of discussing the neutrality feature
of the Cuban question and IL Is believed
that sopae public statement will be madc
In regard thereto In a few days.