The herald., 1895-07-20
The Cabinet COnvenes Without
the President
is 1T THE MORA tLAIM
Or an Ugly Question Of Neutrality Obi
cations Violated
The Latter Theory Is Strengthened by the
Presence of Senior Dupuy de Lone
in the City
Associated Press Special Wire.

WASHINGTON, July 19.-Fof the first
time in many years there was a midsum-
mer cabinet meeting in Washington this
afternoon in the absence of the president
Secretary of State Olney apparently came
to Washington from Falmouth for the ex-
press purpose, for he arrived this noon
and will leave the city tomorrow morn
ing.
Secretary Olney called at the war de-
partment soon after his arrival to talk
with Secretary Lamont. The latter was
absent at the time and he failed to at.
tend the cabinet meeting which was
held later, although an effort was made to
summon him by telephone. Secretary
Herbert next received visit from the
secretary of state. and about o clock the
pair walked aver 10 the state department
and were closeted in the office of Secre-
tary Olney. Here they were Joined in che
course of half an hour by Secretary Car
Isle and Attorney General Harmon. who
had been called by telephone into con-
ference. This lasted for fully two hours,
and from time to time Assistant Secre-
tary Adee, who has been acting as sec
retarv of state during the absence of Sec
retary Olney. was called into the room to
advise the cabinet as to some poi MT under
discussion. Whatever was the subject
considered could not be learned, and ap-
parently it was resolved to keep the pro-
ceedings secret for each of the persons
present, as they emerged from the office,
declined courteously but positively to an
swer single question touching, their de-
liberations. All that could be gathered
was to the effect that nothing had hap
pened at Gray Gables to give rise to any
rahn uraS on nj n
gravity in the demeanor OF the cabinet
office as they emerged from the con-
ference that would indicate that some
weighty ana important question had been
under discussion.
What these may have been can only be
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 Span'
ish government for Its settlement that
perhaps involved the element of long
time. and consequently justified some
hesitation before it could be disposed of.
An idea broached was that there was an
ugly question as the the fultillment OF
our neutrality obligations toward Spain
had caused the sudden assem- blage of the
cabinet officers. This had some color
from the fact that the particular officers
gathered at the state department this
afternoon were Just those whe would be
CDdIStu Will Tue cACCutlOH VI tHc nCu-
trality laws. In further confirmation of
this theory it was said that the Spanish
minister. Senor Dupuy de LONE, had
suddenly arrived in Washington from
Massachusetts. but close search failed to
discover his whereabouts, and Secretary
Olney would not admit that he had seen
him. There are those who believe it was
this subject of neutrality which engaged
the most serious attention Of the cabinet
meeting. 1t is known that the cabinet
officers have been watching narrowly the
proceedings of the Cuban sympathiZers,
who have been operating in the United
States, and it is believed the open and
questionable operations at the New York
meeting lately when convention went
through the forms of the election of a
president for Cuba has given rise to some
doubt on the part of our government as
to whether this was proceeding that did
not in itself constitute at least IN spirit
an lnfraction of that principle of the neu-
trality laws which forbids the use of the
United States as a base of operations
against nation with which the United
States are on terms OF peace. II this view
was taken at the cabinet meeting it is
likely il will be manifested through the
issue of another presidential proclaNna-
ton much more sweeping in its terms
than that already forwarded, warning the
residents of this country against any in
fraction of the neutrality laws, and this in
turn may be followed by instructions to
the judicial officers of the government
which will summarily check any possible
hostile movement against the Spaniards
in Cuba from this country.
Minister De LONE was seen tonight but
refused absolutely to be interviewed as to
the reasons for his presence here at this
time. The impression is very strong to-
night that the cabinet meeting was for
the purpose of discussing the neutrality
r. /
believed that some public statement will
be made in regard thereto in few days.