Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-20
CALLED IN HASTE.
Cabinet Meeting in the Dog
Days at Washington
GIVES RISE TO MUCH SPECULATION.

Which Seems to Settle on Some Sort o.
Crisis 10 Our Relations with Spain ~ the
Reason for the Gathsring-Re Election,
on Our Observance Of the Nsutralit,
Laws-Enect Of the Sovereign Boycot,
on National Baaks.
WASHINGTON, July 20.-For the FIRST
time In many years thero was q midsum.
mer cabinet meeting in Washington yes
terday afternoon, and in the absence oi
the president. Secretary of State Olney
apparently came to Washington from
Falmouth pr the express purpose. for he
arrived at noon and left the city this
morning. Secretary Olney called at the
war department soon after his arrival at
the state department to talk with Secre-
Secretary Herbert next received visit
from the secretary OF state and about 4
p IT. the pair walked over to the state de.
partment and were closeted In the office
OF Secretary Olney. Here they wore
joined in the couise of half an hour BY
Secretary Carlisle and Attorney.General
Harmon, who had been called by tele-
phone into conference.
Perhaps Twas tho Morn Claim.
This lnsted for fully two hours, and
from time to time Assistant Secretary
Adee, who has been acting az secretary of
state during the absence of Secretary
Olney, was called into the room to advise
the cabinet as to some point under dis.
cussion. Whatever was the subject con.
Bidered can not be learned. There was.
however, an cir Of gravity in the de.
meanor Of the cabinet officers as they
emerged from the conference that would
Indicate that some weighty and import.
tant questions had been under discussion.
One theory is that tho Mora claim was
before the cabinet in the shape of some
proposition from the Spanish govern
ment for its settlements that perhaps in.
sequently justified some hesitation before
it could be disposed Of
Neutrality Laws Are AVERY Pecooliar."
An idea broached was that there was an
ugly question rs to the fulfillment OF our
neutrality obligations toward Spain that
had caused the sudden assemblage of tho
cabinet officers. This had some color
from the fact that the particular officers
gathered ut the state department were
just those who would bo charged with the
execution of the neutrality laws. It is
believed that the open and questionable
operations at the New York meetings
iately, when a convention went through
the forms of electing presidents for Cuba,
has given rise to soma doubt on the part
OF our governmant as to whether this was
a proceeding that did not in itself consti.
tuto an infractiOn Of that principle of the
laws which forbids the use OF
the United States as bass OF operations
against nation with which tho United
States Is on torms of peace.
May Result In Another Proclamation.
IT this view WAS taken Of the matter by
the cabinet meeting 1t is likely that it
will DO manifested through the issue OF
another presidential proclamation much
moro sweeping in its terms than that al.
ready put forth warning the residents of
this country against any infraction Of tho
laws. and this in turn may be
followed by instructions to the judicial
officers OF the government to summarily
check any hostile movements against the
Spaniards in Cuba from this country.