The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-21
Presid ent SuStainS Secretary
Olney's Position.
Now Certain That Cuba Will Not
Be Recognized By Congress.
In Any Eyeat Nothing Will Be Done Until the
New Administration Comes In.

day from his hunting trip, fully en-
dorseS the position announced Saturday
by Mr.. Olney when he declared that the
recognizing Of a foreign state is ex-
clusively an executive function. Mr..
Olney made his statement without con-
sultation with the president, and took
the precaution to say that 1t was his own
views that he was expressing. He had
frequently discussed with the president
the question as to the right Of the legis-
lative branch Of the government to con-
troll the action of the president In foreign
| affairs, and was therefore thoroughly
| familiar with the views OF his chief.
He consequently had no misgivings as
to how the president would regard his
action. He had a consultation with the
| president yesterday, and the statement
that Mr.. Cleveland approved the action
of the secretary of state was made after
the consultation was ended
Congress will not adopt the resolutions
acknowledging Cuba's independence.
There is little prospect that they will
| ever come to a vote even In the senate
| 1t may be that they will not be seriously
discussed. The blow which Secretary
| Olney struck them will almost certainly
| prove fatal. So evident is this that
members of the committee on foreign
| relations who voted In favor of a report
On Friday do not hesitate to say that it
will be better on every account To drop
the business altogether and not con-
| tinue an agitation which can have no
practical result
In the first flush Of indignation over
| Secretary Olneys statement there were
many who predicted that ii would only
hasten action by intensifying the feel
| ing of the friends of Cuba in congress.
This does not seem to be the opinion
after a nights sleep on 1t. 1t is recog-
| nized that the openly avowed hostility
| of the administration will strengthen
| the hands of those in authority in the
| house, who have all along been averse
| to recognition by the present congress.
| Speaker Reed has with him the COM
| mittee on rules. and q very influential
element in the foreign affairs committee.
who will do everything In their power to
| prevent resolutions ever getting before
the house. The knowledge Of this and
of the fact that an executive veto awaits
the resolutions should they ever rea6 n
the other end Of the avenue has served
to temper the zeal of some Of the most
earnest advocates of Cuba in the SEN
ate, and there is an inclination to let
the whole business drop now that ii is
certain that no good can come out Of 1t.
Owing to the fact that the senate will
| comparatively little Will be accom-
| plished i'm that time. Ordinarily
| quorum would not be present, with the
| holidays SO near, but interest in the
| Cuban question will have the effect of
I attracting good attendance today,
| when the Cuban resolution, as agreed To
| by the committee on foreign relations,
| will be repo rted to the senate The re-
| port will be written, and is quite vol
| luminous.
| Whether it's presentation will be used
| as a preteXt for discussing the Cuban
| question at this time is as yet uncertain
| IL is contrary to the policy of the COM
| mittee on foreign relations to have the
| matter discussed previous to the holi-
| days, but it is possible that some SEN
| ators, not members of the committee
may want to express their opinions at
| this time There is. however, 10 prob
| ability of any effort to secure action on
| the resolution now.
There Is very little probability that
| there will be any change in the progra /
of congress for an adjournment for the
holidays on Dec. %, because of the Cam
eron Cuban resolution. The rules Of the
senate provide that in a case of single
| objection to the consideration of a bill
or resolution reported II shall go over
| till the next day. Consequently If an
| attempt was made to have the resolu-
| ton considered today this objection
would be forthcoming. A great many
| senator's have made their preparations
| to leave the city for the holiday recess
| and it is thought unlikely that a quorum
can be mustered on Tuesday by which
business can be transacted, and this
point would be raised IL the Cameron
| resolution was brought forward
The statement made by Mr.. Olney liz
| still a subject OF earnest discussion. On
some hands his position is fully sus-
| tanned, while on others Ii Is admitted
that perhaps from a purely technical
statement OF law the secretary's position
| is correct. but that certainly he violates
| the principle of the constitution. Those
who make this contention reverse the
circumstances. Supposing. they say,
that the president declared that he in
tended to recognize republic. and that
congress should pass resolution de-
Il ~
action should be taken, would II be pos
sible for the president in the face of the
position Of both the senate and the
house to exercise his prerogative and
recognize a republic? This copstitu-
tional point has, for the time being, sup
planted I'm interest the resolution itself
and II is known that when the resolution
Is brought forward for discussion that
debate Of considerable interest and
| length will ensue on this subject. The
| position OF Mr.. Olney, setting forth that
of the administration. will undoubtedly
have its effect I'm some quarters OF the
senate. and II is said that sufficient OPP
position can be mustered to defeat the
| resolution.
| The house will adjourn on Tuesday for
the Christmas recess, and as members
are leaving by every train. u is very
doubtful whether quorum Will be pres
ent again until after the holidays. This
being the case. whatever is done VIII
| have to be done practically by unan-
Il - w..rss