Evening star., 1896-06-23
Stories Started by Nr. 0lney's
Sudden Disappearance.
NOTWITHSTANDING MANY War ALARMS
The President and His Ministers
Off for a Holiday.
TREASURY GOLD BALANCE

Secretary Olney has taken advantage Of
the Presidents absence on a fishing trip
by going away for a short vacation him
self. Although he is supposed to have
gone to Boston on private business or to
Marion, Falmouth, Mass. to see his fam
lily, 1t is impossible to obtain authentic
Information on that subject at tho State
Department. Visitors to the department
today were informed simply that the Sec
retary was not there. Beyond that the
officials were dumb. either through ignor-
ance or design, and it could not be learned
whether the Secretary was actually in
the city or in case he had gone away when
he might be expected back. His depart
ure at this particular time, when the air
1s filled with dire rumors of pending trou-
Bile with Great Britain over the Vene-
Luelan affair and with Spain over the
Cuban insurrection, is somewhat Of sur
prise to the alarmists, who are trying
to create the impression that the country
1s on the verge of war.
Fridays Cabinet Meeting.
Although there is an absence of definite
information on the subject, there is ground
for the belief that President Cleveland,
Secretary Carlisle, Secretary Olney and
Secretary Lamont, all of whom are out Of
the city at present, will all return in time
to attend the regular meeting of the cab
met next Friday, for the purpose Of con-
steering Important foreign questions, be-
fore the separation of the President and
the members of his cabinet for the summer.
1t has been said that the President has
deferred his departure to Gray Gables in
ORDER to await the arrival of a report said
to be expected from Consul General Lee in
a few days. which report, it was also said,
is likely to result in a radical change in
the administration DOlicV in the #
Cuba.
The story was that the fishing trip on the
light house tender Violet was taken merely
to while away few days in pleasant recre
alton pending the receipt of General Lees
portentous report This theory has been
practically upset, however, by General
Lees personal disclaimer that he has sent
any such report has been attributed to
him, as we'll as by the reiterated state
ments of officials of the State Department
that no such report has been asked for or
Is expected.
Financial Rumors.
The practical explosion Of this theory has
resulted, however, in the development of an
other one. which is that the President and
Secretary of the Treasury have gone into
seclusion for several days on a government
vessel in order that they might better de-
wise means for the protection OF the gov
ernment gold balance and avert, If possible
the necessity for another issue Of bonds
until Congress shall again have had an op-
portunity to come to the relief Of the ma
tional' exchequer. How much basis there
is for this financial theory can only be de-
termned by the future course Of the Treas
ury Department.
The gold balance is now stated at s102 O0O,-
600. being but trifle over the legal tender
reserve, and the officials of the department
admit that a continuance Of the prevailing
outflow of gold would soon necessitate the
consideration of means for the rehabilita-
ton of the gold balance for the preserva-
ton of the public credit. Even should the
drain continue steadily at its present rate.
however, which Is not thought probable, the
balance would not get down to what Is re-
garded as the danger point for several
weeks to come, and it is hoped that there
which would maintain the gold balance
through the usual course of business