Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-28
Action of Congress Awaited With
Some Anxiety.
SAID NOT TO HAVE CHANGED HIS VIEWS
A Concurrent Resolution Wou'd
Relieve Him Of Responsibility.
WORDS OF HIS MESSAGE

situation engrossed the attention of the
President and his cabinet at he regular
meeting today. The meeting was attended
by all the members except Secretaries Car
| lsle and Smith, who are out of the city.
In view of the position taken heretofore
by the President and the Secretary of
State toward all propositions to rec
cgniZe the bellgerency of the insur-
gents, the original decision Of the Sem
ate committee on foreign relations 10 ex-
press the sentiments and wishes Of Con-
gress in the form Of concurrent resolution,
instead Of shaping it as joint resolution,
fas given some qualification to the admin
istration. 1t is argued that If the President
were to be confronted with joint resolu-
tion at this time recognizing the belligerency
of the insurgents. and even the indepen-
dence of the rebels. he would be placed in
| an embarrassing position.
If he approved the resolution it might be
taken as a confession that the course pur-
sued by our government toward Cuba ard
Spain up to this time had been wrong. 1t is
further contended that 1t would also amount
to reversal of the position taken by our
State Department IN defiance of some of the
great European powers during the Brazil
ian insurrection. when this government in
sisted that as a precedent to recognition
the insurgents must have seat of gov
ernment, must issue money and must have
a navy. AT least two of these requisites
are admittedly lacking in the case of the
present Cuban inSurrect.on.
Popular Sentiment.
On the other hand If the President vetoed
a joint resolution of this character, he
| would be obliged probably to face storm
Of popular disapproval, and to make an
issue with Congress that might be rraught
| with the gravest consequences, for 1t is
| realized that the resolution in that case
would be passed over his Veto But by
making the resolution simple concurrent
one, the President would be relieved of the
necessity of announcing decision at this
time. He could regard the resolution as a
simple expression of the sentiment of Con-
gross, and not binding upon the eNecu-
tive branch. as would be joint resolution,
which has all the force of an act. 1t would
be in effect but repetition Of the history
of the Armenian resolution.
In that case, Congress passed concur
| rent resolution suggesting that our govern
ment through the executive branch take
action toward European governments that.
in the opinion of the President. was totally
inconsistent with the traditional American
policy of non-interference in the affairs of
Europe. AS it was a concurrent resolution
the President not required to either
approve or disapprove it, and as it had not
the force of law he did not feel obliged to
act in accordance with the suggestion of
Congress. AS matter or fact ne uld not
do so, and the resolution remains III the
Department of State absolutely ineffective.
The Talk of War.
The pendency Of the Cuban resolutions
has had the effect to cause some members
of the administration, who taking long
look ahead, as far as that point, indeed.
where there may be a deliberate proposition
to declare war. which Senator Morgan has
said must follow the enactment OF the pend
Ing resolutions. to discuss the ques-
gress and of the President in that
matter. 1t appears that much may turn
on the construction to be placed by the
Senate judiciary committee on the question
now before it to the proper scope Of joint
and concurrent resolutions. The express
provision Of the Constitution in one place
that Congress shall have power Ito declare
war would seem to carry the Idea that this
may be done by a concurrent resolution, as
1t is a power entirely reserved to Congress,
but, Oh the other hand, another paragraph
of the Constitution seems to require the
Presidents approval to any joint action of
Congress, save adjournment, and the ap-
parent conflict on this point is engaging
the most serious attention of administration
people. 1t Is held by some Of them, how
ever that the President is really an essen
tial participant in all legislative enact
ments, inasmuch as no measure can have
the force Of law without his approval. or his
failure to disapprove, except in the event Of
its passage over his veto by two-thirds
vote of Congress.
The Presidents Views.
II Was dSSeTteu loudy ny olllcittlS uedF tIe
President that he has not changed his
views as to the proper policy Of this govern
m ent in the Cuban affair since he first
enunciated them in his annual message 20
Congress last December. In that message
he said:
Whatever may be the traditional SYM
pathy of our countryman as individuals
with a people who seem to be struggling
for larger autonomy and greater freedom,
deepened as such sympathy naturally mrst
be In behalf of our netghbors, yet the plain
duty of their government Is to observe in
good faith the recognized obligations of in
ternatioral relationship. The performance
of this duty should not be made more diff
ficult by a disregard on the part of our
citizens of the obligations growing out of
their allegiance to their country, which
should restrain them from violating as In
dividuals the neutrality which the nation
OF which they are malnoers is boun1 to OBJ
serve in it's relations to friendly sovereign
states. Though neither the warmth Of our
peoples sympathy with the Cuban insur-
gents, nor our loss and material damage
consequent upon the futile endeavors thus
far made to restore peace and order, nor
any shock our humane sensibilittes may
have received from the cruelties which ap-
pear to especially characterize this SAN
in the least shaken the determination Of
the government to honestly fulfill every
international obligation, yet it is to be ear
nestly hoped, on every ground, that the de-
vastation Of armed conflict may speedily
be stayed and order and quiet restored to
the distracted island, bringing in their train
the activity and thrift of peaceful nurSl1,ts