The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-05-14
THE PRESIDENTS
CUBAN POLICY
Disclosed at an Important Conference
With Senators Davis and NOlgan.
WILL NOT CHANGE ATTITUDE
OF Government at rreseat-Consul Gen
eral Lees Report kill BE Made
knoku TO Committee.
WILL NOT CHANGE ATTITUDE

Chicago. May IA special To the
Times-Hcraid from Washington says
An important conference was held at
the White House between President
Mckinley and Senators Davis and Nor
was the result Of the decision reached
by the committee not 10 continue the
debate In the senate on Senator Nor
gan's resolution recognizing the bel
ligerency u the Cubans until the ex-
act policy Of the administration had
been defined. This was partly due 70
the serni-announcement by Senator For
aker that the administration had its
own policy and would treat the Cuban
question in the proper way when the
time came.
The members Of the COMMITTEES plain
ly asked the president what he intend
ed 70 do. In confidence he told them
that Il was not his purpose at the
present time to change the attitude OF
the administration or to do anything
which could be construed by Spain as
a manifestation of sympathy with the
insurgents For that reason, he said.
ne had refrained from sending war
ships to Havana to protect American
interests. The president told the SEN
atOrs that 50 long as the status quo
was maintained and no overt acts were
committed by the Spanish involving
the lives or property Of American cit
liens. the administration would no,
change its existing position.
The senators asked for some official
information about the state OF affairs
in Cuba and complained because this
information had been held back. The
president replied that IL the official re-
ports Of Consul General Lee and other
consuls on the island were made public
they would inevitably provoke a riot
in Havana. He said that he was will
ing to let the foreign relations COM
mittee have all the information in the
possession of the government If it
would be carefully guarded. This was
really what the senators wanted, and
after their interview with the presi-
dent they visited Secretary Sherman
to arrange with him the means Of COM
municating the information.
1t is probable that no reports will ac-
tually be sent TO the committee, but
that the chairman and certain mems
bers will be permitted to read the re
ports ON file in the state department.
From what the president said and
from what is already known of the
tenor of the consul generals reports,
it is evident that General Lees sympa-
thies are with the insurgents. Besides
to investigate the Ruiz case, ii is said
that one Of the main purposes Of Mr..
Calhoun's visit to Havana will be to
establish the truth Of the statement Of
General Lee and other conS''ls Of the
United States.
A conference was also held at Secre-
tary Shermans home to decide what
part of the official reports from Cuba
should be given to the public through
the press The members of the for
eign relations committee who visited
the White House We're present. 1t was
the general opinion that the admin
istration should deal frankly with the
press regarding Cuban information,
and that nothing be given out for the
purpose of misleading the public or
concealing the true situation.