Evening journal., 1897-05-13
STATE 0ECUBAN WAR
investigation of the Senate Com
nittee on Foreign Rotations.
THE VIEWS OF CHAIRMAN DAVIS.
Says the sympathy with the Insurgents
Is as Great as Ever Thinks the
Administration Should Have
More Time to Act.


Washington, May 1s.-The senate
committee on foreign relations is busy /
with the investigation of the Cuban sit |
uation and will probably be able to
make a report tomorrow.
Some question has arisen as to the
effect the report Of the committee or the
information at the state department |
may have upon the resolution now
pending in the senate. Members Of the !
committee do not express an opinion |
on the subject, but enough is known
TO justify the conclusion that instead !
Of weakening the resolution its friends
will find cause for insisting that there
is a strong reason for passing IT, The
object Of the foreign relations commit
tee which has deprecated hasty action
and suggested that the resolution be
referred TO the committee, is that the
senate should not act in the promises
until there is more information at hand.
The opponents Of the resolution have
declared that the newspaper reports OF
the conditions in Cuba are not based
upon facts and are highly exaggerated.
Those who have become acquainted
with the reports in the state depart
ment are Of the opinion that the re-
ports in the press have been IN the
main correct. One member of the corn-
mittee who had listened TO the sum-
mary Of the reports In the department
said that a very serious condition ex-
listed in Cuba and that the inquiry now
being made by the committee would re-
suit In bringing to light the exact facts
Davis Replies to Criticisms.
Some structures were passed upon
members of the foreign relations com
mittee who about a year ago voted foI
a resolution similar to the one pending
and who now ask for time to consider
the matter with more delibeEation
| Speaking of this criticism, Chairman
Davis of the foreign relations commit
tee said;
AT the time the former resolution
was reported Gomez was at the head of
a large army in the eastern end of the
island. and Maceo was at the head OF
another army in the west They could
( march from one end 10 the other OF
Cuba. Campos had been defeated in a
great battle and was shut within solid
fortihcations and confined 10 a small
territory around Havana. Every one
knew that a state of war existed That
was a year ago. Great changes have
since taken place. MaceO Is dead and
his army dispersed. Gomez Is at the
head of but a small force, certainly II
is no such army as was reported then.
There are conflicting statements as TO
the strength of the insurgents and the
control which Spain has over the is
land. 1t is right and proper that the
facts that have since reached the stat,
;. department should be laid before tn,
senate and the committee so that intel
ligent action can be had"
Mr.. Davis says that the sympathy
with the struggling Cubans Is as great
as ever.
Senate without Onicial Information.
Another member Of the committee
said that the senate was practically
without official information for nearly
a year. The senate would not be justi-
fed In acting upon information yeai
or even six months old. What II wanted
was the facts as they had been report
ed from time to time and up to date.
The Republicans of the committee dc
not feel justified in pushing the admin
istration until It has had time to act
II has been pointed out that only two
months have elapsed since the admin
lHlIdllpn tuiAt lHAp lVMtAf anu IL Adi
scarcely had time to take up and con
slider so important a matter as tina
which has been presented. The pend
ing resolution, unliks a joint resolution
viii require the executive either to ap
e prove OF disapprove of it. This beinl
the case. the Republican senators fee
= that they should act in concert with tn
s executive.
S 1t is not believed that in case the sen
4 ate foreign relations committee find up
e on a thorough examination Of the re
5 ports IN the state department that tn
resolution IS justified that any effor
will be made to prevent It's passage
Members of the committee on foreigl
relations feel that the question whicl
c confrOnts the senate IS serious and an.
I action that Is taken by the senate wil
G have great weight with the administra
a tion. In case the resolution should pas
4 both senate and house there is no rea
s son to believe that II would not be ap
e proved and that the United States gov
y ernment would thereafter conduct itsel
d on the lines which II lays down.
n
r-.t,a n.r1fJ.