New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-14
PRICE THREE CENTS.
NEW CUBAN COMPLICATIONS
HUNDREDS OF AMERICANS REPORTED
IN GREAT DISTRESS


CONSULAR REpoRTs-rHE PRESIDENT
NOT TO BE HURRIED INTO ANY
CHANGE OF POLICY.
fBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rnrprxEl
Washington May 13.-As a result OF the ~.
peated conferences yesterday between the sub.
committee OF the Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations Messrs. Davis. Morgan and Foraker,
on the one hand. and President Mckinley. Sec
retary Sherman and Assistant Secretary Day on
the other. the impression got abroad to-day and
maintained itself with great persIstency that
fresh complications had arisen In Cuba. and that
a new turn about to be given TO American
policy in that unhappy island. The rumor, when
traced. was found to have originated In certain
partial disclosures by members or the Foreign
Relations Committee. to whom the results or
yesterdays conferences were communicated this
morning by Messrs. Davis. Morgan and Lodge.
of the contents Of recent official correspondence
from Cuba hitherto withheld from the knowledge
Of either the public or the legislative branches Of
the Government
According to these indirect and somewhat
vague disclosures, the consular agents OF the
United States in Cuba have within the last month
or two furnished to the State Department infor-
nation regarding the sufferings of American cit-
zens under the military rule Of General Weyler
which puts a new face on the situation and en-.
tails new and pressing responsibilities upon an
Administration pledged 10 do its utmost both at
home and abroad 10 guard American interests.
II the disclosures hinted at by the members OF
the Senate Committee are TO be accepted at their
face value. the State Department has been as
sured by its representatives in various parts OK
Cuba that hundreds Of Americans formerly en-.
gagged in working plantations have been forced
into the towns and villages by General WeylerS
military policy, and have there been reduced
gradually TO state OF destituton and even star
walton: that the property Of Americans resident
in Cuba has been destroyed without let or scru'
pie. and that the rights and immunities guaran.
teed by American citizenship have been In many
instances openly denie5 and dsregarded
REPORTS MAY 2C EXAGGERATED.
That these extreme representations OF the con-
tents Of the recent correspondence from Cuba
will be borne out on It's ultimate publication
may perhaps be doubted. for II is hardly believed.
even by the most violent partisans Of the Gu
ban cause, that such disclosures would be filed
away on their receipt in the State Department
and only come to light as the chance result OK
a visit of inquiry made to the White House oy
a subcommittee of Senators for the purpose OK
enlightening themselves on the Administrations
general Cuban policy. II the consular corre'
spondence II is argued, bears out the hasty ini'
preston Of It conveyed to the Senate Commit
tee on Foreign Relations. the President and the
two houses of Congress can do no less thah at-
tempt to relieve the sufferings and enforce IN"
rights Of injured American citizens. even II
violent change In this countrys present rela-
tions with Spain Is involved in such an effort
That opinion In the Senate 10 already disposed
to accent as actual and fully substantiated, the
state of facts said to have been uncovered III
yesterdays conferences is shown by the intro
duction to-day by NJ Gaillnger OF p1erioa
apprOpriating Soo,VU LOT the reiei VI Su'@'e
Americans in Cuba. .,
Mr. Morgan's sudden relapse into inaction
points decsivey in the same direction Ior .ne
Alabama Senator again to-day asked 10 nave
his resolution acknowledging cuban peulgeIehc!
go over until Monday, limiting sshihcapuy a.
the same time that recent developHen's Hnaus
action on it at present untimely ana mex
pedient
THE PRESIDENT WILL NOT ACT HASTILY.
That the Administration will be hurried by the
supposed results of the Foreign Relations Conn
mittea,s search through the Cuban correspond
arca into announcing a sudden change IN lts
cuban nol,cv seems altogether unlikely Presi'
aert Mckinley has Just dispatched Mr.. Calhoun
&C a special commissioner 10 Cupd " lepo'ss
upon the military and civil SITUATION ill., 80 .;
~ is nronerly presumed that the Administrator
lii nrefer 70 take no decisive action on Suo9
until the results Of Mr.. Calnouh iIi,sslon h ,na
come known. This is the Judgment OF pom ,,a, .n-
prasidant and Secretary Sherman. ana II t%he,, %
m;shas ore followed no precipitate attempt wiz
he made In the Senate TO force through l.so -
luton declaring the present nili'.ar. ',,on %
AZ C,,ho such as to warrant the recognition Ok
The beIgerent rights OF the insufsents. FL
forts to relieve the urgent hecessities VI ornn,and
ing Americans in Cuba, VIII! OF coutsei has - ths
the hearty cooperation VI OIL
Government. .... ha,r,ry on thA
Cuban situation was the WISH 10 fIesluen' f ~,
KinIey to-day Of f.. 7. Atkins OF b"s.oi S
,"nS extensive sugar plantations IN cupa, anu
who tas lust returned from vislt 20 the ,ne CO
lie was presented at the White Rouse ~ o.
..rv one and the President summoned jugs
~ from, the State Department, 10 near AI.
Atktns's statement. The Boston susa, Ps
10 a nersonal friend Of ex-Secretary oiHey' I aI
S-rinp the Cleveland Administration ne Is saia
~ hnSa advised that the course in Cuban ar.
fairs adopted by Nj. Cleveland was .he "'sIss 49,
one to follow. Mr. Atkins relresenteu 70 ",o
president to-day that the CONDITION Oh ana"s "a
Cuha was truly lamentable Americans ana
the,r interests in the island were In a depiora'
HE state and the situation. instead OF improv-
ing. was growing much worse as the re'o'u''o"
continued. ,.,. a.. -.
President and particularly refrained from sug.
pestions as to policy. The President cioseiy
questioned him on seVetal Poin's;h -, ,hs Sis.
tress OF the Americans now In Cupa ana tho
damage which has been done TO their prop
erty and the property OF other S,,,xehs Oh '"''
country who do not live In the isiano. .
Secretary Long said to-day that the report
that one or more American vessels would De
Immediately dispatched to Cuban waters was
,,ntrrstworthy No orders have been issued to
the fleet or were at present under considera'
tion.
THE REPORTS FROM THE CONsULs
IF TRUE A pEPioRABLE STATE OF AFFAihs
ExIsrs-MEErING OF THE FOREIGN RE
LArroNs COMMITTEE.
washington. May 13.-The Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations to-day had the CUBAN
question under consideration on the basis OF the