The Topeka state journal., 1897-05-13
He Defines the Administrations
Cuban Policy.
Will Make No Changes at Pres
ent Unless
FORCED BY OVERTACTS
Cuban Correspondence Now in
His Possession
Would Cause a Riot in Havana
if Published

Washington May 13.-Prestdent NC
kinIey had another special conference
this morning presumably ON the cuban
question. Shortly after 10 o'clock Sec
retary of Navy Long and Assistant Sec
aetary of State Day came to the White
House and were ushered into the cabt-
net room where they were at once join
ed by Mr.. Mckinley. Word was at once
sent to those in waiting that the presl-
dent could not be seen before l O CLOCK
He remained in close conference with
the department officials and number
of senators and representatives who
had expected a hearing We're turned
away.
Chicago, May ia special to the
Times Fl eTaId from Washington says;
one important conference held at the
White House, between President Nc
kinley and Senators Davis, Foraker
and Morgan, of the foreign relations
committee was the result Of the decIS-
ion reached by the committee not to
continue the debate in the senate on
Senator MOrgan's resolution recognizing
the belligerency of the CubanS until the
exact policy of the administration had
been defined. This was partly due to
the semi official announcement made by
Senator Foraker that The administra-
ton had its own policy, and would treat
the Cuban question in proper way
when the time came.
Members of the committee asked the
president what he intended to do. In
conference he told them that il was not
his purpose at the present time to
change the attitude of the administra-
tiOn or 10 do anything which could be
construed by Spain as a manifestation
of sympathy with the insurgents For
that reason. he said, he had Tefrained
from sending war ships to Havana to
protect the interests of American citi-
zens.
The president told the senator's that
so long as the status quo was maintain
ed and until overt acts We're committed
by the Spanish involving the lives of
property of American citizens, the ad-
listing policy.
The senator's 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 if the Off
clal reports Of Consul General Lee and
other consuls on the island were made
pubic they would inevitably provoke a
riot in Havana He said that he was
willing to let the foreign relations com
mittee have all the information in the
be carefully guarded.
This was really what the senator's
wanted, and after their interview Tfth
the president they visited Secretary
Sherman for the purpose of ARRANGING
with him the means of communicating
the Information. 1t is possible that no
reports will actually be sent to the
committee Dut that the chairman and
centain members viii be permitted to
read the reports on file in the state de-
partment.
From what the president said and
from what is already known of the ten
or OF the consul generals reports it is
evident that Gen. Lees symDathies are
with the insurgents
Besides the investiga ton of the Ruiz
case, 1t IS said that one of the main pur-
poses OF Mr. Calhoun's visit to Havana
viii be to establish the truth of the
slatements made by General Lee and
GGther consular agents of the United
a conference was also held at Score
eary Sherman,s home to decide what
lart Of the official reports from cuba
should be given 10 the public tbr0Tgb
Ahe press The members Of the foreign
1{-5s..l 11Slation5 l5 committee who visited the
n hlte House We're present 1t was tba
general opinion that the administratinn
shoQld deal frankly with the press re-
S4fllng cuban Information and thar
Hothlng should be given out Tor the
bufpose OF misleading the public or
concealing the true situation -