Evening star., 1897-05-15
EXPECTED MESSAGE
certainty Whether 1t Will Go to
Congress Monday or Tuesday.
SENATE TO DISCUSS CUBAN WAR
Reports Already Received Show a
Sad State Of Things.
A PLAN OF R LIEF


ban question to Congress on Monday. as
expected. Before leaving for Philadelphia
the President and his cabinet determined
to wait until the last moment, so as to get
some report from the special commissioner
sent to Cuba last week, and as the Presi-
dent does rot return until tonight it is an
ncunced the White House that 1t is not
likely that the President will spend Sunday
al mis- desk. and unless some very startling
news rs received by cable between now anJ
Monday morning the President will not
act hastily in communicating with Con-
gress. The feeling among the senator's
however. is that by the time the President
returns from his trip he will be in posses
sion CT information that will cause him to
send some communication to Congress
when IL eets at noon on Monday No
matter how the President acts, 1t is GER
tain that there will be some interesting
proceedings in the Senate Monday after
neon Senator Morgan's belligerency reso-
iutions the special order for 2 o'clock.
ard as they will surely come before the
Senate lively debate is almost certain to
occur.
Anxious for IA MessnEe.
The republican senators are most anxious
for the President to communicate to Con-
gress in some manner, even If it is only
to advise the sending of relief to the starv-
ing Americans the island. This will
give them a chance to show that the ad-
ministration is going to act, and prevent
any precipitate action by the Senate, which
may embarrass the administration later in
working out its policy. At present it is
most embarrassing position for the
publican senators, and especially those
the foreign relations committee, for know
ing the situation in Cuba reported by
the sworn officials of the government, their
patriotic instincts are Ia favor of sorle
Immediate action, but their loyalty to the
administration prevents their doing any
thing to hinder or embarrass the President
in working out his policy. The mere act
of recognizing the belligerency of the in
surgents, as Senator Morgan desires to do
In his resolution, would not better the
dition of the unfortunate Americans who
are starving on the island, while if some
word suggestive came from the admins
tration to relief for the unfortunates
it would enable the senators to act in the
matter and thus show the country that
something must be done.
Threatened Delay Irritating.
The threatened delay on the part of the
executive officers is therefore somewhat
irritating TO the republican leaders in the
Senate, who fear If another delay is at
tempted in the Senate, it will cause much
to be made public which at present the
State Department is desirous of keeping
secret Should the contents of some of the
consular reports be laid bare in the Senate
at this time, 1t is claimed that public
opinion would demand that something be
uOne LOT the rel1el Oh those suffering In
Cuba The reports from the American con-
suls are SO full and specific that In describ-
Ing the Americans who have been driven
from their plantations and country into the
cities, ana VINO are penned up like cattle
In the streets. not only are names of
Americans given. but also the localities and
states from which they came are named
Some of the conSuls report that Americans
are confined in pens where SMALLPOX and
other diseases exist, and when they have
offered aid to the Americans, the latter
have begged them not to mention the fact
that they were Americans, because the
very fact of this being done would make
them a target for future abuses and in
suits by the Spaniards.
Lost Faith ia Protection.
1t is plainly stated that many of the
Americans prefer to suffer rather than
have their cases reported. for they have
lost all faith in protection from the State
Department
This course was brought about by the
policy of the last admins istra ton. whicn
refused TO take vigorous proceedings, and
has had its effect upon the unfortunates
now suffering In Cuba Several of the
senators vino have had an opportunity TO
rea0 the reports from the American con-
euls In Cuba have expressed surprise that
these reports have been kept secret for so
long, and II has been remarked that know
ing the facts as reported by the sworn
officials of this government, 1t IS a mystery
10 them bow the United States officials
could go to bed and sleep. knowing that
their fellows citizens were undergoing such
terrible suffering. and that no relief was
being offered to them
Reports Expected.
1t Is hoped at the State Department that
by the time the President returns from
Philadelphia there will be reports
IN answer to the cablegrams sent our con-
suiar officers in Cuba giving the latest news
IN regard to the situation on the island.
and from these reports the President and
fs cabinet will get such information as TO
allow them to act intellisently upon the
subject and II the President does not send
a message to Congress on Monday. he will
be able to place such information in the
hands of the republican members of the
foreign relations committee SO that they
too can act and speak intelligently on the
subject when ii comes up on Monday after
noon.
A Plan OF Relief.
In considering ways and means of afford
ing substantial relief to such American citi-
zens in Cuba as are in real Distress owing
TO the insurrection. the administration has
hit upon a plan which may be put IN opera
tion II It is sanctioned by the united tudg-
1T.ent OF the United States consular officers
IN Cuba. who. being the ground arc
supposed to be best qualified to Judge of the
efficiency of proposed relief measures This
plan Is 10 give notice through the American
consuls to all American citizens in Cuba
rove them from the leland TO the United
States. II they so desire. To do this will re-
qIire action by Congress. not necessarily a
specific authorization of the removal but
merely the limitation of the appropriation
to the general terms of enc for the relief
Of American citizens in Cuba. II may be
remembered that such q course was adopt
ed with more or less benefit In China dur
ing the rioting incident to the late war
which endangered the lives and properly OF
American citizens living in the interior.
Also I'm case of the interior Turkish prov
inces during the Armenian troubles. Mr.
Terrea. the United States minister. was au-
thorlzed TO undertake the conveyance of
American citizens to the coast cities. where
they might have suitable protection.
The proposition as to Cuba goes a little
further than the measures adopted In the
case Of China or Turkey, in that 1t con-
templates the removal of the Americans
from the island entirely Probably the
reason for this Is the belief, founded o.
reports from United States Consul Geners
Lee and other United States consular OF
ficers. that the war has 10 thoroughly ex