The age-herald., 1898-03-11
Is Said to Be the Demand of This
 Document.
MKINLEYFAMILIAR WITH CONDITIONS
Fact That Big Powers Are With Us Hailed With Delight-Not Much Thought of the Stand Taken by Austria
 and Germany.
Special Dispatch to The Age-Herald.

Washington, March 10.-Presi- dent Mckinley is almost ready to cast the die. As indicated this morning, he is on the touch of ac- tion. After the long delay, he is almost ready to send to congress a message on the Cuban situation which will force the crisis and make directly for Cuban liberty or fight. That the president knows what the finding of the board of inquiry regarding the Maine dis aster will be, is so generally be- lieved that it passes for an undis- puted truth.
 But the message which he is getting ready for congress may not treat of that tragedy at all It is known that a mes sage will be sent to Congress probably next Tuesday, when both houses are in session. That this message will advocate the rec ognition of Cuban independence is the idea given out by those who have the entree at the White House.
 Leutenant- Commander Adolph Mark, judge-advocate of the Maine board of in quiry, is expected to come right on to Washington to present the formal report of the investigation-the report which will say that Uncle Sam's proud ship was blown up by a mine a torpedo, and mines or torpedoes are not generally the vest pa aket properties of private citizens. But the president will not necessarily wait for Mark before sending in his mes- sage He has other information on which to base his important communication
 Reports From Cuba
 The president has been getting reports from all parts of Cuba-consular reports, private reports, the results of many ob- servations. These show the exact condi- lions prevailing in the island-the starv- Ing of the reconcentradoes, the butcher Ing of women, the failure of autonomy, the collapse of the effort to conquer the rev. olutionists. On these reports, without waiting to have the blood of the nation heated by the report on the Maine sacri- flee, President Mckinley can predicate message asking Congress to declare Cuba free. He will ask that commerce be sav- ed, business revivified and lives spared by such recognition.
 He knows that he has the Unuited States behind him, that his countrymen are fiercely ready to follow his lead into the thick of conflict, and that the nations of the world will either directly approve the course suggested or remain compaisantly neutral in case Spain should be foolish enough or heroic enough to object. The re- ports in the presidents hands show that Cuba is lost to Spain. He feels that fur ther conflict on the island is merely de- structive to commerce and offensive to humanity
 What the reply of congress will be to message declaring the in dependence of Cuba has been fore shadowed by the vote on the $5O,- 900, GOO defenseappropriation, and that message is expected Tuesday next. That will pass the next move up to Spain.
 The Answer Foreshadowed
 Meantime, war preparations are being vigorously pushed forward The informa- tion contained in these dispatches that every nation on the globe, with the ex- ception of Austria and Germany had ex- pressed warm approval of the course of the United States in the present crisis, was read with much pleasure through Wash ington today. Officials at the state depart ment were annoyed at the publicity given
 
 as the time in their judgment, was not ripe for the publication. Assistant Secre- tary Day for that reason felt called upon to deny the accuracy of the Journals re- port. But in diplomatic circles denial of a truth is frequently regarded as a me- cessity.
 In this instance there was a. disposition upon the part of the state department to keep Spain in ignorance of the great ad- vantage we possess in having the friendship of the largest portion of the world, as well as money, men and ships far in excess of Spain's possessions. The attitude of Aus tria and Germany in declining to commit themselves to a policy of non-interference Is not regarded as a matter of great con- sequence, for no one believes that either Germany or Austria could be induced at this time to assume hostile attitude to- wards us, even if the sympathies of both countries are not actively enlisted in our behalf.
 England's Position
 Several of the morning papers in the east declare that Sir Julian Pamicefote, the