The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-04-15
NOUNCERROON1 ODOUB|
The Significant Calm that Precedes
Storm Prevailing at the Ma
tional Capital.
SPAIN MUST IMMEDIATELY YIELD.
The Feeling Prevalent In All Quarters
that AN End to Diplomatic Talk liza.
Come and that Action Alone Remain.
Every Preparation for the Latter
Contingency Complete.

WASHINGTON, April 9.-Good Friday
passed in Washington with not a ripple
on the surface, either at the White
House or the capitol, to show that the
United States is on the brink of war.
Both houses of congress had adjourned
until Monday. and at the executive
mansion there was no rush of eager
and excited public men, but Sunday
quiet atmosphere. At only the war
and navy departments were there signs
of an impending conflict in the rush Of
immediate orders to IA host of naval Of.
ficers 10 report at once for duty on
vessels to which they were assigned.
and in conferences among hu
reau chiefs on details of war prepare
tons. As yet, the resolve was iirmer
than ever that unless Spain yielded To
Americas Cuban demands, the United
States. by force of arms, would move
on Havana. 1t was the very recogni-
ton of the fixity of this purpose that
caused the day to be in marked con
trast to the excitement of all it,
/ predecessors of late. There was still
some discussion of Cuban affairs, but it
only served To emphasize the fact that
one forward step of immense impor-
lance had been taken, for the discus
sion was of an advanced stage, and
concerned not Intervention and free
dom of Cuba from Spanish dominion,
but the obligations and duties that
might be imposed upon the United
States after we had expelled Spain
from the island
This discussion revolved around two
propositions, namely. intervention
without recognition Of national indie
pendeIce of the Cuban insurgents. and
Intervention with concurrent recogni-
ton of the independence of the present
insurgcnt government in Cuba. Some
public men lowered between those two
propositions. and favored comprom
Use. There was no definite lead b.
which it could be stated, with any
thing like authoritativeness. which
course would be adopted, but the un
settled state of public opinion on the
matter indicated that events of the
next few days, the strength of the
arguments of the forthcoming prcs-
dental message or "A distinct utterance
from our consul-generGl at Cuba might
be strong enough to incline the bal
ance to either course.
The cabinet held its usual Friday
session, but its meeting brought no
change in the Spanish situation In
deed. it was chiefly significant in IS
tablishing that no change had DC.
Cured; that none was expected. anc
that the programme of the action on
the part of the United States govern
mcnt was already made up. The presi-
dents message remains unaltered.
The calmness of the cabinet meeting.
which was one of the most uneventful
held in recent days, was another cyl
dence of the feeling entertained by the
administration that the case is made
up, and that nothing now remains &c
be done but to present the subject e
congress and await the final outcome
there. Tie feeling that an end hac
come to diplomatic talk, and that ac-
ton alone remained, was shared in all
quarters, including the foreign EN-
bassies and legations, where the am
bassadors and ministers expressed
the feeling that all had been done
in Washington that could or would be
done in the cause of peace. What was
going on at Madrid gave slight hope
of such concessions there as might alter
the present situation. There are nc
negotiations, in the sense of exchanges
on pending propositions Both parties
apparently have said their last word
concerning the respective propositions.