Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-04-03
Special to the Register.


was a lull in the excitement and war
talk in Washington to-day because it
was accepted as finally settled that ne
gotiations with Spain were over and
that next week would witness the in
auguration Of the policy Of action.
1t was regared as irrevocably de-
cided that the President would turn
the whole affair over to Congress and
that the latter would at once pass res
olutions recognizing the independence
of Cuba and directing the President
to intervene with the army and navy of
the United States to restore peace and
drive the Spanish from the island.
With the exception of the small
peace party in the Senate, composed
of Senators Hanna, Aldrich, Elkins
and one or two others, Senators and
members without exception declared
during the day that there must be no
more delay, that the President must
move forward in obedience to the de-
mands of Congress and the country,
and that the final solution of the Cuban
problem must be sought by a resort to
Spain having contemptuously refused
all our offers looking to a peaceful set
Element. But Notwithstanding decla-
nations of Senators and members, it
appears tonight the President
HAS AGAIN BACKED DOWN
and rejoined the peace party. He will
not it is now said, send his message to
Congress before Wednesday, and when
it comes it will be a peace message.
He will make no recommendation ex-
cept that Congress shall vote 100000
to feed the reconcentrados, devoting
the bulk of his message to an argument
for further delay and recital of facts
tending TO show how enormously cost
ly war would be and how injuriously
it might affect the destitute in Cuba
by stopping the work of the organiza-
ton which is now distributing supplies
there.
1t is believed, however. the receipt
of message of this character will
cause terrible explosion Of indigna-
ton in Congress and precipitate even
more radical action than Congress now
feels disposed to take.
The message will certainly have
some such effect as this unless Con-
gress is composed of the rankest lot of
buffers and buffers ever gathered to-
gether
The preparation of the message was
begun by President Mckinley early to-
day, after long conferences with his
cabinet officers and public men on the
lines it should take in order that the
position of America in this crisis may
stand forth in clear, intelligent and
justiiable way before present and flu
ture generations. The advice proffer-
ed most urgently upon the President
has been recognition of the independ-
ence Of Cuba and intervention at once
to end the horrors Of the situation.
This course has been urged especially
by Senators and members of the lower
house. The President has listened to
all these views, but has not expressed
his own so freely.
He denied himself to a long line of
callers to-day, but saw quite num-
Der of persons whose knowledge and
experience
MIGHT BE OF SERVICE.
Assistant Secretary Day was with
the President by 9 o'clock. He made
number of suggestions to be
incorporated in the forthcoming mes
sage.
Shortly after his departure Mrs. Nc
Kinley, with a large party Of young
ladies she is entertaining, went off in
two of the White House broughams
for drive in the crisp morning air.
No definite plan or even an outline
for a plan to raise war lvenue from
internal sources has yet been formu-
lated. but it is the belief Of persons
who necessarily would be consulted in
the matter that legislation for an adj
ditional tax on beer is almost certain
in the event of hostilities to
be recommended to Congress. Whisky,
it is said, would also come in for
share of the increase. There is no rea-
sonable doubt that quite list of arti-
cles, such as are admittedly Injuries,
will be considered by the Ways and
Means Committee as proper subjects
of revenue taxation in case any large
amount Of funds is needed to carry on
the war, which nearly all visitors to
the White House said now seems in
evitable. Treasury experts said that
the increase Of the tax on beer from
81 to 81 per barrel would result Ia
gain approximately OF
s40. coz. 900 A YEAR
To the revenues, but whether SO heavy
an increase as that is contemplated
is hot known
The question OF laying small in
ternal revenue tax on tea and coffee
is also under consideration. 1t is
thought that a tax of something less
than ten cents a pound on tea and
about three cents pound on coffee
would bring in large revenue. possibly