The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-28
A CABINET CONFERENCE.
Also an Interview Between Judge
Day md the Spanish Minister.

dropped in one by one until those present
included Secretaries Bliss, Alger Gage and
Attorney General Griggs. With them also
was Assistant Secretary Day. of the State
Department who presumably had some dis
patches to show the President. The gath
ering was not special Cabinet meeting in
the sense in which that term is generally
used. but was simply a talk between the
President and his advisers, such as occurred
last Sunday concerning matters on which
he desired to consult them. The Cuban
question and the report of the Maine court
of inquiry were the topics discussed but so
far could be ascertained nothing conclu-
sive was determined. one of the members
of the Cabinet saying subsequently thai
there was nothing new or startling in the
situation. The presence of Judge Day would
infer that there were advices from Minister
Woodford, but further than an acknowl-
edgment that communication is in progress
between the State Department and the min
lister, notEirg could be ascertained.
Assistant Secretary Day spent a portion
of the SaLtath at the State Department,
md there received call from the Spanish
minister, q rather unusual procedure, ind
eating important matters for consideration.
The conference lasted some time, but its ma
turc could rot be learned. AT the State.
War and Navy Eers rtments, during the
earlier portions of the day. there was little
semblance of the Sabbath Chiefs of bu-
reaus clerks messengers and telegraph
operators were at work. Probably never
since the days of the late war have so many
officials gathered at the War and Navy De-
partments on a Sunday. Dispatches that
came over night, regarding the movements
ace
and as many of them required prompt an
swers in the present emergency, replies
were forwarded.
Secretary Long however did not appear
at the Navy Department during the day.
most of the matters requiring attention
were those that could as we'll be attended
10 by bureau officers and their assistants.
Mrs. Long has been ill for some time, and
the secretary in part, shook off official
cares and spent the major portion of the
day with her. In the afternoon, in company
with Miss Long, the secretary drove to the
Washington navy yard and inspected the
dynamite cruiser Vesuvius, which is having
her guns adjusted and repaired. The vessel
has been st the yard about a week and
great crowds have been there to see her.
Tonight Commodore Schley, just appoint
ed the commander of the flying squadron"
left here for Norfolk. 1t is expected that
tomorrow he will hoist his flag ON the
Brooklyn, which is to be the flagship of the
fleet. The only other vessel of the squadron
now at Hampton Roads is the Massachu-
setts. OF the remaining three, the Texas is
in New York receiving her ammunition
hoists, and the Columbia and the Minneapo-
lis are at League island, where the final
work preparatory to their sea service is
being hurriediy done. The two latter will
be at Norfolk about the middle of the week.
The developments of the day in the Gu
ban situation indicate steady progress in
the negotiations between the government of
this country and that of Spain looking to
the maintenance of peace, for the present at
least. There is good authority for saying
that Spain's present wish is to secure
cessation of hostilities in Cuba rather than
to engage in a war with the United States,
and that it is more than probable that the
negotiations between the government of the
United States and the Sagasta Ministry
will take that turn in the immediate fu-
ture. The present Spanish Ministry has
professed a pacific disposition from the be-
ginning, and the indications are strong
now that it will avail itself of the good
Offices of the United States to the fullest
extent that public opinion in Spain will al
low in bringing to an end the hostilities in
Cuba To what extent the United States
may go in assisting Spain in her present de-
sign of securing an armistice is not yet de-
termined, but the conservative element in
the administration considers the manifesto
ton of this desire on the part of Spain for
even a temporary peace direct result of
President McKinley's diplomacy, and they
are naturally disposed to contend that the
President should be left free for the pres
ent, at least, to pursue a policy which
promises much in the way of preventing
war between this country and Spain and
also Of bringing to a close the hostilities in
Cuba. Hence there will be an effort on the
part of the peacefully inclined in Congress
to continue to hold that body in check and
to prevent infiammatory utterances there
until this promising diplomatic lead may be
exploited.
On the part of the administration it is
stated that the development of the situation
will not require great length of time, and
hence that there will be no extended delay.
policy has been fully determined upon by
the President. 1t is to bring the Cuban war
to a close. This will be accomplished by
pointed Intervention, if necessary, but it is
considered far preferable that the end
should come as the result of peaceful nego-
tiations than that it should be accompanied
by hostile demonstrations on the part of
the United States Hence the disposition of
the President is to give Spain fair oppor-
tunity to secure an armistce with the
Cubans and to allow her a reasonable time
in which to come to an understanding with
the hostiles. 1t can be stated upon high au-
thority that there has been no abatement
of the Presidents intention to see that the
war is terminated when it is closed on
terms that will render the Cubans practi-
cally a free people. 1t is not believed that
they would accept anything less, nor that
Americans would be satisfied if we should
encourage a settlement that would not be
acceptable to the Cubans. If there should
now be an armistice it would be with the
concession made by Spain at the instance
of this country, that negotiations should be
opened Immediately with the insurgents
looking to the establishment of a perma-
Eent peace on these terms. 1t has long been
the hope of the administration to bring
Spain to the point of making propositions
of this character as the basis of settle
ment most satisfactory TO all parties, and
1t is hoped from Spains attitude that this
time has arrived.
the situation is a very delicate one, and that
much will depend on the course Congress
may pursue. In the meantime the Presi-
dent, on "Wednesday. will send his message
asking that an appropriation be made for