The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-04
Much Talk About Mediation, but No
Proposition Yet Made by Any
European Power.
SENTIMENT OF PREACHERS
WAR DEPLORED BY ALL AND MkIN-
LEY'S COURSE COMMENDED.
Radical Sermon by DIR. Little, of Wa
bash-Views of Cardinal Gibbons,
DIR. Patton and Others.

| WASHINGTON, April 3-The opinion,
almost universally held in Washington to-
night by leading public men and diplomats,
| is that the crisis will reach it's climax this
| week, and that the question of war or peace
will be determined within the next seven
days Senators and representatives met and
conferred all day about the gravity of the
| situation, and at the White House the Pres
ident consulted with several members of his
Cabinet and other confidential advisers re-
| garding the message which he is preparing
| to send to Congress. At the State, War
and Navy building active work was going
| on, and altogether it has been day of sup
pressed feeling.
The conference of Republicans of the
House who have been insisting upon prompt
| action hold another meeting tomorrow
| night. While many of them are now in favor
! of giving the President more leeway than
! they were last week, it is realized that
| twenty-five Republican votes in the House
would, with the Democratic and Populist
votes, be sufficient to act. 1t can be pretty
confidently asserted that all the Republic
| ans Of the House, with possibly exceptions
which could be counted on the fingers of
one hand, can be controlled until Wednes-
| day. After that what might happen if the
President asks for further delay is profile
matical. Mr.. Bromwell, of Ohio, for in
stance, who says he hopes he will not be
obliged to part company with the President,
says he will vote with the Democrats, it
necessary, to overrule the speaker after
Wednesday. Mr.. Cooper, of Wisconsin, has
| made a similar statement.
Mr.. Grout (Rep., Vt.) said that while some
! of fba Ran1IhIfou11r nf "a TTanSa
| impatient, he thought they would restrain
| themselves if the President desired a few
| days additional. Mr.. Grout has prepared
| a resolution, which he will introduce to-
morrow, appropriating 81 100000 to raise the
| hull of the Maine. IF she was blown up"
| said ne, I'VE can we'll afford to spend
million to demonstrate that fact. Her hull
could be raised by building Golfer DAMS II
she was blown up the truth will be known.
| Murder will out"
Representative Bishop (Rep., Mich.) says
that the members of his delegation, al
though strongly for action, are willing to
give the President a reasonable time.
''There may be influences making for peace
of which we know nothing" said he, "and
we ought to defer a few days If Mr.. Nc
Kinley desires. Besides every day adds to
our war preparations
Mr.. Loud (Rep, CaL) said he was willing
to wait on the President. Mr.. Babcock
Rep, Wis.,, chairman of the congressional
campaign committee, expressed doubt as to
whether the House could be held beyond
tomorrow.
EUROPEAN MEDIATION.
The prospect of European mediation has
aroused the keenest interest throughout
diplomatic circles here. and although in
ouiry at the leading embassies and legations
failed to disclose that any actual move had
been made, yet such move is anticipated
almost any time, and when taken it is felt
that it will be an important factor in the
situation. 1t has been expected that France
would be the first to act by a tender of her
good office Up to tonight, however, the
French ambassador, M. Cambon, had re-
ceiyed 10 instructions in this line. There is
the same anticipation, but lack OF dehnlte
action in British, German and other .olplo-
matte quarters. 1t is probable that media
tion would take definite form If the foreign
representatives were convinced that war
was inevitable and was about to be de-
clared While they look on the situation
as grave, the general sentiment among
them ds that the matter has not yet
progressed beyond the range OF diplomacy
and a pacific settlement. For that reason
there was strong inclination shown to-
dav TO wait until the Presidents message
was sent to Congress, the feeling being
that the real issue could not be determined
until the message had been submitted.
At the outset Spain was most earnest Ior
mediation, and to this end addressed note
TO the powers about ten days ago. NOW
however, as the prospects for medlauon ap-
ooor n he growing the Spanish authorities
rd this
This NAV be due to the fact that Spain had
looked on mediation as an indirect form
of intervention Of the European powers in
favor of one of their own number. The
snanish note developed, however, that the
powers were not ready for any such radical
stem. France made the first declaration,
through Premier Hanatoux, in the French
chamber. that France would treat both
narties alike as friends. This was an unex-
neeted reverse for Spain, as she had felt
that the French ownership of Martinique,
Guadaloupe and other islands would incline
her to sympathy with Spain in defending
her sovereignty over Cuba.
HOW 1T MAY BE DONE.
IT was stated by one of the ambassadors
to-day that any move in the form of medi-
alton would first assume form by an ex-
change of notes among the European pow
ers, which could be done very speedily by
telegraph in case a war crisis seemed at
hand In such event the general Under
standing among diplomats here is that Great
Britain, France, Germany and Austria
would be consulted. as their commercial in
terests would be seriously crippled by war
between the United States and Spain While
Russia and Italy also might be consulted
owing to their influence IN European affairs.
vet their immediate interest ia the Spanish