The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-03-24
ACTION FOR CUBA soon
Intervention or, Recognition Of
independence Expected.
MAINE REPORT COMING THURSDAY
This the Expectation In Washington.
VIII BE Laid Before Spain--Later to
lie Sent to Congress, with u Message
From the President.

WASHINGTON, March 22.-The belief
Is quite decided among members of the
senate that the administration is pre-.
pairing to take positive position as to
Cuba within the next week. Several
senators made the prediction that the
United States would intervene. Being
pressed for a reason they stated that
they had reached this conclusion after
more or less conference with executive
officers, but at the same time saying
quite emphatically that they had no
positive information on this point.
Other senators thought the recognition
of Cuban independence more probable
than Intervention. Almost all expressed
the view that some action surely will
follow the report of the Maine court of
inquiry, regardless of its purport.
The procedure in connection with
the submission of the report Of the
naval board by the president to congress
is now clearly outlined, and cabinet
officer explained the general line of
action at present intended to be pursued
upon receipt of the report, which is ex-
pected to reach Washington next Thurs
day. A copy of it will be laid before
the Spanish government very early and
as soon as can be consistently done the
report will be sent to congress and made
public at the same time. The report to
congress will be accompanied by q
message from the president stating that
after receiving the report the conclu-
sions were laid before the Spanish gov
ernment, and appropriate action from
that quarter asked. 1t is stated posi-
~, nd nf tho al
intimation of the findings, has reached
the executive authorities in Washington
as yet.
At the same time it is a noticeable
fact that the current of official opinion
is beginning to follow that of the unof1i-
cial opinion expressed so positively and
persistently at Havana and Key West,
that the cause Of the explosion was ex-
ternal to the battleship. Officials high
in the administration stated that while
they were wholly without exact infor-
nation as to the findings of the court of
inquiry. they found themselves sharing
in the apparently intangible conviction
that the cause of the explosion was not
accidental Opinion expressed by the
Maine survivors, who reached here last
Saturday, doubtless has contributed
largely to this view in official circles.
In this connection it is understood that
one of the officers who arrived ON Sat
urday stated, not as opinion, but as his
personal observation ON the night Of the
disaster, that there were two distinct
explosions. The tendency of this is to
support the theory of external cause, as
this is based on the idea that the first
external explosion was followed by a
second internal explosion.
Intense interest in the report has been
manifested at the White House and at
the state, war and navy departments
The president received a number OF
congressional leaders, among them
being Speaker Reed and Chairman Hit
Of the house committee on foreign af
fairs. The visit of Mr.. Reed naturally
attracted much attention, as he seldom
leaves the congressional sphere to make
calls on the executive branch, and il
was naturally inferred that the purpose
Of his visit was to confer upon the Gu,
ban situation and it's future before con
gress, though neither he nor Mr.. Hit
was communicative. Secretary Long
also had an extended conference with
the president but 50 far as it could be
learned it developed nothing additional
relating to the Spanish question.