The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-12

TO proceed further in his own way to tran
quilize Cuba. The ultra-friendly view
which is taken of the message by the Pres
ident's friends and those who have hereto
fore been classed as the peace party is that
every line and sentence reads for the inde-
pendence of Cuba. This may be the con-
struction which Congress will ultimately put
on the message. The prevailing complaint
is that the message lacks definiteness, that
the object of intervention is left to be in
ferred, and that the country is still in the
dark as to the Presidents precise wishes.
But, leaving criticism aside, the day marks
distinct advance The Cuban matter is
now before Congress. where Congress has
been pleading to have it placed. Whatever
action Congress may take it will be accept
ed by the President as representing the
preme authority Of the people. and he will
act accordingly. He has said that he would
like to be given further discretion, but if
this is denied him and the order be given
for immediate armed intervention TO the
end that the Spanish be driven from Cuba
and free and independent government es-
tablished there the mandate will he ex
ecuted.
THE NEXT STEP.
The next step taken must be by the for
eign affairs committees of the Senate and
House. to whom the message has been re-
ferred. Both of those committees met this
afternoon, and will resume sessions to-
morrow. 1t was expected that reports would
be made by one or both of these committees
tomorrow, but such will be hardly the case.
The Senate committe wants to hear from
Consul General Lee before agreeing on
report, and has arranged to have him tes-
tify as soon as he arrives in Washington.
He may be before the committe several
hours tomorrow afternoon, and it is with
in reason to suppose that his testimony will
open d field of inquiry which it may be
found desirable to pursue further. Indica
tions are, therefore, that the Senate will
not hear from it's comnitte before Wednes-
day or Thursday The House committee
appears to be desirous of trailing behind
the Senate, and possibly to be governed TO
some extent by what it does.
If the Presidents friends had any nten-
ton of pressing to an issue demand that
he be given unlimited discretion how to
proceed with Intervention, they will proba-
bly, abandon it, apparently overwhelming
opposition to the proposition having devel-
oped in both branches of Congress. There
is a general willingness to hold up the
Presidents hands in any moves looking to
the prompt expulsion of the Spaniards from
Cuba and a decided indisposition to con-
ferring upon him authority to further pro-
fiof
of success and large prospects of prolonga-
tion of the agony. Whether this strong
purpose will prevail and will appear in the
final action remains to be seen, but the feel
ing tonight is substantially all one way.
Difficulty is being experienced in recon
CLING the element which has been stanaing
out for independence. 1t will die hard If
at all, and in the face of the Presidents s
impressive argument against recognition
OF independence Congress may yet hold that
recognition and independence must go to-
gether Indications, however, are that the
independence element will be satisfied if the
report OF the committee makes 1t plain that
independence is the purpose of Intervention.
Ihat theory of compromise was thought
very well of yesterday and is thought well
OF to-day. The chances are that it will
be adopted, but not without a struggle.
DEMOCRATS PLAYING POLITICS.
The Democrats pretend to be greatly
pleased over the message and are tearing
it to pieces in manifestations of exceeding
JOY. They still entertain hopes that enough
boiling Republicans will join them to pass
an Independent resolution and thus cause a
split in the Republican party There is very
small prospect that this will be done, how
ever, as Republican members of all tones of
Cuban feeling will bend every energy to the
adoption of plan which will secure the jim
dorsement of all Republicans. The "House
insurgents are strong enough and deter
mined enough to compel recognition in the
framing of the report, and if they do not
get what they start out for a compromise
agreeable to them will be offered This is
practically settled.
Senator Fairbanks, in the course of q
brief interview on the Presidents message
said 1T is an able, logical and satisfac-
tory state paper"
Representative Henry of Indiana, MEM
ber of the House committee OH foregn af-
fairs, said: The message has many excel
lent points in it which the administration
people can indorse, but to my mind the pa
per as a whole lacks force and direction
However, the matter is now before Con-
gress, and that body is in position to act
1t is free to improve upon any suggestions
which the President has made, and il it
fails to do so will have itself to blame"
Representative Overstreet expresses re-
gret that the President did not go further
along the lines upon which he started He
made the point that the message was de-
icient in detiniteness and left too much to
be imagined conjectured as to the OBJ
jects to be attained. He believes that Con-
gress will take the proper action, and that
the end will be Cuban freedom from Span-
ish misrule.
Representative Hemenway finds comfort
in paraphrasing the old proverb, There is
safety i'll numbers" and he expresses his
faith in the aggregate wisdom of senators
and representatives in Congress. lie be-
lieves that the proper action will be taken
and that the honor of the Nation will be
fully upheld
Mr.. johnson said: 'I do not think the
President has stated all the facts pertinent
TO our relations with Spain Nor do | agree
with all his statements as to the law ap-
plicable to the case. The whole message
however, is patriotic and temperate in tone
1t is evident that the President still hopes
to avoid war. In my opinion Congress
should confer on him the power asked for
l believe he will exercise IL with good judg-
ment and pilot US safely and hoaorably out
of our unfortunate environments. / am not
at all sure that Congress viii solve the prob