The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-04-28
WILL DECLARE WAR
The State Department Wishes Con-
gross to Issue a Formal Notice.
PROCLAMATION OF THE BLOCKADE.
Foreign Nations Informed of the Invest
Inent or Cuban Ports Policy in the
Matter of Privateering-Ru
About Hawaiian Islands.

WAsHSoroS, ADriI @3.-The state
department is now considering the adj
visibility Of requesting congress to
declare war While there is no absO-
lutte necessity for the Immediate decia-
ration there are several reasons why
the adoption of such course would
prove advantageous 10 Us Strong
pressure IS being brought to bear
upon the state department to in
duce IL to make "A proper recon-
mendation to congress to serve as a
basis Of action. 1t is held that until
a formal declaration i issued we can
not set in motion the neutrality laws
Of foreign countries and in fact would
be practically in the position that
Spain occupied toward Cuba-denying
that war existed in spite of the actual
fact. There IS another reason Of ma
terial Importance just now that may
influence action. That is, that the
army and navy may be pre-
vented from calling for the serv-
ices of retired officers, owing to
the fact that in some cases the
statutes provide that this may be done
only upon "a declaration Of war. "
The state department has now re-
linquished its connection with the
Cuban question. viii ch has practically
passed into the hands OF the army and
navy. OF course all direct CORES pond
ence with Spain has now ceased, but
the department has still to perform a
number Of formal acts required bv in
ternational law, mainly in the direc-
ton of notifying the foreign powers of
the conditions under which the United
TO-. !, /
These will include notice in full form
to all the powers of the intention of
the United States to refrain from
privateerng, to respect the goods of
neutrals in Spanish bottoms and Span
ish goods not contraband in neutral
bottoms. The president wlll send
message to congress suggesting that a
declaration of war be passed. The |
message was in course OF preparation |
ut the state department yesterday
afternoon. This action was fastened |
by the seizure of the Spanish mer-
chairman off the Florida coast and |
the desire to prevent any possible com |
plications. The right of the seizure |
of the Buena Ventura, however, is not |
questioned by the administration, |
since Spain herself accepted our ulti- |
CUBAN FORTS BLoCKADED.
WASHINGTON, April 23-There were |
two further important steps in Wash |
ington towards actual hostilities, not |
to mention the overt act involved in |
the seizure of the Spanish vessel Buena |
Ventura off Key West The first was
the issue by the president of his proc
lamation announcing to the world a
blockade of number of Cuban ports,
and the second was the signing by
him of the bill providing for the util-
ization of the volunteer forces
in war. Following up the for
malities beginning with the
blockade proclamation, the state
department yesterday afternoon ad-
dressed an identical note to all of the
representatives, of foreign nations ac-
credited to Washington, notifying
them of the policy to be pursued by
this government in the matter of
privateering and neutrality This was
followed by the sending Of cable mes
sages to all American embass and
legations abroad, containing the same
information in a little more succinct
form for presentation to the govern
ments to which they are accredited.
Inquiry at the navy department as
to the story that our government had
arranged for the seizure OF the Ha-
waiian islands and the establishment
Of a coaling station in Hawaii failed
to secure any positive statement on
the subject. There is good authority
for believing that the story is exar.
gerated and that all that has been
done is to provide for the establish.
Inent of coaling depot and its ade-
luate protection.
The limitation of the blockade in
Cuba to IA certain part of the island
was not officially explained Yesterday,
but one plausible reason advanced for
the governments action was that bv
refraining from establishing a block
ade over the eastern portion of the
Island understood to be practically in
the control of the insurgents, the way
has been left open for them to freely !
receive all needed supplies and MUM ,
lions of war.