Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-06
DISCUSSING POLICIES
Conference of Republican Members
Of Congress.
ADJOURNED UNTIL YHS, EVENING.
Foreign Relations Committee for
Recognizing Independence.
WILL REPORT TOMORROW

The republican conference which has been
opposed to delay in the Cuban matter met
at 1880 am. today. About eighty or ninety
republicans were present. There were
some very heated speeches. Mr. Colson
Ky) left the meeting while It was still in
progress. I'VE are still in the dark" he
declared in a disguised tone. I'VE do not
know what the message will be, and. as it
is to come in today, we will have to wait
to decide upon our course"
No proposition was presented to the con-
ference, but the tone Of other speeches was
In favor of vigorous action If the Presi-
dents message did not met expectation.
Mr.. Tawney of Minnesota favored a re-
publican caucus instead of a conference.
In making a motion to that effect he gave
as his reasons that in case of any con-
siderable number of the members not
agreeing with the President in the policy
outlined In his message, action should be
taken by the republican organization of the
House. His plan was to have a special
committee appointed. with power to call a
caucus. II, in its judgment, such a course
was considered advisable, when the Prest-
dents message should have been received
MI Mercer Of Nebraska supported a sub
stitute for conference instead of a caucus
to which all republicans should be invited
This plan was agreed to. The hour for
holding the conference caused a slight
division, but o'clock in the hall of the
House was decided upon.
The conference adjourned at 11:3O am
to meet again at s o'clock. The tone of
the meeting was strongly against en-
pc werins the President to intervene at
his discretion But no absolute infor-
nation YVES at land as to the character OF
the message it was decided to wait until
after 1t had been presented and to meet
again at 8 O'Clock this evening in the hall
of the House.
In Foreign Affairs Committee.
Four of the republican members of the
foreign affairs committee of the House
Messrs. Henry of Indiana, Heatwoie of
Minnesota, Smith of Michigan and Qugg
of New York-have announced this morn
ing that they will not support the Presi-
dents recommendations If they are as
outlined in some of the morning papers,
and especially If he asks Intervention at
his. discretion. Mr.. Henry declares that
he is in favor of resolutions which recite
the conditions in Cuba and the blowing
up of the Maine and then resolve that
Spain has forfeited all dominion over Cuba
and authorizing the President to use the
army and navy to drive Spain from the
island. Fl
The democrats Of the committee probably
will join these four and before the message
comes in it seems certain that the resolu-
tons presented to the House will not sup
port him. Nothing will be done by the
committee, however. until the message Is
presented. The COMMITTEES met at 1880
am. %
Neither the foreign affairs committee,
nor the House, will support resolution
that does not declare for independence of
Cuba in some FORM said a member of the
committee after that committee met today,
and he added: 1T is possible that the res
clution will declare the dominion of Spain
in Cuba at an end, if there are reasons
why recognition Of the present government
is deemed inadvisable."
Among members of the House, both re-
publicans and democrats, there was ex-
pressed opposition to the suggested plan
OF leaving Intervention to the discretion of
the President. The democrats said that
would mean leaving the power to declare
war in the hands of the President. There
was very strong feeling among many
republicans. however, in favor of support
frg the outlined plan should the President
urge 1t as the best method of dealing with
the Cuban situation.
The committee had Admiral Irwin, who
is an expert in explosives. before them this
morning. He was asked his opinion as to
the character Of the mine which blew I'D
the Maine, and as to whether 1t was pos
sible for such mine to have been located
without the knowledge Of tho spanish au-
thorities. To the latter inquiry he replied
In the negative, giving his reasons for his
opinion.
The committee agreed to take no action
until after the message was received They
adjourned at noon after a general discus
sion of the situation
The foreign affairs committee is to meet
tonight. Smith, Heatwole and Henry, re
publicans. and all the democrats expressed
themselves at this mornings meeting for
Independence Admiral Irwin, who had
forty years experience in the navy, much
OF 1t In South American ports, was asked
particularly whether he considered the Gu
bans capable of self-government
He replied that he considered them far
superior to the people of any of the South
American countries which have broken
away from Spanish rule, and gave as his
reason the fact that the children af all
well-to-do Cubans had been educated either !
in this country or abroad.
In Foreign Relations Committee.
The Senate foreign relations committee
met at 10 O'Clock. but only five members
were present at that hour. The discussion |
to change the Cuban resolution to meet the |
recommendations Of the President was re- |
sumed. ~ d
The committee soon secured quorum |
and took up the work before It with a de- |
termination to solve the problem before !!
them as speedily as possible Do was recog- |
nized that it would be dificult and really |
not desirable to decide absolutely upon /
course to be pursued until the message |
should be laid before the committee. but II
was felt that important nselinainary work
could be done in arriving ~ tie sentiment
of the members Of the comt3ittae.
A difference of epion developsd as to the
ACCESSIBILITY Of yielding to- The, Presidents
wishes and Of giving UP tbs recognition of
Cuban independence, end IT waX found that /
there would be important dinaculties in the
way Of pursuing this courss,ss a. some Of the I
members appeared quite defernined not to
Il