The Press., 1898-04-07
washington Letter.
washington. April 4, 1898.

washington, April 4, 1898.
The president now recognizes the inevi-
table, that war with Spain is probably
only q question of days. He went as far
as his own views or the overwhelming
sentiment of the country would permit
when he gave Spain an opportunity to es-
cape war by recognizing the independence
of Cuba. This opportunity the govern
mentl OF Spain chose to decline. The di-
plomatic correspondence with Spain, about
to be laid before congress, reflects credit
upon the president, as an official, as man,
and as a patriot, and shows that he has
not at any time deviated from the policy
adopted In the beginning and outlined in
his annual message to congress last De-
cember-intervention If Spain did not
bring about peace in Cuba.
Although there are still few persons
In Washington who are advocating con-
tinuance of diplomatic efforts to avoid
war, and more outside who are trying to
influence senators and representatives by
wire to do nothing, there isn't the shadow
Of doubt that congress, the sentiment OF
which Is practically unanimous, will this
week, almost certainly within the next
three days, take action that will make
war certain. The administration is ar
ranging everything with that expectation,
in order to be able to start the fighting
With vigor. Everything around the
government departments is already on
war footing; no information as to the
movements of troops or the contemplated
movement of ships is now given out, and
beginning with yesterday no outsiders are
allowed to visit the Washington navy
yard without pass. All of our ships
have beenplace3 under emergency orders;
Congress is thoroughly in the fighting
humor, and, In addition to adopting the
legislation that will make war unavoid-
able, it will this week pass the Legislation
money that will be needed to carry or
the war. The probabilities are that tbs
money will be raised by special taxes in.
stead of by an issue of bonds. There is a
very decided prejudice against an issue
OF bonds. If it can be avoided.
The Spaniards do not live up to the
maxim that lie we'll stuck to can often
be made to pass for the truth. They lied
glibly enough in their report declaring
the Maine to have been blown up from
the inside, but they so far neglected to
stick to the lie that they have actually
been trying to make 1t appear that the
Maine was blown up by Cubans, thus ad.
hitting the falsity of their own official re-
port. The Spanish minister made public
the AFFIDAVIT of a New York inventor oi
explosives, in which he says he was call
ed on by a number of members of the
lxv int or
In the powerful explosives he had invent
ed, and endeavored without saying so in
so many words to leave the impression
that the Cuban Junta had the Maine
blown up. The official reference to the
Maine in Spain's long communication tC
this government was unsatisfactory, no
to say positively insulting. The presi
dent In his message to congress last weef
said that he trusted to Spain's honor ant
sense of undiscovered qualities
for q proper response to the report of tn
Maine court of inquiry. He trusted il
vain. Spain referred to the loss of tn
Maine as an occurrence, and suggested
that 1t could be submitted to arbitration
and expressed neither regret nor specia
interest in the matter, thereby displaying
g lack of wisdom and adding to the ant
Spanish feeling in congress, and the ide
Maine furnished a sufficient cause 70
war.
The action of the house in increasin
the number of torpedo boats and tOrped
boat destroyers provided for in the regu
lar appropriation bill from six of each t
twelve of each is generally commended
although no ans has any idea that the
can be built ia tims'fo take any part !
the war with Spain. It is simply that tn
existing situation has convinced nearl
everybody of the necessity of our bein
always prepared tu defend ourselve
against possible foreign enemy.
Representative orimer, of Illinois voice
the sentiment of many men in congress
and of thousands outside Of congre'
when he said "Spanish rule in Cuba ht
been a menace to our commerce an
peace ever since the foundation of tn
government. and the time has now con
TO drivethe Spanish flag and every vesti:
Of Spanish power from our shores
The bill intended to encourage veterf
soldiers to volunteer with the war WI
Spain, by providing that enlistment,
either army or navy will not stop pension
now being drawn by those who enlist, wi
amended before, being favorably reports
to the house so as to provide that all e
confederates who shall hereafter SER
ninety days in either the army or navy
the q. s. shall be entitled to all the ben
fits of the pension act of June ~, 1890,
after said service they are shown to
unable to perform manual labor and
be dependent thereon for support.