The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-01
AN ANXIOUS THURSDAY.
Everybody at the National Capital In q
State of Expectancy.

Everybody at the National Capital In q
State of Expectancy.
Washington. April Thursday was
a day of anxious waiting for SPANS re-
ply to the demands OF the United States
contemplating the termination of the
war in Cuba and the Independence Of the
island. On that reply IL was universally
believed the Issue between peace or war
would be decided unless new and unex-
pected consideration arose to postpone
the issue further.
The gravity OF the situation was felt
I'm all quarters 1t was not q day of rapid
development. as when war preparations
were following in rapid succession, but
the-tension was even greater from the
uncertainty that prevailed and the feel
Ing that Spain would not concede the
complete independence of Cuba. The
state department was the center OF in
terest, as IL was there that Minister
Woodfords s dispatch announcing Spain's
attitude was to be received. The Of
fcials shared in the general anxiety. but
throughout the business hours of the
day no word was received from the
minister. The attitude of the European
powers continued to be seriously dis
cussed In official quarters. as 1t was felt
that an offer OF European mediation was
almost certain to follow a war crisis
The cable report from Berlin that Ger
many was menacing Spain on an old
claim and was about To make a naval
demonstration in Cuba attracted much
attention. The German ambassador
said that he had received no information
as to this reported move. The Spanish
minister does not credit the report that
Germany has taken steps OF a decisive
character. The Spanish ambassador at
Berlin Is the father-in-law of the Span
ish minister here, and the latter would
be quite likely TO know IL Germany had
made move involving the dispatch Of a
warship to Cuba for punitive purposes.
1t was the general feeling that If Ger
many had taken such action 1t would
have a most decided influence upon the
Spanish American situation and one
seriously prejudicial to Spain. For this
reason diplomats thought that Germany
would rot choose such juncture as the
present In order to make demonstrations
against Spain.
Congress will wait until Monday be-
fore any action Is taken. The commit
tee from the Republican conference, af-
ter aninterview with the president. re-
ported a recommendation that no action
be taken until Monday, and its report
was approved. The president made a
frank declaration as to what was taking
place between the two governments, and
concluded with these words: II pray
God that we may be able to keep peace"
The impression left with the delegation,
however. was that he did not expect
peaceable adjustment.
In strlctest confidence Mr. Mckinley
outlined the course OF communications
between Washington and Madrid. He
stated that all now depended on dis
patches to be communicated and re-
ceived probably within "a hours The
response Of Spain to a message cabled
1t by this government was expected
hourly. After IL arrived IL would be
necessary for this country to send an
other cable note as reply to Madrid
He therefore intimated that IL would be
gratifying IL congress deferred taking
action until next week The president
suggested that what was related re-
garding the diplomatic negotiations
should not be repeated until those ne
gotiatiors were closed: that IL the secret
and significant messages were revealed
at this time and should become public
property and be cabled back TO Madrid.
the publicity might hurt the cause and
defeat the ends sought