The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-05
NIGHT MEETING OF CABINET.
The Presidents Message Reviewed
and Brief Changes Made.

The Presidents Message Reviewed
and Brief Changes Made.
WASHINGTON, April 4.-The President
has completed his Cuban message. and it
will be presented to Congress on Wednes-
day. Secretary Long. after the special Cab
met meeting tonight, authorized the Asso-
ciated Press to make this statement. The
| message, which, In itself, is long, will not be
accompanied by the consular reports deal
ing with the state of affairs in Cuba. These
will go to the committee on foreign rela-
tons Of the Senate for their private infor-
nation and will not be made public just
now. The diplomatic correspondence be-
tween the United States and Spain will not
be submitted at present
The Cabinet meeting lasted from till aft
er Ii o'clock and was devoted entirely to
the careful reading and discussion of the
Presidents draft of his message Every
member of the Cabinet was present The
document was gone over point by point and
met with the approval of the Cabinet in
every material respect. The only changes
made were in a few points of verbiage
When the meeting was over and the mem
bers dispersed there was a general air of re-
lief and satisfaction on all faces as though
the air had been cleared Of doubt and the
members, firmly resolved in what they
deemed the proper course Of action, had
set out to follow the course to it's logical
conclusion. The suspense evidently was
over.
Secretary Long apparently had been de-
puted as spokesman for the meeting and
gave the above brief statement. AS to the
character of the message he refused to
speak. 1t was learned from other sources,
however, that the message is in part a re-
view of SPANS course in the present and
previous wars in Cuba That it will contain
some definite recommendations may be in
ferred from the remark of one member
While can say nothing explicit concern
ing the details OF the message" said he.
Il may say that it is a strong, explicit
statement and one with which Congress will
be thoroughly in accord" 1t was suggested
that Congress was pretty thoroughly in ac-
cord with the Foraker resolution but moth
ing more explicit could be obtained.
1t is understood that while the consular
reports on Cuba are withheld from the pub
lie for the present out of regard for their
authors who are still in Cuba, that their
publication is not deemed essential by the
Cabinet. One member in discussing this
point said: They contain only information
which has by this time been quite thor
oughly presented to the public from other
sources" From the fact that the diplomatic
correspondence is not presented with the
message, it is inferred that it's main fea-
lures are touched on in the message itself
whether in the form of extracts or merely
in substance.
The fact that the autonomist cabinet of
Cuba had issued an appeal to the insur-
gents for an armistice, with the idea of ar
ranging peace, is regarded here by the best
Informed members of the administration to
be simply a covert effort to induce the Gu
bans to surrender. 1t is not taken seriously
as the opinion is general that the insurgents
will consider nothing of the kind.
Members Of Mr.. McKinley's Cabinet and
his friends in Congress stated definitely to-
day that the message will deal vigorously
with the question, will include the Maine
incident and will make definite recommen-
dations to Congress, one of which will be
recognition of Cuban independence 1t was
stated to-day by an official that the Presi-
dent will favor forcible Intervention, if nee
essary, to prevent further hostilities in
Cuba. SPANS answer, in effect, will be de-
clared TO be unsatisfactory and to leave lit
| tie or no reasonable ground for hope that a
satisfactory settlement or the Cuban ques-
ton is at all likely to be reached through
diplomatic agencies. The President, it is re-
peated, will favor intervention and his mes
sage will make no recommendations or sug-
gestions in conflict with that idea. The dis
aster to the Maine will be prominently
brought to the fore and will be treated in
a vigorous manner. The whole subject, it
| is believed, will be discussed in spirit of
patriotism that must commend itself to the
| entire American people. This policy, how
ever. it is said, does not necessarily involve
war but leaves the determination of that
question TO Spain herself. Without some
thing. now unexpected, happens within q
comparatively short time, the indications
point to at least \ show OF force against
Havana.
wait for wednesday, was the word
passed about the Capitol to-day and a gem
eral understanding TO that effect was
reached. The Republicans will not initiate
and the Democrats will not try TO forca
any action on Cuba until Wednesday, when
the Presidents message viii be received.
With that understanding the Senate for
aien relafinas coInrnlttee did not re-