Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-29
Sentiment in Congress is Decidedly
for Action.
MAINE REPORT NFENSIFIES FEELING
Must Know When Spain VIII Be
Ordered to Leave Cuba.
CONFIDENCE THREATENED

All efforts last night to placate. concil-
| late and to quiet the sentiment in Congress
have failed. The feeling today is quite as
] intense as it was last evening, and, IL pos
! siblc. more general. The password between
| men Of all parties as they assembled at the
| Capitol today was action" and the re-
| spoEse was mo back-down." Members as
| they met in the corridors. lobbies and on
| the floor of the House renewed assurances
| that nothing could shake their determina-
ton to have prompt action. Men being
asked if they were still hot, replied, Hot
ter Senators and members of the House
VINO had read the testimony i'm the Maine
case exhibited more intense feeling than
| they had shown yesterday. and among
them there was none who did not declare
| that the testimony proved that the explo-
sion was the act of Spanish authorities or
| officials as plainly as it was proven to be
an external explosion. The question was
very generally asked how ii was that the
court failed to make that specific finding.
Delay is Irritating.
The President is represented as being
astcnished at the storm that has been
raised about his ears. He has had con-
ferences with a number of the leaders in
Congress and has determined Lot to send
in the message asking for a relief fund,
Which he had intended sending in today
1t was certain that If the message were
received there would be an immediate OUT
burst. Some of the Presidents advisers
are said to nave assured him that with a
little delay the storm would blow over
ard Congress could be held in check. Ap-
pearances do not warrant this opinion De-
lay is irritating and the temper of Con-
gress does not seem to be the result Of
sudden excitement on account of the Maine
report. The expressions heard from repub-
lican in Congress, who have been s.anch
$, pporters of the PresidenS heretofore, are
of loss of confidence. This is not based
on the Maine report, though the feeling IS
intensified on account of that report, but
results from the reports as to the charac-
ter of negotiations that have been con-
Quoted by Minister Woodford in Madrid,
and rumors of the purpose of the President
to maintain the flag Of Spain in Cuba for
eight months more.
This is the match TO the congressional
powder. When the report was first cir
culated it was Indignantly denied by men
who thought they understood the policy
of the President. and it is still insisted by
defenders of the President that he has
40 intention of doing any such thing, but
proposes to stop the war in Cuba at once.
But the repetition of the report with min
ute detail and the alleged acknowledge
nents of certain cabinet officers have given
it considerable credence and storm is
gathering with a rumbling and a blackness
which is extremely threatening.
More Determination Than Excitement
The ou,spoken expressions of opinion
and the character of the men who express
the opinions render it evident that 1t is
Eot merely passing excitement. There
seems to be more determination than ex-
citement in the manifestation of feeling
Efforts to check IL seem like whistling
against a steady gale. Those who are
cornseling a few days delay are listened
to only because of their known determine
ton to act vigorously. The suggestion OF
delay which is known to come from other
quarters and to have pacification in view
excites only resentment. Men in the House
v no have never before shown any interest
il. the Cuban situation beyond an express
son of dissatisfaction that this country
should be involved in it, saying today
that the only thing for the President to
do is to couple with his request for a relief
fund q recommendation of intervention. 3
They say that IL he does not do this he
will be overTidden by Congress. The asso-
citation in the pubic mind of certain New
York fnanciers, who have been here, with
the alleged plan to concede more time to
Spain and the information Wall street Is
said to have had of the plan, add to the
intensity of feeling. If the promoters OF
the plan had peace in view 1t is said that
they went the wrong way about it, and
have increased the probability of war In
stead of diminishing 1t.
Confidence Threatened.
1t is believed by those who think they
know the Presidents purposes. that he
is suffering from a gross mis-epresenta-
tion but IL is cnly too apparent that at
this moment the confidence of Congress
in his firmEess in dealing with this crisis
is seriously threatened. One of the repub-
lican leaders, who has always stood with
the Speaker and the most conservative
element heretofore and who has not inter-
ested himself in Cuban affairs, said today
that 1t was proposed to attach an mterven-
tion amendment to the naval Appropriation
bill today, and that the amendment would
be voted in order over the Speakers ad-
verse ruling. most OF the republicans sup
porting the amendment. Apparently this
action was feared. for the naval bill vas
not taken up by the House. the private
calendar being considered instead. 1t b
said that the Speaker is confident OF his
ability to hold the House down until II has
had time to cool on. This confidence n
~ a11ared NV many cfhern Th> rsason