The Portland daily press., 1898-03-21
OURS II VIZ NEED THEM.
Chilli and Argentine Don't Wish to
Sell Ships
BUT WILL Do so IF THEY ARE
NEEDED BY UNITED STATES.

Pleasant Statement Made by Man SUP
posed to Represent the South Ameri-
can Governments-Was in Conferences
With President Yesterday.
Washington, March 20.-President Nc
Kinley did not attend chrr r5h this morn
ing as is his custom, but instead spent
two hours and more in conference with
several members Of the cabinet. Assist
ant Secretary Day called about 10. ~
o'clock and remained until nearly Il
Secretary Long and Secretary Bliss were
the other members present. They re-
manned less than an hour. Commander
Glover, with MIR. Flint, who has been
acting for the government in the negotia-
tions for the purchase Of ships, also called
and was shown into Presidents private
office. The members of the cabinet on
leaving the White House said there was
no special significance in the meeting
this morning. The report Of the Maine
court of inquiry had not been received,
nor WAS it definitely known when II
would be reached here. 1t was expected,
however, early in the present week and
as soon as received it would be handed
at once to the President and when it had
been read and considered by the Prest-
dent, it would be made public. Secretary
Long in speaking of the report said that,
while fully realizing its importance. the
country, in his opinion, would willingly
accord to the President day or two, II
necessary, for its consideration. The In
dications seem that the report5will be
made public by the middle of the present
week.
The presence OF Mr. Charles X. Flint
at the conference naturally gives Inference
that the Presid ent and his advisors were
discussing the questions of acquiring.
mercial interests are largely with South
American countries is believed in meas.
ure at least to represent Chill and the
Argentine Repub bile in any negotiations
which are under way for the disposition
of their vessels. A repoi ter today asked
Mr.. Flint if he could say whether or, not
the United States had secured possession
of the Chilian ship O'Higgins and the
Argentine ship San MARITIME, but he de-.
clined to make any statement as to that
particular feature of the subject. When
pressed for some information in regard to
the matter he replied:
"Both Chilli and the Argentine Repuh-e
lie have the warmest friendship and adj
miration for the United States, and her
institutions. Neither country is anxious
to sell their ships to this government.
basing this indisposition on the belief
that we have an excellent navy of our
own They want these vessels themselves.
If the time should come, however, when
it was apparent that the United States
needed these vessels they would gladly
part with them to us. " 49,
The attention of Mr.. Flint was called
to the published report that the United
States would purchase the Brazilian tor
pedo gun boat Tuby, but this he said
would not be done SO far as he was aware
as there were no negotiations under way
to that effect. e5.;.s 4
Aside from the meeting OF several mem
bers of the cabinet at the White House
there were no incidents OF Importance
during the day. Judge Day, assistant
Secretary Adee, Chief Clerk Michel and
other officials were at the department,
but this has been quite common during
the recent month. lso at the War De-
partment and Navy Department num-
Der of chiefs of bureaus were at their desks
for several hours mainly for the purpose
of disposing of the business which recent
ly has accumulated so rapidly.
The most interesting topic of the day
was based on the dispatches from Havana
indicating q prospective conference be-
tween General Pando and Generals
Garcia, Gomez and others of the insurgent
army for the purpose of submitting to,
the latter formal offer of autonomy.
The basis of autonomy as outlined in the
dispatches apparently found no credencei
with the officials Of the Spanish legation.
| They stated their disbelief that a confer
ence on the proposed lines was probable
and added that they had no Information
on the subject. Minister Polo Bernabe ex-
pressed the opinion that the report from
Havana was unfounded as he said the
basis upon which it was propOsd to grant
autonomy was absurd.