The times., 1898-01-25
WHAT THE CoSGREssMES SAY.
Their Opinion OF the Action of Ger
many's warships.


There was keener feeling than US
ual at the Capitol today that the Gov
ernment is on the eve Of Cuban ex-
plosion. The air was full of sensa-
tional rumors. The State Department
was kept busy this morning replying
to inquiries from Senators asking for
official corroboration of flying reports.
The strain under which the friends of
Cuba are IabOring cannot last much
longer.
Several informal conferences of these
pro-Cuban sympathizers have been
held and their discussion is expected
to materaliZe into action within the
next forty-eight hours. 1t has been
said that the President was taking act
i've steps and would act promptly and
decisively when the time arrived. The
rumors that come from Cuba lead pub
lie men 10 believe that hour is at hand
and they are impatiently awaiting the
word from tire White House that will
start our fleet across the channel
1t is understood that. in view of the
implied promise that Congress may be
given some information within the
next few hours. no concerted move
viii be made in the Senate today. IT,
however, the President does not today
reply to the resolution passed ten days
ago in the Senate. asking what steps
had been taken to protect Americans
and their property, the Cuban question
| will be reopened by the Introduction
of one of the hottest Cuban resolutions
the Senate has yet had laid before it.
! There will be enough Senators behind
the resolution to- force it through and
the debate Will serve to notify the
President of the temper of the Ameri-
can Senate and warn Spain Of her i'm
pending fate in Cuba. There is no de-
sire to hamper the President nor in
terfere with any plans he may have
. made. but quite a number of Senators
1 believe the coordinate branch of the
Government is entitled at this critical
stage, to know what the President has
done and what he is prepared to do.
The news in the morning dispatches
that Germany has two warships N the
harbor of Havana for the protection of
her subjects was commented upon by
Senators as affording a marked con-
trast with the policy of this Government
in declining to send ships to that port
for the same purpose. lest in so doing
Spain might take affront and construe
it as an act of hostility.
1T should have been the United
States Government to set the exam
ple' said Senator Cannon of Utah.
Our warships should have been the
first to be in that harbor, and they
should have been there months ago. If
Germany can send waTships there for
the protection of her subjects, why can
not the United States do the same
thing? We should have done it long
ago and if the consequences We're un-
pleasant the American people would
have had no word of complaint to offe
This Government has delayed al TOO
long and if to send a warship now
means war. let US send one and let war
come
IF" said Senator Allen of Nebraska,
Germany has sent her ships of war TO
Cuba to make a demonstration and let
the Spaniards know the German sub
iects in the island have a flag that
would protect them. Germany has only
done that which any decent self-re-
sDecting nation should do. 1t is not
necessary to say what the United States
should have done. Every patriotic
American knows what should have been
done and everyone is ashamed of the
attitude of our present President"
Il have long thought there would
come a time when forbearance would
cease to be virtue said Senator War
rem of Wyoming land that time seems
to be near at hand. Germany has done
the proper thing. 1, of course. defer to
those who know the facts and have all
the inside information. | believe the
President will do his duty when he
thinks the time has arrived"