The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-20
ULT|MATUM
Continued from First Page.

of the resolutions passed by congress and
demand a compliance Herewith. So far
as could be learned, there will not be an
other meeting of the cabinet tomorrow
morning before the president signs the
two documents, which it is believed will
unqu estionably precipitate war 1t is like
" that the president and Assistant Score
tary Day will again go over the message
which is to be sent to Madrid. and make
any changes which may be thought de-
sirable, leaving the final act Of signing
the congressional resolution and the ulti-
naatuEn until tomorrow morning. 1t prob
ably viii not he made public here until
notice is received that IL is in the hands
OF the Spanish government, diplomatic
etiquette requiring this.
THE CUBAN RESOLUTION.
The Cuban resolution passed by con-
gress arrived at the White House at 1:15
O'Clock. little over an hour having been
consumed in the formalities Of securing
the signatures of Speaker Reed and Vice
President Hobart to the resolution in open
session and its delivery at the White
House by Representative Hager Of Iowa,
chairman of the committee on enrolled
bills, and Representative Overstreet of
Indiana It was expected that the reso-
luton would be signed Immediately after
it reached the president. and this was
President McKinley's inclination, but for
certain state reasons It was deemed ad-
visable that the resolution and the ulti-
matum to Spain should be signed stimuli
taneOusly, and time was needed to draft
the ultimatum in diplomatic form.
THE PRESIDENTS PLAN.
The fact that the resolution was not
Immediately signed gave rise to a few dis
quieting reports. but it soon appeared from
statements Of cabinet officers that the
president had not the slightest intention
of Withholding his signature, and that the
delay in attaching it was accounted for
solely by his desire to have a full and
complete plan of operation for the gov
eminent Of the executive in the Immediate
future by taking the final and important
step Of turning the joint resolution into a
statute.
Just what this plan shall be was the
occasion for the two cabinet meetings to-
day. The first session, in anticipation of
the reception Of the resolution. was devot-
ed largely to questions Of finance and |
military policy, as we'll as 10 the framing /
OF the ultimatum itself.
HOW MUCH TIME?
So far as can be gathered, the impor- |
tant point al issue in regard to the ulti- /
matum was the question of time to be al /
lowed for a response on the part of Spain. /
The steady progress of military and naval |
preparations indicated the conviction on |
the part of the administration that a |
peaceful solution Of existing difficulties
IS not probable As to the course OF events
in the immediate future. the only predic-
ton that can be made is one based on |
precedents.
MINISTER'S WITHDRAWAL.
According 10 these, Minister Woodford
will notify the Spanish government Of the
action Of the government of the United
States. and should the Spanish answer
be- unsatisfactory, as is expected, the /
next step in order will be for him to ask
for his passports and leave Madrid. That
would be followed instantly by the with
drawal from Washington of Senior Polo
Bernardo, the Spanish minister. At this
po-at it can be said that the state depart
ment officials are confident that the Span
ish government will so shape every phase
OF the negotiations as to obise us to take
the initiative at every point. After the
withdrawal Of the ministers, assuming
that Spain does not back down. Will follow
;-ctual war but whether or not the first |
overt act will be preceded by a formal
declaration of war, which would insure
the immediate naturalization of the pow
ers, or whether the North Atlantic squad
ron viii make its appearance off Havana |
as beginning cannot yet be predicted.
NOT so SURE OF A WALKAWAY.
In this connection it may be stated that
the army and navy experts are begging
to take a less hopeful view Of an early
and quick campaign than they enter
tanned a short time ago. Months are now
mentioned instead of weeks as the prob
able length of hostiHties, and one emf
nent naval officer, who had experience in
the late war, processes a belief that unless
outside pressure is brought TO bear. a war
may easily drag along year under exist
ing conditions
POWERS ARE QUIESCENT.
Apparently the powers have abandoned
open efforts in Washington to influence
the course of our government. Matters
were quiet at all the legations today. and
no instructions were received by any of
the ambassadors or ministers in the line