The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-25
THE CRISIS is In SIGHT.
SPAIN MUST EITHER BACK DOWN Or
FIGHT 1T OUT. .a-.
She VIII be Given Every Opportunity for
II Peaceable and Tlmoly Retreat but II
Sho will not Avail Herself OF tho Op.
.E portunIty Afforded for Avoiding
War She Must Take tho Con.
.-,. ..'...... sequences.

Washington, March 23.--The feel
ing was universal throughout official
circles today that the elimination of
the Spanish crisis was near at hand.
With the report of the Maine Court
Of Inquiry only little off, with the
White House the centre of long and
earnest conference between the Pres
ident and the party leaders in Con
gross, and with the exceptional ac-
tivity toward emergency prepara-
tions in the war and navy depart.
ments, there was abundance of evi-
dence that definite results regarding
the Name disaster and the Cuban
question in general were ABOUT to be
reached. Among the Presidents
callers were Senators Cockrell, Tur-
pie and Foraker, Gen Dan Sickles,
former United Suites Minister to
Madrid, and Representative William
Alden Smith, of Michigan, who has
recently returned from trip to
Cuba. The call of Senators Cock.
reli and Turpie was regarded as par,
ticularly significant, as they are rep
resentative Democrats in tho Sen
ate and their visit followed that of
Senator German yesterday. It was
generally understood that in the
present emergency the President de
sires patriotic unity without rotor
ence to party. Secretaries Long and
Alger also conferred with the Pros
ident during the day. Secretary
Long said later that the Maine re-
port would probably reach Washing
ton tomorrow night. If, however,
it did not come before 8 o'clock
Thursday evening Mr.. Long said he
probably would not receive it before
Friday morning, when it would be
laidbefore the President immediately.
The Secretary did not think the Presi-
dent would give the document any
consideration at later hour to o-mor-
row night. It was more probable, he
thought, if Lieut.. Mark arrived at a
late hour that he would take the re-
port to hotel for the night.
There has been no change in the
plan of sending the report to Con-
gress early next week, probably
Monday, accompanied by a message
from the President. It is definitely
settled, however, that the message
and the papers accompanying it will
relate exclusively to the Maine dis
aster. 1t will not take up the fear
full condition Of affairs in Cuba as
shown by the reports of United
States consule, these being reserved
for subsequent action and a later
message to Congress.
Secretary Long determined today
to order the double turreted moni-
tors Puritan and Terror to Key West,
whore they will reinforce the squad
ron in those waters. He also de-
termlned to bring into service tho
eight single turreted monitors at
League Island navy yard, Philadel-
phia, two of which will be sent to
Boston, two to New York, and four
held in reserve at Philadelphia. The
Puritan and Terror take the place
of the battle ships Massachusetts
and Texas, recently withdrawn from
the squadron at Key West. 1t was
stated at the navy departments that
this move was in accordance with q
programme previously agreed upon,
although this programme has not
been announced heretofore. The
Puritan, by many experts, is re-
garded as the most formidable fight
ing machine in the navy.
In addition to this and other prop
arations for possible trouble, tho
navy department today took stops to,
ward utilizing ten Of the sea going
revenue cutters for use along the At
lantic coast. Captain Shoemaker,
chief of the revenue cutter service
conferred with Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt during the day on the
plans for turning over these cutters
to tho navy They will be first sent
to Norfolk, whore additional guns
will be mounted, and then will pro.
coed to Key West and become part
Of tho squadron there. Their main