Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-04-09
oEy The Associated Press. J

Washington, April Stood Friday
passed in Washington with not a ripple
On the surface. either at the White
House or the Capitol to SHOW that the
| n1ted States is on the brink of war
Both houses of Congress had adjourned
until Monday, and at the Executive
mansion, there was no rush Of eager
! ana excited public men. hut a Sunday
quiet atmosphere, At only thc war ana
I navy departments We're there signs Of
an impending conflict, in the rush Of
orders to u host of naval officers to re
port at once for duty on vessels to
| which they We're assigned. and in CON
ferences among bureau chiefs on de
tails of war preparations.
And Yet. the resolve was firmer than
ever that unless Spain yielded to the
United States demands in regard to
Cuba. the United States by force of
arms would move on Havana. 1t was
the Very recognition of the fixity of this
purpose that caused the day to be in
marked contrast with the excitement
of ali its predecessors Of late. There
was still some discusson Of Cuban af-
fairs. but it only served to emphasize
the fact that one forward step of i'm
The discussion concerned not merely
Intervention and the freedom of Cuba
from Spanish dominion, but the obiga-
tons and duties that might he imposed
upon the United States after we had
expelled Spain from the island.
This discussion revolved around two
propositions, namely, intervention
without recognition of national indie
i
intervention with the concurrent recog-
rition of the independence of the in
sursent government Of Cuba. Some
public men hovered between these two
propositions and favored a compromise |
There was no definite indication of
which course would be adopted but the |
unsettled state of public opinion on the |
matter indicated that the events of the |
next few days, the strength of the ar |
@um@nts of the forthcoming Presiden- |
tial message or a distinct utterance |
from our consul general to Cuba might |
be strong enough to incline the balance |
TO either course.
The cabinet held it's usual Friday ses-
sion. but its meeting brought no change
in the Spanish situation. Indeed It
was chiefly significant in establishing
the fact that the programme Of action
on the part of the United States gov
crnment was already made up The
Presidents s me ssage remains unatered,
and this being the last ca binet day be
fore the message will go to Congress,
alterations are unlikely between now
and Monday barring altogether unex
pected developments from Madrid. At
ter the meeting, cabinet officers stated /
that the message would be sent to Con-
gress, Monday, no change in that re
spect having been considered and all
causes for delay having been removed.
The calmness Of the cabinet meeting,
which was one of the most eventful
held in recent days, was another evi-
dence of the feeling entertained by the
administration that the case is made up
and nothing now remains to be done
but to present the subject to Congress
and await the final outcome there.
The feeling that an end had come to
diplomatic talk and that action alone re
mained, was shared in all quarters, in
cluding the foreign embassies and lega-
tions where the ambassadors and minis
tcrS EXPRESSED the feeling that all had
been done in Washington that could or
would be done in the cause of peace.
What is going on at Madrid gives slight
hope Of such concessions there as will
alter the present situation. There are no
negotiations. in the sense of exchanges.
on pending preparations.
Both parties apparently have said their
last word concerning the respective pre- /
parations Certainly this is true as to
the United States and there was no evil
dcnce. tolay. that the Spanish govern
ment would recede. 1t is even doubtful ID
whether It concession of an armistice by i
Spain would be sufficient at this late mo-
ment to turn the situation into peaceful {
channels. :
Preparations for all eventualities are ,
being hurried to completion Cen Lee ,
will leave Havana, tomorrow. probably ,
on the small naval vessel Fern, now in :
Havana harbor although it was said at
the state department that he might take !
one Of the Plant Line Of steamers. That
time, also, the other United States con
suls and most of the American citizens I
in Cuba will be out of the island. :.
Official reports rec eived here, today.
stated that large numbers Of Americans
were leaving on the several steamers {
from Havana and other ports.
Entire quiet has prevailed there up to
this time. The Unfted States consul at :
Porto Rico is also preparing to leave. No c
it is stated definitely. have t
been sent to Minister Woodford concern /
ing his withdrawal from Madrid, that be- e
ing left to his discretion. The prospects t