The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-31
Situation Very Grave.

sition.
Situation Very Grave.
The attitude of Congress in the whole
matter is somewhat a question also. 1t
seems certain to many that there can be
very little real belief on the part of any
member of either House that the Presi-
dent, after all that has passed in the Gu
ban matter, is not to be able to solve the
situation with peace in three days or even
before next Monday, which is said to be
the outside limit of congressional forbear-
ance. Congress is for war and the Presi-
dent is for peace. and even if the pur-
chase of Cuba could be engineer for Spain
there is apparently an absolute difference
of opinion as to the Maine
a member of the foreign relations com
mittee said to a Times reporter last night:
1T is my belief that whe we went to
the White House yesterday and saw very
plainly that the President is worn and
haggard with the terrible ordeal he is
passing through. there was more than
anything else in our reply that the crisis
could be prevented another day or two.
a desire simply to shield him as long as
possible from the defeat that seems in
evitable. But even Difference for him and
the understanding of the rebuke that our
action will be could not put off the crisis
much longer if we desist We are earn
estly sgiad Democrats and Republicans
alike now. am sure. that he will rescue
himself by this decisive step before it is
too late"
The Purchase Plan.
The purchase plea which the President
has abandoned is the old one first sug-
gested by Col. John J. McCook several
months ago Col McCook outlined this
plan to a reporter for The Times in its
best light yesterday in an extended inter-
view at the State Department He said
that he was in favor of the independence
of Cuba. first. last and all the time He
said that he still believes the purchase
plan feasible for securing the independ-
ence of the island without fear He also
remarked that the Cubans would be per-
fectly willing to accept the plan. and
that his property interests in the island
put him in a position to know this.
Col McCook expressed the opinion that
a war on the Maine proposition simply
would not be countenanced by any Euro
pean government and that it was prepos-
terous to believe the Administration will
ever advocate or countenance such
thing. He said if Congress breaks away
it Will be making grave mistake
He made the statement that he repre-
sents a syndicate which owns a large
part of the island and its potential re-
sources. After the humanitarian consid-
erations, he said. he was for this reason
very anxious. of course. to see peace and
a stable government OF the island.
Nearly all day prices doomed yesterday
and the result was gain only behind
that of Monday. Sugar and the New
York City railway stocks were the feat
ures of the bull movement. Sugar gain
ing points from the close on Tuesday.
The alleged connection Of one of these
senators with the notorious sugar deal of
a few years back was unayoidably sug-
gested by this call and the movement
that followed. Late in the day, when
the ultimatum was given to Wall Street
in advance, there was a drop
One of the F Street brokers said yester-
day as sugar went up point after point:
THAT deal was over tariff legislation.
There was a fearful storm of public feel
ing then. This crisis is a nations honor
or dishonor. And yet there has been
more gambling by the people that run
the Government since the Maine disaster.
as the chances swayed for war and for
peace at any price than ever before in
the history of the Street"