The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-01
ALL QUIET IN WASHINGTON
TIE UNREST AND ExcITEMFNT PER-
CEPTTBLY ABATING.

No Rersrence Made to the Cubnn Question IN
Either Reuse or ConErcss-An waiting FOR
the Report or the beard OF Inauiry -
Preparations for an EmcrEency GoinE On.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2s.-No reference was
made to tho Cuban question in either House Of
Congress to-day. At the White House and in
the Executive Departments. also, there was lit
tie or no official discussion Of the oil important
topic. The action of Senator Hale and Repre-
sentative Boutelle, Chnirmen, respectively. OF
the Senate and House committees on Naval
Affairs, in pigeonholing the recommendation Of
Acting Secretary Of the Navy Roosevelt for
legislative authority to enlist at once /. 500 ad-
ditional seamen, deprived Senators and Repre-
sontatives who may have been inclined
to discuss the situation growing out of
the Maine disaster of an opportunity to
do 30. In Senate and House legislative
matters of the most routine character
were considered. and the crowds of gallery
spectators, who como to the Capitol day after
day In the hope of hearing another spirited
Cuban debate, were disappointed. At the White
House and at the Navy Department the out
ward tranquility was almost as marked as in
Congress. The President and Secretary Long
held a somewhat protracted consultation carly
in the day, and a few dispatches OF an unimpor-
tant character were received from Key West,
but that was all. The inactivity OF tho navy,
however, was moro apparent than real. The
work Of forwarding the plans for putting tho
military and naval establishments into active
fighting trim went on in the various bureaus,
but on the surface there was nothing to show
that anything Of Importance or interest was
being done. The orders that were issued. how
ever, viii show that the President, tho secre-
tary Of the Navy and the Assistant Secretary
are acting In harmony in preparing for any
emergency that may confront the navy in the
near future.
Everywhere in Washington an abatement Of
the unrest and excitement of the past fortnight
was noticeable. and 1t is now quite evident that
the Administration has settled down to the be-
lief that tho Naval Board Of Inquiry will not
conclude its work and DO ready to report for two
or three weeks at least. and that in the mean
time the Government and the people can only
wait as patiently as may be for the verdict.
Naval preparations will 20 on as usual, but the
diplomatic policy Of the Administration with re-
gard TO the Cuban question will be held In abey-
ance. Those who called upon the President to-
day say that he Is less apprehensive of the conse-
quences Of the disaster to the Maine than he was
last week. These visitors represent Mr.. Mo
Kinley as being inclined to think that the war
like spirit of tho people, which broke out so
fcrcely upon the receipt of the news that the
Maine had been destroyed, Is subsidinR some.
what. and that the belief Is becoming more gen.
eral that the explosion which wrecked the bat
tleship was accidental and not the result OF
Spanish treachery. The President. it is said,
bases his opinion of the condition Of public sem
timent largely upon the tone Of the newspaper
press of the country. which he regards as a very
fair indication of the public opinion from Con-
gressmen and other public men in Washington
with whom he had talked. for there Is an almost
universal sentiment in both houses of Congress
and among Government officials generally that
unless the Board OF Inquiry can furnish evil
dence that the explosion was the result Of acci-
dent the people will demand that Spain be pun
ished.
The disaster to the Maine has upset somewhat
the decision to send to Congress the reports
on file In the State Department from Con-
sul-General Lee and the other consular
agents in Cuba as to the progress of the
plsn of autonomy and the condition Of
CubanB generally. 1t has long been known that
these reports will reveal the existence OF such
a state Of things upon the island that Congress
could not be held in check another moment
after they had been made public. Knowing
this, the President. it is understood, has elm
mated very little from the reports, but is deter
mined to let Congress become acquainted with
their full SCOPE and meaning. There Is every
reason to suppose that the publication of
the reports would be followed by some sort
of definite action in Congress in behalf
of Cuba, yet 1t is probable that the documents
would have been sent In before this had not tho
intentions of the President been changed by the
destruction of the battleship Maine and her
crew. That calamity opened up an entirely
new and astounding phase Of the Cuban CUES.
ton and sidetracked temporarily whatever
plans the Administration had in Wow. 1t Is
now thought that the reports will be withheld
and that the Administration will POSTPONE tho
announcement Of its policy with regard to end
ing the war and setting Cuba free until tho
Board Of Inquiry renders its verdict as to the
cause of the Names destruction or admits that
the explosion which sent the battleshtp and her
crew to the bottom Of the sea is a mystery that
human agency cannot solve.