The record-union., 1898-03-29
That Relating 10 the Destruction Of
the Bdttleship Maine.
The Presidents Message, Submitting the
Naval Boards Report and Accompany
ing Evidence the Chief
Topic of the Day.

has been one of action in every branch
of official life; action in the White
House, where the President and his
Cabinet advisers assembled in special
! Cabinet session at 1870 O'Clock, action
| in both branches of Congress where
/ the message of the President on the
Maine disaster and the report and tes-
timony of the Court of Inquiry were
received: action in the secret confer
ences Of state officials and diplomats
concerning the latest phases of Span
ish-American negotiations, and action
in the War and Navy Departments,
with the Spanish situation as the COM
poets of official action.
Seldom has day been replete with
so many diverse and important phases
| of a single subject. Yet. throughout
this activity. the prevailing tone as
removed from administration sources,
has been more assuring, more in the
! line of peace than it has been for some
days. This was the impression con-
veyed to Cabinet officers after the spe-
cial Cabinet session. The same senti-
ment characterized the diplomatic con-
Fferences at the State Department But
! in Congress. which afforded the great
| est field for anti-Spanish and warliBe
expressions, a strain of discomfort and
uneasiness prevailed after the Presi-
dents message and the Maine report
We're submitted. especially on the
House side.
| The Presidents message, submitting
the Maine report and the accompa ny
ing evidence, was the chief event Of
the day. Those who had anticipated
I that the message would contribute to
the aggressive spirit. were disappoint-
! ed 1t contained no surprises. In +he
| House of Representatives the message
and report We're referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs, and Spanish
debate was for the time being diverted
In the Senate there was a similar ref
erence to the Committee on Foreign
! Relations, and Money of Mississippi de-
/ livered brief and energetic speech
| picturing the woes of Cuba
| With the report was submitted the
voluminous evidence taken at Havana
and Key West before the Court of In
quiry. Examined in detail, this evi-
| dence proved to be much more inter-
esting than the cold and dispassionate
review submitted by the court.
The special Cabinet session was held
to so over the Presidents message and
more particularly to consider the latest
proceeding with Spain. These had as
sumed wide field. embracing not only
the Maine question, but the entire ClL-
ban problem.
The answer of Spain was in hand
to the firm note sent through Minister
Woodford last week, stating that the
condition Of Cuban affairs had become
so intolerable that the United States
could not much longer remain inactive
toward it. The general tone of tine
Spanish answer impressed the Presi-
dent and Cabinet officers most favor
ably, so much so that after the meet
ing it was stated by members that tl1n
outlook was far more assuring and
that Spain had shown such concili-
atory tone that it was believed she
would make concessions sufficient To
permit an anicable adjustment OF the
present strained relations.
This was qualified. however, by the
statement that the danger point has
not yet passed and that war, while no
longer a probability. was yet possi-
bility. The President has distinctly
| disclosed to his Cabinet associates his
purpose to avert war if it was possible
with a Just solution of the Cuban Irob-
lem, and he had felt from the dispo-
sition manifested by Spain in this that
q just solution could be reached. This.
however. is without considering Con-
gress, which may, now that the sub
ject is formally before it, take some
radical action.
Meantime at the State Department
/ cablegrams were being received from
| Minister Woodford and the Spanish
Minister, Senior Polo Bernabe was in
lengthy conference with Judge Day as
to the prospective adjustment The
| meeting between the Spanish Minister
| Continued on Sixth Page)