Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-06
THE MESSAGE HELD Up
Safety Of Americans in Cuba De-
manded It.
TELEGRAM FROM GEN. lee
In the Interest of Humanity Action
Was Deferred.
STATEMENT MADE BY SENATOR DAVIS
Eight Minutes Executive Session
of the Senate.
STATEMENT MADE BY SENATOR DAVIS
THRONG AT THE CAPITOL

The President decided not to send to Con-
gress his message until Monday owing to
General Lees intimation that 1t would i'm
peril American lives.
The republican conference. which has
been opposed to delay in the Cuban matter.
decided to call conference of republicans
this evening in case of any considerable
number of representatives not agreeing
with the policy outlined in the Presidents
message.
The House foreign affairs committee met
and decided to take no action until after
hearing the message.
The Senate foreign relations committee
met and discussed policies, but adjourned
without reaching any conclusion.
The representatives of Great Britain,
France, Germany, Austria and Italy met at
the British embassy yesterday afternoon
and agreed upon terms of a joint note to be
handed this country Offering mediation in
the Spanish-American dispute
On the return Of Senator Davis to the
Capitol from his visit to the White House
this afternoon he saw his colleagues on the
foreign relations committee and informed
them that no message would be sent in to-
day. Senator Davis Immediately moved an
executive session of the Senate.
Division was demanded and the vote, 25-
IL, disclosed the absence Of quorum.
call n ha bap faa
While this was proceeding the hundreds in
the galleries awaited the action of the Sen
ate with almost breathless interest, as all
realized that after waiting for hours to
hear the message read in the Senate they
were likely now to be disappointed.
The call Of the Senate Indicated the pres
ence of seventy-three senator's
Mr.. Mills Texas) expressed the hope that
the call of the yeas and nays upon the mo-
ton of Mr. Davis would be withdrawn and
that the Senate might without division go
into executive session. On viva voce vote
the motion prevailed and the Vice President
at 1 81 p. m ordered the galleries cleared
After the galleries had been cleared Sen
ator Davis explained the. reason for the
delay in sending the message.
he said 1t was due to the fact that there
had been some delay IN getting Consul
General Lee and other Americans of Ha-
yana and that more time was absolutely
necessary for this purpose. Hence the
President did not consider 1t wise or hui
name to send in the message, which might
rrecipitate serious trouble and endanger
the lives OF these people.
Mr.. Davis stated that the President had
sent for him for the especial purpose OF
asking this delay and had shown him as
. reason for the request a telegram from
Consul General Lee, saying that II the
message should be sent in before Monday
he would not be responsible for the lives
of Americans il. Cuba
No comment whatever was made upon
the senator's communication.
Eight minutes afterward the Senate re-
sumed legislative business in open session.
As soon as it became noised about the cor
ridors that the galleries were again open
Q tremendous rush up the stairways began
and few minutes afterward the galleries
were again nearly filled. Hundreds how
ever. tired and disappointed, had already
left the Capitol.
At the request Of Mr.. Allison, consdera-
ton Of the sundry civil bill was resumed.
At the White House the definite state
meneo was authorized that the messag
would not go in today.
Disappointment i'm the House.
A feeling of the greatest disappointment
was manifested III the House when tn,
word went around that there would be n,
message from the President until Monday
Members in the lobbies discussed the caus
of this further delaying in groups Som
of them. knowing that General Lee ha,
cabled for more time, harangued thei
angry colleagues, who seemed to believ
that there was a trick in the proposed de
lay.
Mr.. Cooper (Wis) announced that he be
heved II was to get time to bring pressur
90 bear upon the insurgents. Another sal,
be was surprised that Gen. Lee had weak
tned-" But the members will acquiesce II
the delay. The meeting tonight will b.
adjourned Republicans anxious for actor
said that IL lives of American citizens wer
endangered, the delay must OF course. fol
Iow.
When the news reached the thousands il
the galleries. who had been there for hours
they left In intense disgust. As they push
cd their way out into the corridors som
facetious Individual remarked: Are we e,,
titled to rain checksT
Waiting In Suspense.
The early rumors, about / o'clock, tha
the Presidents message might not go 4
at all. Or be delayed until or O'Clock
excited the greatest suspense and anxiet
among those who had been waiting to hea
from the message.
Until O'Clock Assistant Secretaries Da