The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-24
WAR SCARE AT WASHINGTON.
ALLEGED UTTER ANCES OF NAVAL
OFFICERS THE CAUSE.

Iieve It-Back Down by Spain BE
Iieved to BE the Only Way i'm
Which War Can BE Avoided.
Washington, March 23.-There was
decided war scare" on at the White
House and the war, navy and state de-
partments to-day and the wave spread 10
the capitol, where Senator Bacon, the Sc
nior Senator from Georgia, took alarm,
and introduced peace resolution
Upon inquiry at the navy department
the Morning News correspondent learned
from an officer high in authority that the
"war scare" was due to the fact that the
report of the court of inquiry on the
Maine disaster is nearing Washington,
and some of the officers who signed the
report have stated that the findings of
the court mean nothing short of war with
Spain.
The tension has become so great during
the past twenty four hours that it seems
as though something must give way to
relieve the intense anxiety so plainly APP
parent in army, navy and congressional
circles.
II IGIidlilS " lt SStll NllGlItt the 1 it0A-
dent will be carried off his feet" as Sen
ator Hale is reported to have said, in com
mentng upon the probable action of the
executive.
The President has spent the greater part
of the day conferrng with members of
the cabinet and congressman. He has put
| aside Judson Lyons and other political
questions and Is devotng his time almost
| exclusively to the serious consideration
| of the Spanish problem. Upon invitation
from the President Senators Bacon of
| Georgia, Walthal of Mississippi and
Faulkner of West Virginia. called at the
| executive mansion and discussed the sit
| uation on the lines of the Gorman-Allison
| conference of yesterday
The President expressed his desire TO
| have the views of leading members of
| Congress. irrespective of party, taking
the sensible position that in a crisis like
! this there should be no party lines He
| naturally let his visitors do most of the
talking This they did freely, giving him
| their idea as to the methods of procedure.
| While they differed considerably one from
| the others all three came away from the
! w illte house impressed with the lQGa tnat
while the Maine incident will be treated
as separate and distinct from the greater
Cuban question, and. that decisive steps
! toward the settlement of this latter will
/ be taken at once
Senator Bacon's resolutions, introduced
| in the Senate to-day, have created much
comment. When asked for an expression
! concerning them, he said: "They really
! explain themselves. They simply set
| l. IL
| of this country in the present emergency.
| We would like TO have peace if we can
! have it without sacrificing the honor of
! the nation. We want the world to know
| however that we are standing together
! as one man, and that we are prepared
! for war if it must come"
Assistant Secretary Day was an early
| caller at the executive mansion He was
| there before the President had his break
fast. He had an interview of twenty min
utes with the President in the breakfast
room and he showed the President several
! important cable messages from Madrid
! bearing upon the situation. When Mr.
| Day left the White House he declined to
discuss the object of his visit further than
to say that he had some information in
| tended for the President, and not for gem
| eral distribution. Upon returning to the
! department of state he had hurried con-
! ''A.t"'icAi WIN sotNltldi y SHERMAN ana the
! latter at once proceeded TO the White
| House.
! Throughout the war and navy depart
! ments there Is a growing impression that
a conflict with Spain is inevitable unless
| Spain backs down from the position she
| has assumed. II il claimed that Snain
| viii not relinquish Cuba even if she has
| to go to war. The Spanish dynasty Is
threatened from within as well as with
| Lou md hn =.4r1t Ill.
| the success or failure of the Sranish
! crown. If she should back down from her
| position with the United States an in
| ternal war will ensue to overthrow the
! present government. If she Is pressed in
to war with the United States. she will ne
defeated, and the Spanish throne will tot
ter and fall to the ground 1t is a despcr-
ate situation in which Spain finds hor-
self and she cannot afford TO 60 back
ward. The United States has assumed a
| sort of protectorate over Cuba, and il an
pears that a majority of the American
people are prepared to urge active inter-
vontion by this government.
The most important order issued at the
navy department to-day was the transfer
of the monitor Terror from New York
! harbor to Key West 1t was supposed
that the Terror was 10 remain in New
York harbor to assist in the defense of
! 1naI
the Terror can render better and more
important service at some point further
down the coast. and her orders 10 Key
West are in line with the policy formerly
announced, to concentrate a fleet of monl-
tors at Key West and Port Royal.
Cen "Dan" Sickles had a long consultn-
ton with Assistant Secretary Day at tho
department Of state to-day, TO which Sec
retary Iong and Capt. Barker Of the navy
aef
with the Spanish question and the fact
that he was United States minister TO
Spain during the "Virginius" affair. The
conference was conducted with the great
est privacy and even the messengers were
excluded from the room. At the conclu-
sion of the consultation, all the partici-
nants preserved the strictest reticence. and
Secretary Long left the department Of
state and hurried over to the White
| House.
e.cASVA STANDS nv pIANrO