Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-06
RADICAL REPUBLICAN MEETING.
Delay for Lee Acccpted-Any other
Delay Denounced.

WASHINGTON, April .-Notwithstand-
ing the impatience and disappoint-
ment caused among the Republican mem
bers of the House by the Withholding Of
the Presidents message. the frank state
ment of the President TO the lead
ers. and to several prominent Democrats,
that such a course was deemed abso-
lutely necessary by COnsul-General Lee
to ensure the safe departure of the Ameri-
cans still In Cuba. has caused them
to accept the situation i'm good faith.
Some of the most radical after hearing
the statements of those who saw the
President appeared satisfied. Those with
whom the President talked came away
with a very strong impression that the
message would mean war, unless Spain
backed down squarey. One Of them, who
has been very active I'm antagonizing de-
lay. says the message will be perfectly
satisfactory to him, and will fully meet
the expectations Of the country.
Pending the transmission of the mes
sage. and i'm view of the situation pre-
sented by the President. all plans look
ing to action in the House will be aban-
doned but those who have been taking
part i'm the radical movement. and who
always admit the possibility that the
time may come when they will have to
part company with tho President. are,
according TO the leaders Of the movement,
more determined than ever 10 ulti-
mately obtain what they desire. They,
however. are at present satisfied with the
assurances they have received as to the
character of the message, but this has
not prevented them from organizing for
possible contingencies.
FIFTY RADICALS MEET.
The conference which was to have been
held tonight after the message should
be I'm was abandoned but fifty Of
those who originally inaugurated the
movement. met Immediately after the
House adjourned to discuss the situation.
All who were not In hearty sympathy
with them were invited to leave. Those
at the meeting unanimously agreed 10
walt upon the message, but the move
ment for a caucus started by the Presi-
dents supporters, which was also aban-
doned during the afternoon. exposed TO
them a danger upon which they had not
Teckoned-namely, that a caucus Of Re
pubicans might be called to bind them
by party action. and place them in the
position Of boilers If the occasion arose
for them to adopt an Independent plan
OF action.
A committee Of eight was, therefore, ap,
pointed To count noses TO watch the
situation, and to devise ways and means
TO meet any tactics of the opposition.
This committee is as follows: Messrs.
Hopkins. Of Illinois; Lorrimer. of Illi-
nois Tawney, OF Minnesota; Cooper Of
Wisconsin; Hepburn, of Iowa; Bromwell
Of Ohio; JOY. Of Missouri and Knox, Of
Massachusetts.
DENUNCIATION OF DELAY.
Several rather vigorous speeches in de-.
nunciation of any policy of delay were
made in the course Of the meeting. In
order To emphasize this position, a pro-
position was made to unite with the DEM
Ocrats and block all legislation, adjourn
ing from day to day, Until the message
appears, and the House has acted upon
the Cuban resolutions. But Mr. Hull, of
Iowa, who is pushing the army reorgani-
Zation bill made such an ardent plea to
allow that bill to come to vote. that
the proposition was temporarily aban-
doned. Whether it will be revived de-
pends largely upon the course OF events
II can be stated, however, that it is
seriously contemplated.
One of the other chief developments Of
the day was the probability that in the
event Of a split on the Republican side,
the Democrats would unite with the
radicals. and allow the latter TO force the
issue. If the Democrats should seek 10
assume the aggressive, the chances are
they would solidify the Republicans
against them.