The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-01
But Prevailed on the Conference to
Postpone Action on the Cuban
Question Until Monday.
BUSY DAY At WHITE HOUSE
MANY CONGRESSMAN CONFERRED
WITH THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
Meeting of Senate Committee on FOr-
mittee on Foreign Affairs.


Special TO the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 31.-The commit
tee of eleven appointed by the congress
sio-al insurgents" to wait on the President
and arrange terms with him performed that
duty this afternoon. The committee was
composed of Messrs. Hopkins (chairman)
Lorimer of Illinois, Cooper of Wisconsin,
Knox of Massachusetts, Faris of Indiana
Arnold of Pennsylvania, Smith of Michi-
gan Mercer of Nebraska, Joy of Missouri
Hager of Iowa and Sulloway of New Hamp
shire They were with the President for
two hours. When they came away they
declared themselves satisfied with the Pres
ident's statement of his attitude as. to Cuba
but they would not talk further about the
matter saying they were pledged to secrecy.
They made their report to the adjourned
conference. ia Republican members of the
House being present. The conference ac-
cepted the committees statement and
agreed to wait until next Monday before
making a move, to which date adjournment
was taken The insurgents" comprise a
majority of the Republican membership of
the House and can absolutely dominate and
direct its course as to Spain and Cuba. They
can call formal caucus and control its ac-
ton, thus binding every Republican in the
House thereto.
An Associated Press dispatch says: The
committee reported to the Republican
conference at a meeting held after the adj
journment of the House. They stated that
the President made frank declaration as
to what was taking place between the two
governments and concluded with these
words: II pray God, that we may be able
to keep peace" The impression left with
the delegation, however, was that he did
not expect a peaceable adjustment. In
strictest confidence Mr.. Mckinley outlined
the course of COMMUNICATIONS between
Washington and Madrid He stated that
all now depended on dispatches to be COM
municated and received probably within
forty-eight hours. The response of Spain
to a message cabled it by this government
was expected hourly and surely would be
received within twenty-four hours After
it arrived it would be necessary for this
country to send another cable note in reply
to Madrid. All this might be accomplished
in less than forty-eight hours He, there
fore, intimated that he would be gratified
if Congress deferred taking action until
next week.
Mr. Hopkins, of Illinois, who made the
report for the committee, said he felt it
would be best to abide by. the President s
wishes. He convinced every member of the
committee that he was doing everything
that a patriotic American President could
do to bring about just settlement of the
Cuban question. Others who spoke at the
meeting, including Mr.. Lorimer and Mr..
Joy, advised postponement. The President,
they stated, suggested that what was re-
lated to them regarding the diplomatic
negotiations should not be repeated until
those negotiations were closed; that if these
secret and significant messages were re-
vealed at this time and should become
public property and be cabled back to
Madrid the publicity might hurt the cause
and defeat the ends sought. Representative
Hicks, of Pennsylvania, thought that in
view of the Dupuy de LONE letter, no
further parley should be allowed and that
Premier Sagasta was acting in accord with
the policy that the letter had revealed
Others followed in the same line, but it
was finally concluded to defer action until
after the adjournment of the House Mon