Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-05
THAT DESTROYED THE MAINE
STATUS OF THE CUBAN QUESTION TODAY


Washington. April 5,--The House
committee on foreign affairs met at
1880 this morning. Captain Sigsbee'
Admiral Irwin and several experts In
explosives had been summoned to give
testimony regarding the blowing up OF
the Maine
Representative Quigg of New York.
before he entered the committee room,
said that Spain would be held RESPONSE
Bile for the blowing up OF the Maine.
He is in favor OF reporting a resolution
instructing the President to drive Spain
from the western hemisphere.
81 think there should be concerted
action between the executive and the
two houses OF Congress-" said he. THE
President should call both committees
to the White House this afternoon and
read the message to them. The mes
sage should hold Spain strictly ac-
countable and the answer of Congress
should be resolution directing him to
drive Spain from the western hemis-
phere. That resolution should be re-
ported to both houses tomorrow i'm
mediately after the message goes N
and in my opinion passed without de-
bate. 1t has developed that the House
committee on foreign affairs made
tentative proposition to the Senate
committee on foreign relations to meet
in joint session to secure concerted ac-
ton, but up to the present time the
Senate committee has not accepted the
| Invitation.
Captain Sigsbee was the first witness
examined by the House committee.
| Captain Sigsbee stated 1t to be his
| opinion trnt hisFvessel. thu Maine, was
| blown up by Il submarine mine located
by the Spanish authorities. As to
| whether 1t was fired by the Spanish au-
| thorities or not he declined to express
am opinion. He told the committee
| what he had testified to before the
! board of inuqiry about the buoy to
| which the Maine was anchored being
! the most unfrequented buoy in the
/ harbor.
The position In which the ship was
| placed, he said, was such that he
could have fired upon both forts at
the same time.
The committee is to meet again to-
] nlght TO prepare the text of the resoiu-
7 tons to bc submitted 70 tho House.
The members of the committee, from
the Information they have. believe war
/ Ia inrNitAuic uiurss spain makes a
square backdown. An intimation IL
| thrown out that n declaration of war
VIII not be made just yet in any event
because Consul General Lee has cabled
that 1t Will require several days to get
the Americans off the island.
SENATE AGREES WITH THE
HOUSE.
Washington,April 1.-The Senate COM
| mlttee on foreign relations met today
| for the especial purpose OF deciding
| whether the committee should make its
report on the Cuban situation today
or postpone that action until the Presi-
| dents message shall be received There
Is great Impotence over the delay
| on the part of some OF the members
OF the committee. notably Senator
Frye. who has urged that every day Of
| postponement was valuable time lost
These senators wanted to report on
| Monday and they were restrained with
great difficulty on the promise TINT III,
message in all probability would be
sent In today. Other members of ths
committee while quite as anxious, fell
that the President should be given IN,
| time absolutely necessary to prepars
| his message and later have shown !
| disposition to extend this time so Ms
to get our consuls out of Cuba safe.
ly.
This latter necessity was urged mo,
the committee quite strenuously toda,
and had perceptible effect in infiuenc
ing its members. Senator Davis nm
seen Assistant Secretary Day by an,
pointment previous to the meeting 81
tn committee and was able to give quit,
positive assurance that the way woult
be entirely clear for the message To b,
sent tomorrow.
Senator Frye also had conference,
with the President and II is understoo,
showed a disposition to allow time ali
solutely necessary to take care of tn,
| consuls.
In view of all the circumstances ~,
committee lost little time in reachin,
a conclusion today to delay it's reprr
until the message should be receive,
! tomorrow.
The document will be referred to tn
committee Immediately upon its presen
tstion In the Senate and II Will be re
ported back to the Senate as promptl,
as circumstances win permit.
The only circumstance that mn,
change the determination OF the com
mttee to report in favor OF indepen
dence and Intervention is the possibil
ity Of the Presidents recommending
contrary course. Such a recommenfia
tion would cause the COMMITTEES to sto,
and reflect and might have the effec
Of changing is course.