Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-21

naval affairs, was one OF the early
callers and spent half an hour with Mr..
Long Senator Pritchard IN. ca also
had a talk with MIR. Long. Mr.. Hale
went from the secretafy's office TO the
White House and had talk with the
President. Within a short time he
was followed by Secretary Long, who
spent some time with the President.
The secretary carried with him a bun
de of documents which, however has
become his custom. Senator Hanna
came to the secretary's office durins
his absence and learning that he was
with the President, spent some time In
conference with Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt.
The Spanish minister called at the
state department today and presented
Messrs. Angulo,. Valera and Cadenas,
who are the direct representatives of
the autonomous cabinet at Cuba.
with this presentation negotiations to-
ward II commercial treaty will be
opened.
A high officer of the navy, who has
intimate knowledge of the affairs, said
today:
"The greatest difficulty is being ex-
perienced by the government in pro-
curing ships abroad. but 1t is hard at
work and is making as much progress
as could reasonably be expected under
Inc ClTtuIDEtdIlttS. sa'blIl Is pushing
work on its war vessels The Pelayo,
its largest and best battleship, is prac-
tlcally ready for sea, and it's second
biggest ship, Carlos V, will be
ready in a fortnight or three weeks.
The officials of the navy department
are doing everything in their power
to prepare for any possible conflict.
Anything, however. which Is got In the
way of tug boats and yachts will be
for a makeshift, and our people would
do well to earn that the only way to
prepare for an emergency Is to see that
the navy Is put in trst-rate shape be-
fore the emergency arises, and this can
he definitely done by building battle,
ships and destroyers and by adding per
manently to our naval lists of officers
and men and by Immediately passing
through Congress the pending person.
mel bill which is absolutely necessary
to the handling of the new navy. The
results, however, of the preparations 50
far as made with the material at hand.
are satisfactory. The greatest prep
aration that has been made was the
drilling of battleships and torpedo
boats last summer. and as a result the
navy is now doubly as efficient as one
year ago. The people of the United
States may trust to the navy with alb
solute confidence that 1t will respond
to our call with the highest credit to
herself and the nation, The question of
the purchase of the O'Higgins Is still
in the air. Spain will not get her. and
If she Is sold it will be to the United
States"
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
ON SPAIN AND CUBA
Representative Wheeler today intro
duced in the House the following reso-
luton:
"Resolved, That n Joint committee
consisting of seven members of the
Senate to he appointed by the Vice
President and seven members of the
House to be appointed by the Speaker
be created to consider the question of
our relations with Spain, growing out
of the Cuban question. That all mes
sages heretofore received or which
may he hereafter received from the
President referring to this question be
committee be authorized to send for
persons and papers to take evidence and
to administer oaths to witnesses and
thar said committee be authorized to
appoint "a clerk and one assistant, n
stenographer and messenger and said
committee report with as little delay
as possible the conditions that prevail
in Cuba, what part of the Spanish debt
is a burden upon revenues collected in
the island, the protection given to
Americans and American interests in
that island by the Spanish and the
truth regarding the inhumnnities and
atrocities which have come to our
knowledge through semi-ofiicial and
other sources, The committee shall also
recommend to Congress what action
should be taken by this body. The COM
mittee shall have authority to report
at any time"