The Indianapolis journal., 1898-03-31
AN ULTIMATUM
SPAIN GIVEN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS
TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO.
Must Reply by 10 O'Clock This Morn
ing to McTxinIey's Demand to
withdraw from Cuba.
An IMPORTANT STATEMENT
WHICH VICE PRESIDENT HOBART IS
SAID TO HAVE MADE.
Congre.smen Not So Radical for War
Yesterday as Their Utterances
of Tuesday Indicated.
M'KINLEY TO BE GIVEN TIME
RESULT OF NEGOTIATIONS At MAD
RID WILL BE AWAITED.
Another Conference of House Repub-
licans and n Committee Named
to Visit the President.
Congressman Not So Radical for War
Yesterday as Their Utterances
of Tuesday Indicated.
M'KINLEY TO BE GIVEN TIME
RESULT OF NEGOTIATIONS At MAD
RID WILL BIZ AWAITED.
Another Conference of House Repub-
licans and n Committee Named
to Visit the President.
Yesterdays DEVELOPMENTS.

Yesterdays DEVELOPMENTS.
Vice President Hobart is report
ed to have said that an ultimatum,
giving Spain fOrty-eight hours to
reply to President McKinley's de-
mands, was se@t to Madrid. The
time will expire at 10 o'clock this
morning. The uItimatum calls for
a cessation of hostllities. the with
drawal of Spanish troops from
Cuba and the independence of the
island. An answer is expected to-
day.
Republican members of the
House to the number of 115. who
favor aggressive action i'm the Gu
ban question, held a conference
last night and appointed a COM
mittee of eleven to wait on the
President to-day and explain their
views and attitude. Several
speeches were made advising
against a. rupture with the admin
istrafiOn. other members who
had seen the President during the
day said MIR. Mckinley believed
his negotiations with Spain would
be successful, but if they were not
the whole subject would be placed
before Congress.
The session of the House was
marked by great excitement and
considerable tumult. MIR. Bailey,
of Texas, the minority leader. at
resolution recognizing Cuban in
dependence, his hope being to
gain the support of the "war
party" Republicans and OverruIe
Speaker Reed. His plan failed, for
only two Republicans voted with
the Democrats. About n dozen
others, however, sat silent while
the roll was being called. The
speaker was sustained-1SO to 139.
The galleries were crowded with
visitors, and MIR. Bailey and other
radical members received storms
of applause. Jerry Simpson raised
81 laugh when he referred to the
Speakers reconcentrados.'
The Senate committee on foreign
relations took no action on any of
the resolutions before 1T. Several
members interviewed the Presi-
dent. and afterwards stated it
would be time to act when Mr.. Nc
kinley indicated q failure of the
present negotiations with Spain.
The President told his visitors a
crisis was approaching, and that
he hoped both houses would be pa
tient and avoid radical moves un-
til Spain's reply to the prOposi-
tions submitted through Minister
WOodfOrd had been received.
The armOred Spanish cruisers
Infanta Maria Theresa and Cris-
tobaI Colon and the torpedO-boat
destroyer DestructOr have sailed
westward from Carthagena, pre-
suma bly, for Cuba. Minister WOod-
ford sent the information from
Madrid, and the news aroused
great interest and some furry
among naval officers. Other ad-
vices say Spain is fitting out more
war ships and preparing to for
tify the Canaries and the BaIearic
islands.
Reports from Madrid as to Dub-
lie sentiment are conflicting, but
the situation is deemed critical.
President McKinIey's proposals
were considered by the Cabinet
yesterday afternoon. Another
meeting will be held at noon to-
day, at which the Queen Regent
will preside, and this afternoon
United States Minister WOOdford
and Senors Sagasta, GuIIon and
MOret will hold a final conference.
Secrecy in regard to war prep
aratiOns is to be observed at the
Navy and War Departments here
after. SubOrdinates have been
forbidden to give out information
without consent of superior Off
GERS. The secretary of the navy is
negotiating for n coaIing station
i'm the West Indies, and the island
of st. Thomas may he purchased
from the Danish government. OH
GERS have been selected for the
vessels of the "mOsquitO feet"
The steam steel yacht Aegura has
been purchased from an Italian
firm for s3OO,OOO. 1t will he used
as u dispatch boat. Preparations
for defense continue on large
scale, and the fleets at Key West
and Hamptcn Roads arc busy pre-
pairing for active service.
Secretary Long has denied ru-
NOR that Consul General Lee, at
Havana, is dissatisfied with the
Presidents policy and threatens to