The San Francisco call., 1898-03-28
CONGRESS WEARY OF
 CONTINUED DELAY
Will Take Affairs Into Its Own Hands If the Administration
 Does Not Act Soon.

OOSS NOL ACI QUILL
 NEW YORK, March 27.-The Her aids Washington correspondent tele- graphs: Many members with whom l talked to-day express themselves as very impatient of further delay in the enunciation of a decisive policy look ing to the speedy ending of the war in Cuba. They say that if the admin istration is disposed to negotiate for settling the Cuban difficulty diplo matically with Spain much longer Con gress will take the matter into its own hands and precipitate decisive action. Senator Lindsay of Kentucky, dis cussing the general situation, said to me to-day:
 If the President does not transmit to Congress tomorrow the entire re port of the Maine court of inquiry, the absolute confidence and support which the members of both houses, regardless of party, have accorded him will be very materially lessened. The admins tration has stated that 1t is making every preparation for war with Spain growing out of a long chain of events, of which the destruction of the Maine may have been the most important. If we are on the brink of war, Congress, which is the sole war-making power. ought to be put into possession of every line of testimony adduced at the ses- sions of the court of inquiry.
 If the testimony goes to the Com mittee on Foreign Relations, Congress will not be satisfied, and the policy which the President may have formu- lated will be disregarded. Unless Con- gress Is assured that the administra- tion is not temporiZing it cannot be re- strained from taking decisive action on its own account. Furthermore, Con- gress will not endure continued dlplo- matic negotiations with Spain regard ing the settlement of the Cuban ques- tiOn. If we are to continue to barley with the Madrid Government the ad- ministration will find that the patience of Congress Is exhausted; even the most conservative men will be con- strained to repudiate this waiting and indecisive policy and to act. We do not want war, but Wemust insist that Cuba shall be immediately freed forever from Spanish Government and barba- rity. If Spain will not peaceably re- linquish the island she must be forced to do so This is the temper of Con- gress, and Congress will shape the pol icy of the country"
 I had a talk with a very conserva- tive member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, who, on account of his connection with that committee, could not talk for publication. This gentleman, who has on former occa-
  Cuban affairs, said to me:
 There is grave danger of Congress taking the whole matter from the hands of the. President if he tries to hold back too long. Aside from re- stricted localities the people of the country are a unit in favor Of aggreS- sve action, and the men in the House who expect to stand for reelection, and who are getting letters from their dis tricts, come to me every day and de- clare they cannot face their constitu- ents if they fail to take early action toward ending the horrible condition of affairs which prevails in Cuba, and which Spain has given ample evidence she has neither the desire nor the power to end. Unless there is some vital military or naval reason for the delay, the President should not hesi- tate a day longer, but should take ac- tion at once to terminate Spanish mis- rule in Cuba"