The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-30

IL oOa 4oO0s
After the adjournment of the
House to day there was considerable
discussion over a proposed consoli
dation Of the force in the House who
favor some form of immediate action
on the Cuban issue. There was a
strong feeling shown over the avoid
ance 10 the message of any outline of
definite administration policy and a
decided disposition apparent not to
await any further delay or resort to
temporizing measures The project
to furnish ad libitum relief supplies
to the Cuban non combatants is meet
ing with opposition, to which mem
bers on both sides of the House have
given voice in private discussion, on
the ground, first, that Spain alone is
responsible for the Cubans on the
island. and, second, the extending Of
such large and probably continued
aid abroad is unjust to the people Of
this country The steps taken to day
on this line we're of an informal ma
ture. Representative Hull of Iowa,
chairman of the House committee on
military affairs, is leading the move
ment for prompt action
A number of senators and repre-
sentatives of both parties conferred
with the President at the White
House tonight 1t is said the opin-
ion expressed by most of these who
talked with Mr.. Mckinley was that
Congress was inclined to object to
further delay toward settlement Of
the Spanish situation, and that unless
the next message was more definite
the radical members could ncs be
held in check. At the meetingsof
the Senate committee on foreign re-
Iations on Wednesday. Senator Frye
will move that the committee remain
in continuous session until the ques
tions relating to the Main, Cuba aud
Spain are set:led
Mr. Foraker will introduce to. NOR
row resolution recognizing the in
dependence of Cuba.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH SPAIN
London, March 2S.-The Madrid
correspondent of the Daily Mail
gives version of the negotiations
between United States Minister
Woodford aud the Spanish Cabinet
last week differing somewhat from
that given yesterday By the Stan
dazd's Madrid correspondent He
says:
"The note which General Woodford
presented GU Wednesday was of com
minatory nature 1t demanded that
Spain put an end to the war in
Cuba Immediately, recapitulating the
damage done to American interests,
and further limiting that the war
was danger to the public health
of the United States, the continual
smuggling between the coasts of
Cuba and Florida being the means of
conveying the yellow fever
AN ENERGETIC REPLY.
"Spain's reply was energetic. 1t
declares that the war would have
been ended long ago but for the ms
terial and moral helm and snpport the
rebels were continually receiving
from the United States The Span.
ish note complains of the policy fol-
lowed By the United States in de-
manding from Spain the termination
of war which the United States
were virtually maintaining by the
presence of a squadron iu the neigh
borhood of Cuba and by organizing
succo for the reconcentrados in q
manner that would be offensive to any
nation, as we'll as by keeping in Ha-
vana consul who is publicly the
agent and representative of the re
bells
"Public opinion rejects all idea of
yielding and apparently neither de-
sires nor fears war with the United
States Yet Spain knows she is con
fronted with the most serious conflict
she has had to face since the Nspo-
Ieopic wars There is an ominous alb
sence of excitement among thezpeo
pie, whose one topic is the possibility
of war It is the calm before a
storm. which will break when the
American ultimatum comes"