The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-03

mittee Will undoOtediy follow the lead or
the Senate committee when the time for ac-
ton arrives.
At the White House tonight word was
given out that message would be sent to
Congress on Monday or Tuesday, if it was a
physical possibility for the President to
prepare it. For several weeks Mr..
Mckinley has been sitting up until
2 or O'Clock in the morning
talking over the Cuban situation with
confidential friends and advisers, and then
after a few hours of troubled slumber
graphing with the problem again, swallow
ing a hasty breakfgst about o'clock
and receiving callers about g. He has
kept this up until almost the limit of
human endurance has been reached. This
afternoon he was persuaded to take short
drive with Vice President Hobart.
Members of Congress have had time to
discuss and digest Sagasta's reply to Pres
ident McKinleys demands. They were at
first full of doubt and uncertainty as 10
how they were going to get around the fact
that the Spaniards had apparently yielded
all that was asked in the way of relief for
the reconcentrados. This diplomatic
grand stand play of Sagasta's, as it came
to be called. did not give them permanent
discomfort, however, and it was finally
agreed that it would be treated as a hollow
1F Ito in
sincerity, profession which had
come too late to have any
force The reference to the Maine
tragedy was regarded almost universally
as fippant, cold-blooded and cowardly. The
more the Spanisl. letter was analysed, the
stronger grew the impression that it would
serve to soIidify the war feeling in Con-
gress instead of weakening it. The Presi-
dent, however, is disposed to find in the
reply serious obstacle to Intervention. In
his estimation it increases the difficulty of
making a case that history and the court
Of nations will hold to be good and to
furnish sufficient excuse for war. ma
jority of the gentlemen who have the dis
tinction of being classed his personal
friends and intirnates are distinctively
peace men, and he is more or less infiu-
enced by their opinion. This increases the
hardness of his position.
Secretary Gage and Mr.. Dingley chair
man of the committee on ways end means,
were with the President two hours or more
to-day, discussing plans for raising money
to carry on the war IL hostilities should re-
result. 1t was decided that preparation
should be made at the outset for six months
of war and that provision must be made
for 5000 900 900. This would be at the rate of
500. 100000 a month. Congress will be asked
to appropriate the full amount in a lump
sum, after which plan Will be devised for
raising the money. A portion of the sum
may be obtained by an issue of bonds and
the remainder by taxation. The suggestion
is approved that the greater burden of ex-
ira taxation be on internal manufacture and
commerce and that a small percentage of
advance be made on customs duties Beer
will be one of the first things assessed.
The report which was received here to-
day that the Spanish fiotilla had been heard
from at the Cape Verde islands was
great surprise and naval officers were in
clined to disbelieve the story and treat it
as canard. Subsequently, however, the
movement was explained on the theory that
the fleet had taken that course in order to
strike the zone of calms below the Sara
gossa sea- This is roundabout route, but
very much safer than to attempt direct
passage from the Canaries to Porto Rico.
The Cape Verde islands are 300 miles south
Of the Canary islands and about 2,9OO miles
from Porto Rico. If the fleet does not make
faster time from its present rendezvous
than it did from the Canary islands, it will
be three weeks reaching Porto Rico. This
will give our war ships ample time to in
tercept the fotilla, should war be declared
within the next ten days.