The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-20
SPAIN MUST GO.
frnm Ivirnt Pngc.l

demanding co,nnliance with this law and an
answer within a very short time, probably
twenty-four hours Compliance is. not ex-
pected and forward movement on Cuba
will commence the latter part of this week,
according to the plans of the adminstra-
ton
The congressional Cuban resolution will
not be signed until tomorrow. The ultima
tum to Spain will be signed at the same
time. The President carly decided to make
the two practically one act by a stimuli
taneous signature Of each.
Two Cabinet meetings were held during
the day, the first beginning at IL o'clock
and lasting nearly two hours. and the sec
ond lasting from 8 until $50 o'clock. At
their close announcement that executive ac-
ton was delayed until tomorrow was
made. Both Cabinet sessions were
devoted principally to discussion OF
the ultimatum to be sent to Madrid At
the morning session the President rather
favored allowing the Madrid government
two or even three days in which to reply
to our demands but since that time he has
changed his views somewhat, and IL Is now
believed to be his purpose to require an
answer within a very short time, probably
within twenty-four hours. The reason for
limiting the time to one day or even less
Is said to be entirely strategic; otherwise
two or even three days would have been
allowed. The ultmatum itself, it is be-
lieved, is short and to the point. 1t will re-
cite the main features of the resolutions
passed by Congress and demand a compli-
ance Herewith. So far as could be learned
there will not be a meeting of the Cabinet
before the President signs the two documents
which, it is believed, unquestionably Will
4, TDnAEf
dent and Assistant Secretary Day will again
go over the message which is to be sent to
Madrid and make any changes which may
be thought desirable. leaving the final act
Of signing the congressional resolution and
the ultimatum until tomorrow morning. 1t
probably will not be made public here until
notice is received that it is in the hands of
the Spanish government, diplomatic eti-
Quette requiring this.
The Cuban resolution passed by Congress
arrived at the White House at lis o'clock,
little over an hour having been consumed
in the formalities of securing the signatures
Of Speaker Reed and Vice President Ho-
bart to the resolution in open session and
it's delivery at the White House by Repre-
sentative Hager, of Iowa, chairman OF the
committee OH enrolled bills, and Representa-
tive Overstreet, of Indiana. 1t was ex-
pected that the resolution would be signed
Immediately it reached the President and
this was Mr.. McKinley's inclination, but
for certain state reasons it was deemed ad-
visable that the resolution and the ultima
tum 10 Spain should be signed simultaneous
" and time was needed to draft the ultima
tum in diplomatic form.
The fact that the resolution was not I'M
medately signed gave rise to few dis
quieting reports. but it soon appeared from
statements of Cabinet officers that the
President had not the slightest intention or
Withholding his signature and that the de-
lay in attaching it was accounted for solely
by his desire to have full and complete
plan Of operations for the government of the
executive in the immediate future before
taking the final and important step of turn
ing the Joint resolution into statute. Just
what this plan shall be was the occasion
for the two Cabinet meetings to-day. The
first session. i'll anticipation of the recep-
ton of the resolution was devoted largely
to questions of finance and military policy
as well as to the framing of the ultimatum
itself. So far as can be gathered the i'm
portant point at issue in regard to the ulti-
matum was the question of time to be al
lowed for response on the part of Spain.
The steady progress of military and naval
preparations indicated the conviction on the
part of the administration that peaceful
solution of existing difficulties is not prob
able.
AS to the course of events in the imme-
date future, the only prediction that can
be made is one based on precedents. Ac-
cording to these, Minister Woodford will
notify the Spanish government of the ac-
ton of the governmet of the United States
and should the Spanish answer be unsatis-
factory as is expected, the next step in
order will be for him to ask for his pass
ports and leave Madrid That would be fol-
lowed instantly by the withdrawal from
Washington of Senior Polo, the Spanish min
lister. At this point it can be said that the
State Department officials are confident that
the Spanish government will so shape every
phase of the negotiations as to oblige the
United States to take the initiative at every
point. After the withdrawal of the minis
tiers, and, assuming Spain does not back
down, will follow actual war, but whether
or not the first overt act will be preceded
by formal declaration of war, which would
insure the immediate naturalization OF the
powers, or whether the North Atlantic
squadron will make its appearance off Ha-
vana as a beginning, cannot yet be pre-
dieted. In this connection it may be stated
that the army and navy experts are begin
ming to take a less hopeful view of an
easy and quick campaign than they enter
tanned a short time ago. Months are now
mentioned instead of weeks as the probable
length of hostilities, and one eminent naval
officer who had experience in the late war
processes a belief that unless outside pres
sure is brought to bear a war might drag
along a year under the existing conditions.
"The ultimatum," said one member Of the
Cabinet after the meeting to-day, has
been agreed on in substance, but has not
yet been formally drawn UP. Its prepara-
ton has been intrusted to Assistant Secre-
tary Day, of the State Department. 1t will
be sent to Spain tomorrow and will reach
Madrid in the evening, the difference in time
between this country and Spain being about
six hours. think you safe in saying
that Spain will be given forty-eight hours,
that is, until Friday evening to submit her
reply. In accordance with the terms of the
resolution the President will demand that
Spain shall evacuate the island. The de-
mand for this will be flat-fcoted and abso-
lutte and no tentative or halfway reply will
satisfy the President. Nor will any COM
promise that contemplates the withdrawal
of Span's troops from the island and the
subsequent re-establishment of Spanish con-
troll or the raising of the Spanish flag over
the country be accepted by the adminis-
tration. Possibly it may be that sugges-