New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-22
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCES
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADVISERS DIS
CUss THE SITUATION.
.>-,r,sroon THAT A FORMAL DECLARE
TON OF WAR WILL NOT BE MADE ~
LEAST FOR THE PRESENT.


Uosbnpton April 21-Judge Day. the AS
sistant Secretary of State. early th' M
received a cable dispatch from Min's'e'
ford. at Madrid, saying that he hao rece'ea 80
passports and had been Informed 'na' onio
relations between the United states anu -
,,o.o ordod His dispatch said that he had re-
ceivcd the passports before ne hao """ o. ,..as
nor,,,ri,v 70 nrosent the ultimatum transmitted
p, him for submission to the spanish "o'e"
mont the delivery Of the ultimatum to M'h's'e.
polo having been accepted by that Government
as a formal announcement on the part "a Wv
United States. white
I,dce nav nj once hurried to the Wh'e
,,,,so whore he found President Mckinney
about to enter carriage to take MIS- "cn'e.
=, ,ha railroad station where he intended 10 sec
hor off ON a short trip TO New-York Inc news
that d,nlomatic relations between the UNIV"
states and Spain were formally at an ehu "d'
On imnortant that the President pace i"'''
goodhv 10 his wife on the White House poi'i.'
and went Immediately to the upper part Vi .''o
House where he and Judge Day heid co"''
once the result Of which was the disPa''" -
Secretary Porter to the Capitol 70 co'''''iu
tho news to the Senate Committee o" ro''9
Relations and to leading members OF the iiou'e
II Is presumed that this was done /" o'ue. -
facilitate any action deemed necessary by |on-
gress. ,,,,
nv n bas,v summons Senator Davis. of MIN
resota chairman OF the Senate Committee vi
Foreign Relations; Senator Lodge, OF Massachu-
setts n member Of the committee; oeha'or al
lison. of Iowa, and others were brought 70 '"e
White House. where they joined AsSie''
Secretary Day and the Presi lent, shoruy ai'e'
u o'clock in a conference the purpose Oh VIM"
Was to map out the immediate po"cy Vi ''''
United States. 400
The conference broke up SHORTY ai'el
o.cloc< Judge Day. accompanied by senator
Lodge went TO the State Department. Inc
Assistant Secretary would say nothing regard
ing the conference further than TO authorize ''e
statement that a public announcement "ouiu
10 ,,,de later IN the day Chairman Davis or
the Foreign Relations Committee simply re-
r,orked "We've taken the trick Asked spe-
officially regarding the handing Of his passports
to Minister Woodford, he said that was al
RIGHT. that the delivery Of the ultimatum 10 TIC
Spanish Legation here had served all purposes
Senator Cullom. OF Illinois. OF the foreish i'e
Iations Committee. was at the conference a's'
and at II o'clock on leaving the White houSe'
said that the handing OF the passports 10 NH"
lister Woodford constituted the Spanish reply ara
ended all peaceful relations. While an e''oi.
might be made in Congress to make a iorH'a'
declaration ~ war there was no occasion for It,
and I'm his opinion there probably would he none
He added There is enough Of a state OF war
now existing" Everything now, he suggested
would go ahead without the preliminary action
OF a formal declaration of war by congress
The next STEP ne said. would be TO call OUT
the troops
The President did not indicate TO the senator's
and members OF the House with whom ne taiNeo
today tina, no considered declaration OF war
necessary, and 1t Is understood that he mas pee"
advised by some Of those whose advice he most
relies upon that declaration Is necessary
Some OF the leading Senators consider that tho
Congressional resolutions and the ultma'u'h
sen. to Spain all that is necessary to give
notice 10 the world that a state OF war exists.
while others hold that 10 Issue manifesto 10
the Powers advising them OF the condition OF
Affairs might be we'll The best Information IS
that the President IL disposed 10 regard this ad-
vice and the proba bilities are that he VIII no'
ask Congress 10 make formal declaration
The Cabinet ut its meeting this afternoon
discussed number OF questions. all OF when IN
yolyed almost Immediate hostilities. The issu-
ance OF a formal declaration OF war was cons!d-
cred bu. II IS understood that It is unlikely
that any formal declaration will be made at
once.
During the session kilograms were read saying
that the Spanish fleet was still at the cape
Verd Islands
on tho question Of privateering the Cabinet
from the first has been a unit IN opposition 10
It. unless that course should be forced upon
this country by the action Of Spain. The Presi-
dent is strongly opposed to this so-called sys-
tenn OF robbery the high seas. and unless he
a driven to that extremity in retaliation. the
| legitimate commerce OF the world. far as this
country is concerned will be as safe after actual
| hostties begin now.
| MRS. MKINLEY'S VISIT.