Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-22
ACTION IN CONGRESS
No Likelihood Of Friction on the
Maine Reports Receipt.
TEE REGULAR NODE OF PROCEDURE
Something Decisive Expected From
the President.
No MILD POLICY WANTED

| M MILL FOLlCY WANTED
There is not likely to be much friction in
Congress over the disposition of the Maine
report when 1t comes to Congress. There
is considered to be no room for controversy
over the matter. The suggestion that the
minority are going to resist the report be-
| ing referred to the foreign affairs commit
| tee is pronounced little short Of absurd.
The rule requiring reference to committee
! is imperative The most Insignificant thing
has to go through the formality of refer
! cree to committee, and there is apparently
no disposition to treat so important ques-
| ton as this with less regard for the forms
of procedure than is shown in dealing with
| MINOR matters. The suggestion that as a
| result of the conference between the Presi-
| dent and Speaker Reed yesterday the
| House was to be held in check by the ref
| eTence of the report is based upon a false
| assumption.
What the Rules Require.
The rules of the House require that mes
| sages from the President, after being read,
| shall be referred to the appropriate COM
| mjttee without debate. Therefore the ref
erence Of this particular message to COM
| mittee is not out of the ordinary and
| measure of restraint, but is a necessary
| thing. There can he no opportunity to
resist this usual procedure. nor is there
| any indication of a disposition to resist
| It, IT there Is a purpose to have the mat
| ter pigeoh-holed in committee that fact will
| develop after the reference to the foreign
| aHairs committee has been made. 1t is
not believed, however, that there is any in
| tentlon to hold the matter up in committee
| The sentiment of the House is very pro-
nounced Without reference to party or
politics the desire is for action as speedily
| as the circumstances of the case admit Of
| 1t IS naturally expected. therefore, that
| the committee will very soon after the
message has been referred report back
Whatever action is deemed desirable. The
House may or may not follow the COM
mlttee With the question once I'D the
Rouse may run away with 1t and take
| radical action. if the committee should not
| feporl proposition that is satisfactory.
Decisive Action Expected.
This Is mere speculation, however, since
the Congress does not know what the re-
Fort OF the beard of inquiry will disclose
nor what the President will recommend.
me committee will probably follow the
PRESIDENT In whatever he recommends De-
| cisive action by the President is expected
ana II this expectation is not disappointed
there Will be no friction over the question
IN Congress. There is a most decided oppo-
sltlon In both houses of Congress to any
thing like temporizlng, and to any SUCCESS
.Ion Of arnitration or proposition which
involves the continuance of Spanish DOM
nation over any part of the Island of Cuba
The universal demand in Congress is for
the relief of Cuba from the Spanish yoke
ana repars ticn mot indemnify for the de-
strrcfion OF the Maine If the course of
the President departs widely from this DOL
ICY no enc doubts that there will be a dis
trrhance in Congress, but it is not apt to
d. resolved into party contention. In
fipe 81
thcught that the friction would be between
Inc PRESIDENT and practically the solid
body Of Congress. The sentiment is so
strong that there seems no possibility that
Congress will be content with a mild po:.cv
There is fixed purpose on the part of the
leaders and the active men in all parties
10 nold themselves In restraint until the
report of the Maine board has been made
and then to give reasonable time for ac-
tion Beyond this point there is no assur-
ahce that any sort OF restraint will be
possible.
Mny Leave Congress to Act.
1t would not surprise members of the
cabinet to see the entire question left with
Congress after the President takes the
first steps in making demands on SPAIN
In the event this is done the opinion today
Is that Congress will pass a resolution set
ting forth that the conditions of things in
Cuba has become intolerable and that it is
now time for this country to act by recoe-
MIXING the Independence Of the Insurgents
The President will stand ready to act with
bis party along this line. and in a few
weeks Spain will have to begin war or
swallow all she has said up to this time
about resisting Interference. Even this
program is subject to change with coming
events, but the President realizes that Con-
gress will not stand much more delay and
he Is willing that that body shall have its
way.
War Believed to BE Imminent.
The feeling that war is imminent is more
general In Congress today than it has been
before. From several conservative sources
has come the assertion that the situation
has assumed graver aspect than at any
time before and that war seems inevitable.
The report comes from an administration
source that the President is about to send
to Congress a special message which will
cause sensation clearing away all doubt
that now surrounds the situation. This is
represented as not being the message
transmitting the report of the Maine court
OF inquiry, but one in advance of that
dealing with the general Cuban question
or course report Of this sort cannot be
verified: but must be judged by its source.
In this case the source is good and has
heretofore been reliable. The President
sent for Senators Allison and German to-
day. This is the first time he has called a
democrat into conference.
Men who have been consulted or con-
ferred with by the President ara close
mouthed after their talk with him, but
| there is no concealing that they are graver
after the talk. Speaker Reed has deter
minedly refused to give any intimation con-
corning his talk with the President, but
men who have seen the Speaker are salts
fed by his manner that he is not pleased
with the situation and feels that a serious
responsibility b being assumed by some
body for vary critical situation. 1t is
said that he Is evidently dissatisfied, but
will not explain why. 1t Is known only that
he has never been In favor of war
Mr.. Hitchcock at St. Petersburg.
ST. PETERSBURG, March 22-Ethan
Allen Hitchcock, the United States ambas-
sador to Russia. had an audience with the
GEAR yesterday. and presented his creden-
dals.