The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-29

Washington, March 2S-Today has
been one of action in every branch of
official life-action in the White House,
where the president and his cabinet adj
visors assembled in special cabinet
session at 1890 o'clock; action in both
branches of congress- where the mes
sage of the president on the Maine
disaster and the report and testimony
of the court of inquiry were received;
action in the secret conference of state
officials and diplomats concerning the
! latest phases of Spanish-American ne
gotiations. and action in the war and
navy departments. with the Spanish
! situation as the common purpose of all
the varying aspects of official action.
Seldom has a day been replete with
so many diverse and important phases
of a single subject And yet, through
as removed from administration
sources, has been more assuring, more
in the line of peace, than il has been
/ for some days. This was the impress
sion conveyed to cabinet officers after
the special cabinet session. The same
sentiment characterized the diplomatic
| conferences at the state department.
But in the congress, which afforded the
! greatest field for anti-Spanish and war
| like expressions, a strain of discomfort
and uneasiness prevailed after the
presidents message and the Maine re-
port We're submitted, especially on the
house side.
WAS a DISAPPOINTMENT.
The presidents message, submitting
the Maine report and the accompany
ing evidence. was the main event of the
day. Those who had anticipated that
1 the message would contribute to the
aggressive spirit. were disappointed. 1t
contained no surprises.
In the. house of representatives the
| message and report were referred to
/ the committee on foreign affairs. and
/ Spanish debate was for the time being
diverted. In the senate there was a
similar reference TO the committee on
foreign relations. and Mr.. Money of
Mississippi delivered brief and ener-
! getic speech, picturing the woes of
Cuba. With the report was submitted
| the voluminous evidence taken at Ha-
Vana and Key West before the court
of inquiry. Examined in detail this
| evidence proved to be much more in
teresting than the cold and dispassion-
! ate review submitted by the court.
The special cabinet session was held
/ to go over the presidents message and
momre particularly to consider the
latest developments in the negotia-
/ lions now proceeding with Spain. These
had assumed wide field. embracing
not only the Maine question, but the
entire Cuban problem.
SPANISH ANSWER.
The answer of Spain was in hand. to
| the firm note sent through Minister
| WoOdford last week, stating that the
condition of Cuban affairs had become
so intolerable that the United States
could not much longer remain inactive
| toward ii.
The general tone of the Spanish an
swer impressed the president and cabi-
net officers most favorably. so much so
that after the meeting it was stated
| by members that the outlook was far
more assuring and that Spain had
| shown such conciliatory tone that 1t
was believed she would make cOnees-
sions sufficient to permit an amicable
adjustment of the present strained re-
lations.
This was qualified, however. by the
statement that the danger point has
not yet passed and that war. while no
| longer a probability, was yet a posi-
bility.
CONGRESS NOT COUNTED.
The president has distinctly disclosed
| to his cabinet associates his purpose
| to avert war if il was possible with
/
he had felt. from the disposition mani
tested by Spain, that this just solution
| could be reached. This, however. is
without considering congress. which
may, now that the subject is formally
before it. take some radical action.
Meantime, at the state department,
| cablegrams were being received from
Minister woodford. and the Spanish
minister, Senior Polo V Bernabe, was in
J lengthy conference with Judge Day as
to the prospective adjustment. The
meeting between the Spanish minister
and Judge Day came after the cabinet
conference. so that such representa-
tions as Spain submitted through him
did not get before the cabinet.
NEW PHASES.
At least two of these new phases sub
mitted by the minister were of ex-
ceeding Importance. The Spanish gov
! ernment made it known that no Objec-
| ton would be made to the humani-
tartan objects of the United States gov
eminent in extending relief to the suf-
| ferers in Cuba on a far greater scale
than hitherto had been contemplated
| On the contrary Spain has made known
that it recognizes the humane purposes
| animating this country, and that it
does not doubt that the purposes will
| be executed in such a way as to avoid
all opportunity for friction. 1t is not
| expected that the relief VIII be carried
| in warships, as this would introduce
political aspect into project which is
| purely humane. This acquiescence by
Spain clears the way for the presi-
dents message of the next few days
asking large appropriations for the re-
( lief of the restitution in Cuba It had
been feared that this relief. given di-
rectly by the United States govern
ment, would be resented by Spain as
indirect intervention. In that event.
there is little doubt that the relief
would have been forwarded at any cost,
even the cost of war. as the admins
tration has felt that war in behalf
of humane object would command the
universal appreciation of the world
ABSTRACT OF SPANISH REPORT.
Another important Spanish document