The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-22

Washington, April 19.-Spain Will not
receive official notification of the de-
nands of the United States before to-
morrow. She then will be informed
that the Cuban resolutions passed by
congress at an early hour this morning
are now a part of the laws of the Unit
ed States, and an ultimatum will be
sent demanding compliance with this
law and answer within a very short
time, probably tWenty-four hours.
Compliance is not expected and for
ward movement on Cuba will COM
mence the latter part of this week, ac
cording to the plans of the adrninistra-
ton.
The congressional Cuban resolution
will be signed tomorrow morning. The
ultimatum to Spain will he signed at
the same time. The president early
decided to make the two practically
one act by a simultaneous signature of
each.
Two cabinet meetings were held dur
ing the day, the first beginning at IL
O'Clock and lasting nearly two hours,
GHd the second lasting from 3 O'Clock
until $50 o'clock. AT their close an
nouncement that executive action was
delayed until tomorrow was made.
Both cabinet sessions were devoted
principally to discussion of the ultimat-
um 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 it is now be
lieved to be his purpose to require an
answer within very short time, PROD
ably within tWenty-four hours. Inc
reason for limiting the time to one
day or even less, is said to be en-
tirely strategic; otherwise, two or even
three DAYS would have been allowed
The ultimatum itself, will he short and
to the point. It will recite the main
features of the resolutions passed Dy
congress and demand a compliance
Herewith.
SO far as could be learned there Will
not he a meeting of the cabinet this eV-
ening or tomorrow morning before the
president signs the two documents,
which it is believed, unquestlonaply
will precipitate war. ut is llkely unat
the nresident and Assistant Secretary
message, which is to Ibe sent to Madrld
and make any changes which may be
Thought desirable, leaving the hnal act
of signing the congressional resolution
and the ultimatuI until tomorrow
morning Tt probably Will not be Inaue
public here until notice is received that
ii is in the hands of the Spanish gov
ernment. diplomatic etlque'te ie4oi
ing this.
The CsIhan resolution passed by con-
eress arrived at the White house at
1:15 O'Clock a little over an hour NAV
ing being consumed in the formalltles
OF securing the signatures or speaker
Reed and Vice President HOBART 70 the
resolution in session and Its deilVery
at the white house by RepresentatlVe
Hager. of Iowa, chairman of the COM
mittee on enrolled bills, and Represen-
tative Overstreet. of Indiana.
II was expected that the resolution
wo,.,d be signed Immediately after II
reached the president and TINS was MI.
McKinley's inclination, but Tor certain
state reasons it was deemed adVlsaole
that the resolution and the ultlmatuHl
to Spain should be signed simultane-
Ously and time was needed TO dralt
the ,,Iltimatum in diplomatic form. The
fact that the resolution was not I'M
mediately signed gave rise TO 1eW
xaisuuieting reports, but it soon appear
.a1 frOm statements or CaDlnet OillceIs
that the president had not the sllgnt-
est intention of Withholding ms sigma
srfre and thata the daaly in attaching
it was accoun> ID for 4s2aey by MS oe-
sire to have a VI and complete plan
of operations 70 @the government OF
the executive in the immediate future
before taking the final and important
step of turning the joint resolution into
a statute. Just what this plan snail
be was the occasion for two cabinet
meetings today. The first session, in
anticipation of the reception Of the res
olution. was devoted largely to ques-
tions of finance and military policies,
as we'll as to the framing Of the u1ti-
matun itself. So far as can be gather
ed the important 1T at issue in re-
gard to the ultimat.m was the qneS-
tion of time to be allowed for a re-
sponse on the part of Spain.
The steady progress of military and
naval preparations indicaysu the con-
-viction on the part of the adminlstra-
fiOn that a peaceful solution OF exist
ing difficulties is not probable.
HOW SPAIN WILL BE NOTIFIED.
AS to the course Of events in the i'm
mediate future the only prediction that
can De made is one based on prece-
dents According to these Minister
Woodford will notify the Spanish gov
ernment of the action of the govern
ment Of the United States and shoul ID
the Spanish answer be unsatisfactory
az is expected, the next step in order