The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-04-14
CONSIDER WAR INEVITABLE.
Conservative Publicists In Washington q
That Belief.

Washington, April 13.-There is a gen
eral feeling among public men that the
action of congress as foreshadowed in
the resolutions render the situation ex
tremely critical. Conservative leaders
of both parties consider war inevitable
as a result of their adoption unless Spain
makes a final and complete surrender
by giving up Cuba.
The situation Is regarded as so critical
that the Republicans of the ways and
means committee, as result of private
conferences. have reached an agree
ment as to a method of raising 500, 000
900 additional revenue annually for the
prosecution of the war by increasing the
tax on beer and tobacco and placing a
tax on tea and coffee. They also agreed
to authorize the issue of popular loan
of $500 600, 900 and the issue of certificates
of Indebtedness to meet emergencies.
The president is authorized, directed
and empowered to interviews at once to
restore peace on the island of Cuba and
secure to the people thereof firm, stable
and Independent government of their
own, and Is authorized to use the army
and naval forces of the United States
to secure the end. This substantially is
the resolution agreed upon by the Re
publican members of the foreign affairs
committee of the house. Before finally
deciding upon the wording of the reso-
luton, the committee carefully consid-
cred several other forms. Information
was conveyed to the committee however
that a strong resolution was demanded
and several members made the contest
for the resolution that was finally agreed
upon.
The only way Spain can avoid fight
ing Is by running away. If she Keeps
her armed forces in Cuba the president
will have to obey the mandate of CON
gress and drive them out. The course
of the president after the passage of the
resolutions by congress has been con
sidered and partly outlined. He will
cable the resolutions to the Madrid gov
eminent, and he will probably accom-
pany them with short note which will
have all the force and effect of an ul-
timatum. Spain may be given n brief
period measured In hours in which to
obey the order of ejectment Failing
to comply, force will be employed. and
the fleets will move with Havana as
their objective point
President Mckinley has undoubtedly
been hopeful that In view of the pres
sure of the great powers upon Spain, a
few days of delay now might mean a
peaceabl settlement and as his unVary-
ing purpose has been to avert war and
maintain peace. If II could be done with
out prolonging the present conditions in
Cuba indefinitely. he has gladly listened
to the assurances on this line. 1t must
be said, however, that his confidence
was shaken when he got a translation
of the complete report In Spanish OF the
new proposition handed Judge Day by
the Spanish minister on Sunday. and
found that it did not bear out the sum
mary in English which the minister fur
nished at the same time. and which the
president IN the cabinet meeting of
Sunday night. determined to bring to
the attention of congress In the adden-
dunn which he tackled on to his message
and the copy of the official proclamation
of Captain General Blaneo. which he re-
celved Tuesday, gave him an even more
unfavorabe impression of the conces-
sions toword the peaceful settlement
proposed by Spain
The fact that what was termed. in the
English summary submitted by Mr.
Bernabe an "armistice" turns out in
these official declarations to be only
Suspension of hostllities." puts a diff
ferent face upon the matter. and robs it
of much of its hopeful significance.
President Mckinley got word from an
apparently authoritative source that
the Cuban insurgents would not make
sny suspension of hostilities correspond-
ing to that proposed by the Spanish.
although they might have considered
an armistice OF genuine and mutual
character. and that they had no more
confidence in the good faith of the Span
ish government in this new move than
the majority OF congress has.
The spanish Unmasked.