Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-05

Washington, May 5.-There We're
many conferences between the Presi-
dent and senators and representatives
today. The FIRST conner was Senator
Burrows of Michigan, who came to
present some friends to the President.
As he left he said:
Everything is moving along smooth
ly and well. What we want now is
Porto Rico. We ought to have that
tomorrow"
"Will 1t be as soon as that senator?"
Yes" was the response, probably
in n day or two"
While refraining from saying what
transpired during his Interview with
the President, his statement that the
seizure OF Porto Rico is expected to
be effected In a day or two was thought
by his hearers to be significant, hav-
ing been made Immediately after the
senator left the President though he
would not say the President had given
him any information.
Senators Frye and Hale of Maine.
respectively members of the foreign
affairs committee and chairman of the
naval affairs committee, and Senators
Allison and Gear of Iowa. Senator
Plat of New York and Representa-
tives Curtis of Kansas and Wadsworth
of New York We're among the early
callers.
The two Maine senators stated on
leaving the White House that their
mission had no connection with the
general situation.
Despite the hourly expectation of an
official dispatch from Commodore
Dewey via Hongkong. there We're no
important advices at the White House
UP to IL o'clock.
Persons who were with the President
today assert that there Is strong
likelihood that Porto Rico will be in
the hands of the United States within
IS hours. The immediate seizure of the
islands, they assert, has been ordered
though direct confirmation is lacking.
Senator Lindsay and Representative
Settle of Kentucky urged the appoint
ment of +. ii. johnson and John b.
Castleman as brigadier generals. Rep
resentatives Grosvenor and Southland
of Ohio sought change in the allot-
to provide more infantry and less OF
the other branches.
A PROMISED REVOLT.
New York. May ga dispatch to the
World from st. Thomas, West Indies.
says:
on the steamship Marconnia, which
arrived here from Ponce, Porto Rico.
IL Sonora Henna, mother of the presi
dent of the Porto Rican junta, who has
~.
cution OF the Spanish officials.
Refugees report the garrison at Ponce
depleted to reinforce the Spanish In
other parts. The rebels expect the ar
rival OF Col. Lacret hourly to initiate a
revolt.
The government is distributing arms.
but refuses any to natives who are sus-
pected of rebel tendencies.
The price of food Is still advancing.
Rice has gone up 200 per cent and the
papers are commenting bitterly on the
rapacity OF the food spectators, whose
large supplies were expected to cause
a break in prices Officials have con-
fiscated the coal supply of the Ponce gas
works, but the manager has been or
dered to continue the light service in
spite OF the coniiscation. The prisons
are filled with political suspects in
Guiding Jose Barbosa. the liberal lead
err,
Three women are in Jail. the wives
Of suspected insurgents arrested In Ha-
vana by Blanco's orders.
Several editors have been expelled.
REPORTED To BE UNDER WAY.
New York. May "a special dispatch
from Kingston, Jamaica, asserts that
official dispatches passing In and
through that city report that there has
been an anti-spanish uprising in Porto
Rico and that a revolutionary move
men is well under way.
The dispatch has not beep confirmed.
ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT
TELL.
Washington. May 5.-No confirma-
ton Is obtainasle Of the various re-
ports concerning movements of Ad-
miral SIMPSONS fleet. Persons who
from their official position might be
supposed to share the confidence of
the administration are credited with
the statement that the admiral has
gone to seize Porto Rico and this
statement is made after conference
with the executive. On the other hand.
1t is asserted that the almost equal
positiveness that the fleet has gone
to meet the Oregon and bring her safe
ly to the north. sim another report
is to the effect that the admiral has
gone to seize Matanzas, to be used as
a base OF operations.
The officials refuse absolutely to
make public the plan OF the strategy
board. and thus give aid to the enemy.
Therefore these conflicting rumors as
to the plans of the fleet can only be
Judged In the light OF their probability
when viewed in connection with the
usual methods OF warfare.
Thus TO lombard Matanzas without
at the same time being able to land a
sufficient force to seize and hold the
place would seem to be very bad STRAIT
egg and the fact that SIMPSONS fleet
was accompanied by no troops or
transports would seem to negative the
idea that he had gone either to attack
Matanzas or seize Porto Rico. To at
tempt the latter would require n strong
landing force in view of the number
OF Spanish troops on the island and In
addition II may be suggested that Ad-
miral Sampson would be very loath
to run the risk of having one or more
OF his best ships crippled by attacking