The San Francisco call., 1898-04-03
With Strong Clause Condemning Inaction Of Spain With Refer
 enCe to the Maine.
On Wednesday the President Will Send in His Message With Recommendation, Although He Still WaVers, Hoping for
 PedCe

NEW YORK, April D. The Washington corre- spondent of the Herald tel egraphs: l am authorized to state tonight that Presi- dent Mckinley will send his message to Congress on Wednesday,; that up to this time he has not determined fully what recommendation he will make, but that he will make a recommendation without leaving the initia- tive to Congress. He still believes there is a possibil- ity of-peace so long as war has not actually begun.
 Actually. and without exaggeration war now hangs on the firing of the first shot That is how near the United States and Spain are to the brink of hostilities:
 The meeting of the Cabinet to-day was virtually a council of war.
 All of the Presidents conferences with omcials of the army and navy, with Senators and. Representatives. with citi zens, some of whom were patriotic and some of whom were merely. sordid. have looked for the beginning of hos tilities- in very few days.
 All the Cabinet officials except Sec retary Gage have accepted the inevi table. The President abhors the idea of war. He does not want to go to war until he can satisfy his own conscience that it is just and that it cannot be avoided. He is almost ab- normally sensitive on this point. Yet he feels as everybody feels-that war is here.
 A great calm has fallen on Washing ton now that the worst Is known
 The "peace at any price men have disappeared. The tension is off and every one IS happy that the die has been cast. since 1t had to be cast Every movement to-day has been in the way of preparation for the firing of the first shot =.
 The Spanish Minister may demand his passports at any time
 The members of families of persons connected with the Spanish legation have already sailed for home Such things as prudence and caution in the way of emergency preparations for leaving this country. are being done. It is presumed that the same condition prevails. at the American legation ln Madrid. Minister Woodford, of course has his orders as to what he shall do in certain contingencies.
 In addition to this, orders of very stirring character were sent to the com manders of all our fleets and squadrons on the waters of the earth. These orders were that war is impending and may be expected any minute, and that they must be prepared to move instantly to carry out the war ~lans of the Navy De partment These orders have none to the commanders of the North Atlantic squadron at Key West, the flying squad ron at Hampton Roads, and the Asiatic squadron, which IS waiting at far-off Hongkong to bounce down upon the Philippine Islands The plans for war on land and sea are complete
 There is great relief at the Navy Department that the news from Madrid that the torpedo fotilla had arrived at Porto Rico was false. The fotilla is really at the Cape de Verde Islands, three times the distance from Cuba that the flying squadron is
 But Spain is preparing just as we are.
 Yesterday her big battle-ships build ing in French yards were ordered to Spanish waters for completion.
 The President to-day had consulta-.