The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-21
THE LAW OF THE LAND.
PRESIDENT Signed Ultimatum-Polo Asks
for Passports.

Washington, April 90 THE Cuban res
olution is now law of the land and the
ultimatum to Spain an accomplished
fact
| The President at 11.24 O'Clock affixed
| his signature to the joint resolution of
Congress requiring Spain to evacuate the
| island of Cuba
The ultimaLum meanwhile had been
prepared at the State Department by
Assistant Secretary Day, and at 11.3O
o'clock announcement was made at the
White House that it had been signed by
the President and had been sent to the
Spanish government,
The ultirhatum was brought over to the
White House at TO- 80 o'clock by Assistant
Secretary Day, who went over it with
President Mckinley before the latter
affixed his signature.
After this announcement Assistant Sec
rotary Day said that the ultimatum had
been transmitted this morning to Madrid
addressed to United States Minister
Woodford, who will deliver it to the
Spanish government.
send it had been reached and it had been
started on it's way to Madrid, Senior Polo
Bernabe the Spanish minister, in accord
ance with diplomatic courtesies, was fur
nlshed with copy of the paper by the
| colored messenger of Assistant Secretary
Day.
The minister as soon las he received it
made n reply and requested his passports.
Lit is said at the White House that the
terms OF the ultimatum would not be
made public here until tomorrow. 1t is
understood that they consist of q diplo-
matte paraphrase of the joint resolution
of Congress concluding with statement
reply. -
At cabinet meeting yesterday after
noon, the general failures and form of the
ulbimatum to be sent to Spain were
agreed upon and there remained this
morning only the making of a fair copy
for the President IS signature.
The original draft was made by Assist
ant Secretary Day and the revised copy,
which was made this morning, under his
direction, was laid before the President
about 1920 clock.
BY that hour several members of the
cabinet had called, as well as number
of prominent Senators and members of
the House. 81
Among the number were Secretary Will
son. Attorney General Griggs, Senators
Platt of Connecticut Gear of Iowa and
Frye of Maine, Lodge of Massachusetts,
and Elkins of West Virginia, and Repre-
sentatives Cannon of Illinois and Gross
venOr of Ohio.
All were in the cabinet room nearly at
the same time.
By eleven O'Clock things were liyening
up about the upper rooms and offices, and
there were frequent calls for the Secre-.
taries to attend the President in the cabi-
net room.
1t was known that the question of Civ.
ing to the press copy Of the ultim alum
| as soon as it was signed was under dis
cussion, but no one could state whether
this would be done or not. 1t was also
| stated by some of the callers on leaving
| the President that he would very soon
send to the House notice of his having
approved the Cuban resolutions and a t
the same time would lay before both
bodies copies of the Spanish ultimtum.
| AT 11.24 all speculation was brought
to an end by the announcement that the
President had at that moment signed the
resolution Of Congress, that the ultima
tum had been signed some time before,
and that the latter would not be made
public until some time tomorrow. $50,
! There were present in the cabinet room
| when the President signed the resolution,
Secretary Alger, Attorney General
Griggs, Secretary Bliss, Senator Elkins
and Mr.. Charles Emory Smith.
| The President with his ultimatum to
the Spanish government transmits a copy
of the resolutions passed by Congress,
which resolutions he states he has signed.
He demands that Spain withdraw her
army and navy forces from Cuban waters
as required by the terms of the act of
Congress and then states that if a salts
| factory answer Is not received here by
| Saturday next he will proceed at once to
carry the resolution of Congress into
| effect.
tion taken by Senior Polo is not regarded
as an answer to the ultimatum. Accord
ingly Mr.. Woodford will be continued Mt
Madrid, until the Spanish government
has had an opportunity to return such
an answer as may be called for, or failing
that, until Saturday, when he will with
draw.
The impression here is that the action
of the Spanish minister was brought
about by tho preamble to the joint reso-
| luton of Congress. In view of what
Senior Sagasta, the Spanish premier, is
reported to have said yesterday, it is be-
lieyed that the Spanish government re-
| CARDS this preamble as an insult to the
nation, of which it is Obliged to take
notice formally when the resolution is
known to have been enacted
| IdE bLhhI YIN lhE ALHRI.
Key West, Fla, April 2o.-The United
States torpedo boat destroyer Mayfower
arrived here late last night and anchored
near the flagship New York.
| The rumOrs of the New York going
north and of the Dolphin becoming the
flagship, are untrue.
| Additional precautions have been in
force here to insure the safety of the big
ahips since the resolutions of Congress
were adopted.
| All deck lights on board the Iowa and
Indiana, which lie out of Key West har-
Dor, are now extinguished before s p. m. :,
when the battle ports are screwed on,
the formidable warships can hardly be
seen from each other B. decks, except when
an occasional searchlight flashing around,
reveals their dark outlines. Besides this
precaution, the nightly patrol has been
doubled.
BLAIS WASN'T POISONED.
Lewiston, April 2o.-The coroner's in