The herald., 1898-04-25
CAREFULLY DISCUSSED By THE
AUTHORITIES
AS WAR DOES ACTUALLY EXIST
Congress Will Today Be Asked to
Make q Formal Declaration
of the Fact
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, April 24.-Ine resoiu-
ton formally declaring war against spain
will be introduced in the congress OF the
United tSates tomorrow. The decision TO
do SO has been reached after mature de-
liberation. All the arguments pro ana
con were discussed this afternoon at the
| White House at a conference in which
President Mckinley, Attorney General
Griggs, Assistant Secretary Day and Sen
ators Davis and Hale participated, and on
its breaking up announcement was made
that congress tomorrow would be backed
to declare what 1t is held already exists.
This was the most important Washing
ton development on the first war Sunday.
The president will send message to
congress tomorrow to be delivered imme-
diately after its convening, setting form
the facts in the case and asking congress
to formally declare war, in order that
there may be no misunderstanding on the
part Of other nations. The more important
part In the message from news point of
view will be the announcement that Spain
has made no formal reply to our ulti-
matum.
This reply has not been given to the pub
lie and it was supposed that none had been
reached. The document is a formal ac-
acknowledgement by Spain and as an accept
ance by that country of the ultimatum al
virtual declaration of war. Congress
will therefore be asked to recognize this
condition of affairs and to declare it to the
world, using Spain's confession as rea-
son for it.
The war resolution has been prepared,
and 1t is understood that the two commit
tees having charge of the foreign affairs
for the two houses of congress will be pre-
pared to report on it very shortly, probably
Immediately after the reading of the mes
sage. An effort will then be made to have
the rest taken up and passed forthwith
and it is not now believed that there will
be any formidable opposition to this course
in either house. Otherwise the news of the
day here related almost entirely to the
execution of plans hitherto expected.
For the president and his cabinet Off
cials Sunday passed quietly and unevent
fully. Secretary Alger took his daughter
to the White House during the morning,
and the latter, in company with the presi
dent, attended divine services at the Met
ropolitan Methodist church, Secretary AL
ger going to Presbyterian church. Sec
retary and Mrs. Gage also drove to the
dent and Miss Alger to the Metropolitan.
Mrs. Mckinley has not yet returned
from her trip to New York city.
General Corbin and Secretary Alger con-
ferred during the afternoon respecting the
arrangements for calling on the governors
of the states and territories for the quota
of troops they are to furnish under thS
presidents proclamation asking for 125 900
| v,,nr 80 4, u,
of the service-infantry, cavalry and ar
| tillery-remains to be settled, besides
many other matters of detail.
In the state, war and navy departments
many of the officials were at their desks
directing the execution of policies hereto
fore determined upon. Neither Secretary
Alger nor Secretary Long were on hand,
but Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn and
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt were on duty
for several hours. Mr.. Meiklejohn has been
ready to receive large number of appli-
cations from newspapers to permit their
representatives to accompany the army.
but, as stated in the circular issued yester-
day, the number to be accorded the privi-
lege will be limited. Assistant Secretary
Day is busily engaged in making the gen.
eral preparations for the transportation of
troops overland and also to Cuba, fos
which large number of vessels will be
chartered. In the quartermaster office
nearly the whole official clerical force was
on hand.
The details are far from complete, but
the quartermaster general believes every
thing will be in readiness by the time the
troops are ready to move 1t may be that
the railroad arrangements for the trans
fer of troops overland will be left to Che
immediate charge of the quartermasters
of the various army departments, who are
fully acquainted with the facilities at
hand for doing this work. Some under
standing with the railroads on the basis
of uniform rates of travel will be arrangdl
if possible, so that the soldiers may be
sent by the shortest possible route with the
least charger to the government. Ques-
tions of the equipment of the troops with
uniforms and tents also are to be settled,
although many of the state organizations
are prepared in this respect. The depart
ment has number of branches in which
tents, uniforms, ETC., are manufactured,
but 1t will be compelled to call on the SER
vice of outside firms to meet the present
demands.
zen. Miles was at MS once IN the war
department for some time, in conference
with staff officers. Anticipating active SER
vice in the field. the general has had man-
ufactured several hundred sabertaches, or
officers dispatch cases, which are in use
among European armies. They are manu-
factured of leather, are about nine inches
square, and can be attached to the belt
around the officers waist. With them is
fairly good sized isinglass map case. by
which an officer may always have at hand
an outline map of the country through
which he Is travelling.
1t is said at the navy department that
all the militia which will be used in the
deep-sea patrol vessels have already been
ordered to them. Those remaining will be
utilized in manning signal stations along
the coast and the vessels Of the close
shore auxiliary fleet.
Commander Richardson Glover expects
that the gunboat Bancroft, which he is
to command, and which is now undergoing
repairs at Brooklyn, will sail for Norfolk
within few days, to take on her ammuni-
tion. The probability Is that the vessel
will then be sent to join Admiral Samson's
fleet.
1t is said to be definitely settled that
Captain Albert s. Barker, a member of the
joint army and navy defense plan board,
will command the protected cruiser New
ark. now fitting out at Norfolk. She will
be ready for service some time in May.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt today an
nounced that the government had pur-
chased the steam yacht Aliene for the