Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-19

and Davis OF the House and Ch1ef rage
Buchanan CT the House.
The President received the document
from Representative Hager, at the same
time asking if the House was in session.
On being tcld that the House had adjourn
ed the President said that as notice could
rot be sent of his signing the resolution he
would not at once attach his signature.
The party which brought the resolution
was with the President only few min
utes.
The President went to lunch Immediately,
leaving the resolution on his desk. The
President gave no reason for not signing
at once, other than that intimated. All
Gay the impression had prevailed that the
President would put his name to the paper
without delay. After he had postponed this
act. it was then recalled that cabinet Off
GERS had not given any assurance that the
bill would be quickly signed.
1t is now supposed that the President
will attach mis- name at the cabinet meet
ing this afternoon. His idea may be to
make the resolution law simultaneously
with the notice given Spain to quit Cuba.
While there is a good deal of speculation
on the subject, no one believes that the
President will delay his signature longer
than the cabinet meeting this afternoon.
Preparing the JItimntum.
The ultimatu1n will be agreed upon by
President Mckinley and his cabinet after
1880 o'clock this afternoon, at which time a
special session of the cabinet convened for
that purpose.
Judge Day has prepared the form of the
ultimatum- Judge Day was present at the
last part of the cabinet session in the
morning and the duty of drawing up the
ultimatum was entrusted to him.
The form prepared by Judge Day will be
discussed ct length by the cabinet and the
President A decision will be arrived at as
to the time 10 be given Spain and the IA
nous message will be sent on its way to
Madrid.
Time tn Bc Given.
From present Indications more time will
be given Spain than al first supposed.
1t is now thought that the ultimatum will
ailow not less than two days.
II will possibly civ, three or even four
days. One of the principal reasons for this
is that the army vii. not be sufficiently
massed to Cooperate with the navy in the
capture of Havana or any other Cuban
city. Another reasol is said to be an op-
portunity to let the Spanish cortes, which
meets tomorrow, have an opportunity for
an expression of option.
Cabinet members say that they are ready
for ten-Lour ultimatum if ii is thought
best, but that is because they want quick
action when they know 1t must come.
The ultimatum agreed upon this after
noon will go to Madrid tonight. If Minis
ter Polo is still on duty here it will prob
ably be communicated through him. In
case 1t is put on the wires for Madrid by s
o'clock tonight it will leach Madrid about
3 or o'clock tomorrow morning, Spanish
time. At any rate the expectation is that
the ultimatum will be in possession of the
Spanish statesmen early tomorrow MORN
ing.
Military and Naval Movements.
The military and naval movements which
will follow have not been decided upon
The idea now is that the naval demonstra-
ton will be made just before the expiration
of the time limit in the ultimatum. In the
meantime there may be call for troops,
and these will be sent south as quickly as
possible.
Call for Volunteers.
The cabinet meeting practically settled
the question as to how many volunteers.
shall be called for to supplement the regu-
lar army in their operations in Cuba. They
will amount altogether to 10000 men of the
national militia.
The Presidents idea about the use of the
army is not known, but there Ia an opinion
among cabinet members that all arrange
mcnts must be made to land troops when
the bombardment of Havana is commenced.
1t is barely possible that some city other
than Havana will be first captured and
troops landed for interior work. With
United States troops and the insurgents In
the rear of Havana and the navy in front
there is not much doubt of a quick settle
ment OF course a blockade Of Havana will
be one Of the first things.
When the cabinet first met this morning
the matter of an ultimatum was not inn
mediately taken up. The question of
finances was first discussed by Secretary
Gage. This occupied nearly half an hour.
Then the ultimatum was broached by Inc
President and was under consideration I'M
til the recess. Judge Day, 1t is under
stood, brought from the State Department
some historical data about ultimatums.
The irtention of this was to let the cabinet
have all the facts about how wars have
followed ultin atums.
Spain's Probable Reply.
The cabinet had no news from Madrid
that changed any feature Of the situation.
There is not the remotest idea what Spain
will do with the ultimatum. The general
supposition that defiant answer will be
returned does not impress every member of
the cabinet. There is a hint in several
quarters that Spain may resort to some
scheme for postponement. She may reply
that the cortes will take up the question Of
relinquishirg Cuba. The ministry may at
tempt to say that the power of withdraw
ing the forces from Cuba does not lie with
them, but with the cortes.
At any rate, there is a suspicion that the
shrewd Sagasta has held a trump card Of
some kind to play at the last minute. II
this card has no other effect than in in
creasing sympathy for Spain in Europe it
will be consolation to Sagasta
The President took a short walk with
Secretary Bliss after the recess of the cabi-
net today.
The Early Morning.
Up to 10 o'clock this morning no prom
inent official visitor had entered the Ex-
eCutiva Mansion The President finished
his breakfast shortly after o'clock and
then sat for an hour with Mrs. Mckinley
in the priyafe anartu,epfs pafoyo hrooy,