The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-07
M'KINLEY TO THE LEADERS
SADDLES ACCOUNTABILITY OF YES-
 IERDAY,S DELAY ONTO LEE.

President is Reported as Making a Frank
 Statement That His Action in Withhold
 ing Promised Message Was Deemed Ab-
 solutely Necessary to Insure Safe De-
 parture of Americans from Cuba-Plans
 for Action in the House Likely to be
 Abandoned.
 Washington, April 7.--Notwithstand- ing the impatience and disappointment caused among the republicans of the house by the withholding of the presi- dents message to-day the frank state ment of the president to the leaders and to several prominent democrats that such a course was deemed abso- lutely necessary by Consul General Lee to insure the safe departure of the Americans still in Cuba has caused them to accept the situation in good faith. Some of the most radical, after hearing the statements of those who saw the president appeared satisfied. Those with whom the president talked the message would mean war unless Spain backs down completely. One of them said the message will be perfectly satisfactory to him and will fully meet the expectations of the country.
 Pending the transmittal of the mes- sage in view of the situation held by the president all plans looking to ac- ton in the house will be abandoned. But those who have been taking part in the radical movement and who admit the possibility that the time may come when they may have to part company with the president are determined to ultimately get what they want. The conference which was to have been held tonight after the message came in, was abandoned, but fifty of those
 who inaugurated the movement met immediately after the house adjourned
 to discuss the situation. All who were not heartily in sympathy with them
 were invited to leave. Those at the
 meeting unanimously agreed to wait upon the message, but the movement for caucus started by the presidents supporters, which was also abandoned during the afternoon, exposed to them danger upon which they had not reckoned, namely, that caucus of republicans might be called to bind them by the party action and place them in the position of bolters if the occasion arose for them to adopt an rd A
 A committee of eight was therefore appointed to count noses, to watch the situation and to devise ways and means to meet any tactics of the oppo- sition. The committee is as follows: Messrs. Hopkins of Illinois, Lorimer of Illinois, Tawney of Minnesota, Cooper of Wisconsin, Hepburn of Iowa, Brum- we'll of Ohio Joy of Missouri and Knok of Massachusetts.
 Several rather vigorous speeches in
 denunciatfon of any policy of delay were made in the course of the meet ing, one by MT. Smith of Illinois. Tn order to emphasize this position prop l osition was made to unite with the democrats and block all legislation ad- l journing from day to day until the 1 message appeared and the house had acted on the Cuban resolutions. But MT. Hull of Iowa, who Is pushing the
 army reorganization bill, made such an ardent plea to allow that bill to come to vote that the proposition ! was temporarily abandoned. Whether I it will be revived depends largely upon l the course of events. It can be stated, | however, that it is seriously contem- plated
 l One of the other chief clements of the
 day was the probability that in the
 event of a split on the republican side
 the democrats would unite with the
 radicals and allow the latter to force
 the issue. If the democrats should seek i to assume the aggressive the chances
 are they would solidify the republicans
 against them.