The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-24
Many Conferences at the White House
Yesterday, at which the Report
Was Probably Discussed.
HAVANA TO BE DESERTED
OUR NAVAL OFFICERS THERE LIKE
LY TO BE CALLED HOME.
Hull of the Wrecked Battle ship
Event that 1t Is Abandoned.

WASHINGTON, March 23-The feeling
was universal throughout official circles to-
day that the elimination of the Spanish
crisis near at hand With the report
of the Maine court of inquiry only a little
while off. with the White House the CEN
ter of long and earnest conferences be-
tween the President and the party leaders
of Congress, and with exceptional activity
towards emergency preparations in the
War and Navy Departments. there was
abundance of evidence that definite results
regarding the Maine disaster and the Cuban
question in general were about to be
reached. Among the Presidents callers
were Senators Cockrell, Turpie and For
aker Gen. Daniel Sickes, former United
States minister to Mexico. and Representa-
tive William Alden Smith, of Michigan, who
has recently returned from a trip to Cuba
The call of Messrs. CockreIl and Turpie was
regarded as particularly significant, as they
are representative Democrats in the SEN
ate, and their visit follows that of Senator
German yesterday. 1t was generally under
stood that in the present emergency the
President desired patriotic unity without
reference to party.
Secretaries Long and Alger also conferred
with the President during the day. Secre-
tary Long later said that the Maine report
probably would reach Washington to-mor-
row night. IT, however, it did not come
before o'clock Thursday evening Mr.. Long
said he probably would not receive it until
Friday morning, when it would be laid be-
fore the President immediately The secre-
tary did not think the President would give
the document any consideration at late
hour 1t was more probable. he thought
he would take the report to hotel for
the night.
There has been no change in the plan
of sending the report to Congress early
next week. probably Monday accompanied
by q message from the President. 1t is
definitely settled however that the mes
sage and the papers accompanying it will
relate exclusively to the Maine disaster
1t will not take up the fearful condition
Of affairs in Cuba, as shown by the reports
of United States consus, these being re-
served for subsequent action and a later
message to Congress.
In addition to the press dispatches con-
cerning Lieutenant Commander Marks
trip with the report of the court Secre-
tary Long has received his own official
advices that the officer is on his way. The
expectation among naval officials is that
Lieut.. Mark will arrive Friday morning,
although his train may reach here Thurs
day night. There are no plans for meeting
him or for any forInalities on his arrival
He will come direct to Secretary Long and
place the report in his hands. The secre-
tary will convey it at once to the President
This will give an opportunity for it's consid-
Grafton by the Cabinet at the regular meet
ing on Friday. After delivering the report
Lieut.. Mark will return to his post on the
Vermont, at New York, unless the court
of inquiry has further Investigations to
make, which is not at all likely.
The remark attributed to Admiral Sicard
at Key West yesterday to the effect that
the case of the Maine was perhaps the most
peculiar in the history of modern times is
interpreted here as clearly indicating that
the direct responsibility for the explosion
cannot be placed During the progress of
the investigation the law officers of the
government have been giving the legal side
of the case their close attention and the
statement is made that the case of the
Maine is indeed most peculiar. The records
it is said, do not show that ever before
in the intercourse of nations, has a vessel
of one power been destroyed in the waters
of another without the cause of the disas-
ter and the responsibility for it being known
beyond dispute by any other nation. If the
court of inquiry has found. as is generally
believed, that the responsibility for the loss
of the Maine cannot be definitely located
the fact will present a new feature to the
long list of otherwise similar disasters.