Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-20
IN AZ HOURS
Continued from page ~

(COntlnueO from page H.
to be his purpose to require an answer
within a very short time, probably "A
hours
The reason for limiting the time to
one day or even less is said to be en-
tirely strategic, otherwise two or even
three days would have been allowed.
be short and to the point. 1t will re-
cite the main features of the resolution
passed by Congress and demand a com
pliance herewith.
So far as could be learned, there VIII
not be a meeting of the cabinet, TINS
evening or tomorrow morning. before
the President signs the two documents
which it is believed, unquestlohaplv
will precipitate war. 1t is likely that
the President and Assistant Secretary
Day will, this evening. go over th'
message which is to be sent to Madrlo
and make any changes which may De
thought desirable, leaving the maj ac'
of signing the Congressional resolution
and the ultimatum until tomorrow
morning.
The ultimatum probably will not be
made public until notice IS received
that it is in the hands of the Spnlsa
;,t-
quiring this.
The Cuban resolution passed by Con-
gress arrived at the White House, at
lis O'Clock q little over an hour nav
ing been consumed in the formalitles
of securing the signatures OF Speaker
Reed and Vice President Hobart to the
resolution in open session and its de1iN-
cry at the White House by Representa-
tive Hager of Iowa. chairman Of the
committee on enrolled bills, and Repre-
sentative ferstreet of Indiana. 1t
was expected that the resolution would
he signed Immediately it reached the
President, and this was Mr.. Mckinley $
inclination, but for certain state rea-
sons it was deemed advisable that the
resolution and the ultimatum to Spain
should be signed simultaneously and
time was needed to draft the ultima
tum in diplomatic form.
The fact that the resolution was not
Immediately signed gave rise TO few
disquietng reports, but is soon appear
ed from statements of cabinet officers
that the President had not the slightest
intention of withholding his signature
and that the delay in attaching it was
accounted for solely by his desire TO
have a full and complete plan of opera
lions forthe government and the E,Xecu
tive in the immediate future before
taking the final and important step Of
turning the joint resolution into stat
ute.
Just what this plan shah be was the
occasion for the two cabinet meetings
today The first session. i'll anticipa-
llbIl OF lnt ItCtl)ltbIl vi TIC lt'7'ltttio
was devoted largely to questions OF
, finance and military policy as We'll 2s
to the framing of the ultimatum itself
SO far as can he gathered. the import
ant point at issue in regard to the ultl-
matum was the question of times to be
allowed for a response on the part OF
Spain The steady progress of military
and naval preparations indicated tbs
conviction on the part of the admin
istration that a peaceful solution of tn
existing difficulties is not probable.
AS to the course of events in the i'm
mediate future the only prediction tina
can be made is one based on prece
dents According to these Ministe1
Woodford will notify the Spanish gov
eminent of the action of the govern
ment of the United States and shOult
the Spanish answer be unsatisfactory,
as is expected. the next step will ~
for him to ask for his passport an
leave Madrid That would be folloWe'
instantly by the withdrawal fror
Washington of Senior Polo. the Span
ish minister.
The state department officials ar
confident that the Spanish government
will so shape every phase of the neg
tiations as to obige us to take the in
itiatiye at every point
> After the withdrawal of the minister
and assuming Spain does not bac
down. will follow actual war bl
whether or not the first overt act wi
be preceded by formal declaration
war which would insure the immedia
naturalization of the Powers or Wheti
er the North Atlantic squadron vi
make its appearance off Havana. as
beginning, cannot yet be predicted.
The army and navy experts are b.
ginning to take a less hopeful view