The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-31
AN Ill LTIMATUM At LAST
Continued from First Page.)

tions imposed. the President would turn
the whole question over to Congress on
that day for settlement.
But, having yielded to these impor.
tunities on the spur of the moment, the
Republicans got together after adjourn
ment to consider the question more fully
There were in the neighborhood of 13t
RpubHcans at the conference. Mr.
Towney chairman of the committee Of
last nights conference, who had called
upon the President, told the caucus thai
ne had received certain promises, more
or less definite. and altogether unsatis-
factory. Everybody wanted to speak
and so great was the clamor for time
that speeches were limited to one min
ute each. The members were anxiou:
for action by the House. but after repre-
sentations had been made by those whC
had conferred with the President and re
ceived an outline of his plan. it wa.
decided that the party should remain il
line and obey the Speaker until Monday
next.
Monday the Day Set.
a committee of eleven was appointed
of which Mr.. Hopkins of Illinois wa.
chairman, to inform the Speaker and tn,
President of the action of the caucus
and to declare in unmistakable languag,
that if no message reached the Hous,
containing some definite policy by Mon
day noon next, the House would take tht
matter in its own hands, and dispose o
it as seemed to it best.
Monday next, therefore, will tel
whether we are to have war or peace
unless. meanwhile. Spain rejects tn
proposition which has been made to her
Then war will quickly come, for the rec
ognition of independence will be passed
by both houses in that event before ad
journing Monday.
The Maine Incident.
The proposition the President has mad,
to Spain regarding payment for the is
land is that if she can arrange with tn,
Cubans to sell the island to them imme
diately, and give them entire independ
ence, the war would thus be brough
to an end and the United States salts
fled. as far as the Cuban question il
concerned. There is reason to believe
too. that he has at last intimated t
Spain that if this is done the Main,
matter will be dropped, or left to tn,
large uncertainties and long delays o
diplomacy, which probably would satisf,
Spain quite as well, and be considered
by her the same thing in reality.
1t is asserted positively by people WHIT
are familiar with the political situation
in Spain that the real intention to sci
Cuba and the real beginning of negotia
tions with that end in view would be
the quickest possible method of suicide
not only political. but physical-tha
COuiu be hGN i9Iu ipl tLlC pIS0tlll CilstillSI
government. The Spanish people would
far less consent to sell Cuba than tn,
Amedican people would consent to let tn,
Maine incindent disappear and be forgot
ten. it is said. That this solution. a.
an actual thing, to be accomplished with
out war may as well be given up abso
lutely. many people are positive, even il
Congress would consent to drop the
whole situation with this commercial
ending. not only to the Cuabn mater, bu
the Maine incident
And after the Spanish government ha.
been consulted there is also the Cubai
Republic to bring to a realization tina
this thing that it alreadp possesses woul'
De a good thing to pay 500. .O0OOO0 for. 1
is not believed that Cuba will consent t
pay Spain a cent There have been al
legged interviews with people of the Junt'
here in which it has been stated tina
there could be arranged such q deal bu
whether they are true or not it is Ger