The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-21
SUNDAY
cONCAAVE.
President Mckinley Fails to Attend
Church Services.
MAINE INVESTIGATORS REPORT
1t May Reach the President at Any Hour
Now, and Will Soon be Given to the
Public After He Has Given it
Due Consideration.

Washington, March 21.-President
Mckinley did not attend church yes
terday, as is his custom, but instead
spent two hours and more in confer
ence with several members of the cab
met. Assistant Secretary Day called
about 1890 o'clock and remained until
nearly 1. Secretary Long and Secretary
Bliss were the other members present.
They remained less than an hour.
Commander Glover, in company with
Mr.. Charles r. Flint, who has been
acting for the government in the nego-
tiations for the purchase Of ships, also
called, and We're shown into the presi-
dents private office.
The presence of Mr.. Flint at the con-
ference naturally gives the inference
that the president and his advisers
were discussing the question of ac-
quiring additional ships. Mr.. Flint,
whose commercial iterests are largely
with South American countries, is be-
lieved, in a measure at least, to repre-
sent Chile and the Argentine Republic
in any negotiations which are under
way for the disposition of their war
vessels. A reporter asked Mr.. Flint If
he would say whether or not the Uni
ted States had secured possession of
the Chilean ship O'Higgins and the
Argentine ship San Martino. He re-
piled:
Both Chile and the Argentine Re
public have the warmest friendship
and admiration for the United States
and her institutions. Neither country
is anxious to sell their ships to this
government, basing this indispositiOn
on the belief that we have an excellent
navy of our own. They want these
vessels themselves. If the time should
come, however, when 1t was apparent
that the United States needed these
vessels they would gladly part with
them to u.s.
The attention of Mr.. Flint was called
to the published report that the United
| States would purchase the Brazilian
torpedo gunboat Tuby, but this, he
| said would not be done, so far as he
was aware, as there were no negotia-
tions under way to that effect.
| The members of the cabinet on leav-
ing the White House said that there
was no special significance in the meet.
| ing. The report of the Maine court OF
inquiry, they said, had not been re.
! ceived, nor was it definitely known
when 1t would reach here. 1t was ex
| pected, however early this week. anC
as soon as received 1t would be handed
at once to the president, and when II
| had been read and considered by the
president it would be made public
Secretary Long, in speaking Of the re
port, said that while fully realizing IT.
importance the country, in his opin
ion, would willingly accord to the presi
dent a day or two, if necessary, for 1T
| consideration. The indications seen
to be that the report will be made pub
lie by the middle Of the present week.
Aside from the meeting of severa
members of the cabinet at the Whit
House there were no incidents of i'm
portance during the day. Judge Day
Assistant Secretary Adee, Chief Clerl
Michael and other officials were at tn
department, but this has been quit
common during the recent month
Also at the war and navy department
a number of the chiefs of bureaus wer
at their desks for several hours, main
ly for the purpose of disposng of tn
business which recently has accumu
lated so rapidly.
The most interesting topic of the da,
was based on the dispatches from Ha
vana, indicating a prospective confer
ence between General Pando and Gen
erals Garcia, Gomez and others Of tn
insurgent army for the purpose Of sub
mitting to the latter a formal offer O
autonomy. The basis Of autonomy a
outlined in the dispatches apparentl
found no credence with the officials o
the Spanish legation. They stated thei
} disbelief that a conference on the pro
posed lines was probable, and adde
that they had no information on tn
subject Minister Polo Bernabe ex
pressed the opinion that the repoI
from Havana was unfounded, as h
said the basis upon which it was pre-
posed to grant autonomy was absurd.