Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-11
THE WHITE HOUSE
Relief at the Dispatch Of the
Message.
WAITING FOR CONGRESS 10 ACT
Cabinet With the President on
Giving Spain Time:
BLANCO'S RECENT ORDER
WAITING FOR CONGRESS TO AC'
BLANCO'S RECENT ORDER

l
to Congress today, that there were colA-
paratively few visitors at the White House
during the day. The Presidents desires as
to the disposition Of the message and the
nature of the resolution to be adopted by
Congress had also become well understood
Saturday and yesterday. Since the latest
| developments the party leaders have con-
ferred with the President and held numer-
| Gus private conferences evidently reaching
as much Of an understanding as possible.
President Mckinley was early at his
desk talking with friends and advisers and
making final changes in the portions Of The
message which had been added as a result
of the latest propositions of Spain. No
changes were made in the original message.
North Carolina Visitors.
The first visitors seen by the President
were Senator Pritchard and Representative
Skinner Of North Carolina. They wanted
to talk with the President about coast de-
lenses for North Carolina places. Senator
| Pritchard expressed the opinion that the
armistice agreed upon by Spain had not
materially changed the situation. Prac-
| tically all the callers during the morning
| gave expression to the same views.
| Representatives Adams and Heatwole of
the foreign affairs committee of the House
1
| the President Mr. Heatwoie said that he
presumed the message would go through
| the regular channel in reference to COM
H.tttees, etc. Representative Dingley, who
was another caller, also said that he
| thought the message would take the reg
| uiar course.
| Secretaries Bliss and Alger and Attorney
| General Griggs were with the President
| during the time changes were being made
| In the last part of the message So was
Judge Day. The latter took from the State
| Department text of the order of an armis-
| tice issued in Havana yesterday by Gen.
| Dlanco. This order had been cabled to Min
| lister Polo from Havana, and put before this
| government by the Spanish representatives
The Blanco decree did not differ from what
the public had been led to believe it would
| be. A cabinet officer who was aske I'd If the
decree was satisfactory said, 1T is no
| doubt satisfactory to SPAIN"
| Responsibility With Congress-.
| The three cabinet officers left the White
| House before noon, announcing that there
| vas nothing new. Among them, however,
/ was pronounced feeling that the RESPONSE
| bility for the further conduct of the ques-
| tions at this time had been shifted from ex-
| ecutive to legislative shoulders. This feel
i
| who have given the questions at issue as
grave and earnest consideration as the
| Pr esident.
He mas sought suggestion and advice
| from each man i'll his official family and
| it has been freely and fully gwen. Around
| the cabinet the best brains of the world
| have Lecn used IN loyal cndeavor to as
| sst the President in solving the knotty
| problems satisfactorily to himself and
| honorably TO the country.
Favor Giving Spain Time.
| 1t is understood that the cabinet yet
| stands united with the President in the
| suggestion that time should be given to
| allow a demonstration OF the latest move
Of Spain.
| A cabinet official today said that it will
rest with Congress to ascertain whether
| Gomez and the insurgents will accept the
| armistice offered to them He did not
think it would take long to hear from
Gomez. In the present condition of af-
| fairs. however, it is considered curious
problem as to how this country will Off
ciaily learn the result of the armistice.
| Unless General Lee and the American con-
| suls are returned to Cuba the Spanish au-
| thorities will have \ monopoly Of news
| distribution. The absence of the newspaper
correspondents also gives the entire color
ing Of news from Cuba to Blanco and the
Spaniards.
Awaiting Congressional Action.
The President and cabinet now Enxiously
aw ait the action of Congress. 1t is felt
| that the tug Of war will come tomorrow.
Tonight every effort will be made to bring
recalcitrant republicans into line. If Con-
gress decides to leave the matter in the
bands Of the President orders will prob
ably soon be issued for the return of Gen.
| Lee.
Both the White House and Spain will
now wait the result of the deliberations of
Congress. Spain will make no further
propositions and the President will not
know exactly what to do.
There was not an official caller at the
Executive Mansion fer long time after
the message left. The President remained
in his Office, occasionally looking out the
window upon the children engaged in their
egg-ro.ling festivities.
At his usual hour. 1870 o'clock, the Presi-
dent went to lunch.
The President's Intentions.
Should Congress pass a resolution which
authorizes the President to intervene at his
| discretion the program can be easily out
lined The President will have to take
from fifteen days to three weeks. probably
! longer. to ascertain the result of the arm!s-
tice in Cuba.
1t will havs to be demonstrated that the
armistice Is Spanish trick or that the in
surgents will not accept 1t and are contin-
| uing the war.
A hundred new phases will come to the
front to have bearing on the ultimate ac-
ton of the President. All these will have
to be considered. prolonging indefinitely
Anal action.
Message Was Unchanged.
| 1t is emphatically stated at the White
House that the Presidents original mes
sage has never been altered. The message
itself. It 10 stated. never contained any sug-
gestion of immediate Intervention by Con-
y gress. but the understanding between the
President and the republican leaders last
| week was that the resolution to be adopted
should authorize Immediate Intervention.
That understanding had much to do with
!, holding Congress in check and preyent1pg
an outbreak ~ cabinet aisg Ne TIE
impression IL k,fh1i unsr e. = - = ram