The evening times., 1898-03-03
THE SITUATION TODAY.
How the Spanish-Aner rican Crisis Is
Viewed by Public Men.

At the Capitol today the American
Spanish situation is considered TO be
much more critical than it the day
following the Maine disaster. and the in
dications point toward war more posi-
lively than before.
Several members of the House are
agreed that matters have gone too far
for a peaceful solution of the controver
sy. AS an evidence of this well-known
congressman said today:
IF Mr. Mckinley and his Cabinet
have not fully realized the impossihility
Of avoiding war with Spain, why Is the
Government making such an energetic
effort to arm and man the coast de-
fenses to increase the artillery service
and TO prepare the entire Navy for an
emergency war cali?
1t is not denied that Secretary Alger
has ordered ordnance supplies TO the
amount of Sl.eO0 GO "A sum greatly in
excess of the appropriation for such a
purpose and an act for which the see
retary has no legal authority.
1t is a war measure. taken upon tne
individual responsibility of the secreta-
ry and without the expressed sanction
of Congress. Before arrogating to HIM
self this extraordinary power. the Sec
rptary of War consulted Mr.. Cannon, Of
Illinois chairman Of the Committee On
Appropriations. who advised him TO go
ahead with his war preparations, and
promised him that the committee would
appropriate the money.
1T must be apparent to the most ordi-
nary observer continued the speaker.
that the Secreary Of War would not
have taken such course had he not
been possessed of positive information
that has been withheld from the public.
1T must also be evident to all who
have watched the economy of the chair
man of the Committee on Appropria-
tions during the present session of Con-
! gress in his effort to save every penny
/ possible. in order TO lessen the deiicien-
I cy created by the Dingley bill that Mr..
/ Cannon had inside information also. He
! otherwise would never have advised an
! expenditure of $1eg1 900 for ordnance, a
sum three times as great "a necessary
( in times of peace.
THE Senate amendments to this forti-
1 fiCation bill. too. must be considered for
! the Senate would never have raised this
/ appropriation from 81 Oe0 Oo0 to about $40
+ O6)eH. hard not some extraordinary emer-
gency demanded it, and the House con-
E ferees would never have consented TO it
had there not been the most urgent rea-
sons for so doing.
1t should be remembered that the House
passed the bill before the Maine was de-
/ stroyed and the subsequent develop
/ ments have been of such character
that when the measure for coast de-
! fenses reached the conference committee.
the Senate amendments were not oppos-
ed.
Another matter should he noticed.
and that is the enlistment in the Navy
I and Army of sailors and SOL
! diers without the warrant of law. Re-
/ cruits are being constantly taken in. and
/ the number now in the Army and Navy is
far in excess of the number permitted un-
der the act of Congress. The law would
not be so openly violated unless the War
and Naval authorities believed war to
/ be inevitable. As / said before there is
not so much excitement now as there was
/ two weeks ago, but in my judgment the
situation is decidedly more critical