Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-11
Visitors Discuss the War Situation
With the President.
Mr.. BELMONF'S WARSHIP DECLINED
What Senator Davis Says of the
Spanish Fleet.
APPOINTMENTS

visitors today, politics and war matters
| minglng in the routine Of the days work
with the chief executive.
| All of the visitors inquired as to the
| status Of affairs at the war centers but
! found that the news was not heavy or i'm
| portant.
| Some of the Presidents visitors discussed
| with him the possibility of Spain sending
a fleet to the Philippines to attempt to re-
| take Manila The belief of a majority of
| these visitors was that Spain will do moth
| Ing of the kind. Senator Davis, who was a
White House visitor, said that he did not
think Spain would attempt this undertak-
ing He did not think there would be any
| trouble in a Spanish fleet getting through
| the Suez canal, but the greatest trouble to
! the fleet would be the matter of getting
| coal along the route. The plea of the
Spanlards that they would be entitled to
| ocal III going to Spanish port, Manila
| might not be effective with neutral powers
| along the route. as they might consider
| that Manila Is not now a Spanish port
having fallen into the hands of the United
| States. England would probably hold this
| view at all ports where the Spanish fleet
| should stop for coal
| The United States Would RetnIiate.
| The belief is also growing that If Spain
| attempts this a United States fleet will be
| sent at once to Spanish shores The Span
| lards would be unable to conceal the des-
| unatlon OF fleet headed for the Philip
| pines. Throughout the Mediterranean and
at the Suez canal the fleet would be known
and the United States would secure full
| and definite Information of its whereabo
| and purposes.
| On all sorts of business with the Presi-
| dent today were the following: Senators
shoup, Lindsay, Money Bacon, HawIey,
| Foraker, Kyle, Cullom, Hanna, Spooner.
| Elkins, Representatives Grosvenor, North
way, Catchinss, Brownlow, Quigg, Assist
ant Secretary Vanderlip and Controller
Dawes of the treasury.
Maryland Affairs.
| Maryland politics cut figure at the
! White House today, and occupied some of
| the Presidents time. The Whole thing was
| over the Baltimore post office Early in
I the morning Senator Wellington, Senator
| elect McComas and John K Cowen saw
| the President regarding the reappointment
| of Postn aster Warfeld, which has been
| agreed upon. The President did not indi-
cate that he had in any way changed his
mind, and his visitors departed, satisfied
| that there would be no hitch
| Later in the day a large delegation of
| Baltimore republicans saw the President
| and entered vigorous protest against
| Mr. Warfield's reappointment. They stated
| that Mr. Warfield was a gold democrat
| and that there are hundreds of capable
ana able republicans in Baltimore
The President did not say anything in
| reply to give the delegation hope that he
| would change his mind. The delegation
| was headed by Stephen r. Mason, chair
| man of the city republican committee and
| register of wills. With him We're the fol-
| lowing: T. A. Robinson l.. r. Bridge, VIM.
| NJ. Stewart, George Flynn, George Wise,
w. A. Bodenseck, John Garter, S. r. Addi-
| son, George W. johnson, Alfred Schultz,
| John Keith, S. A. Sweeney A Tyler Jas.
| Mcclellan, Barreda Turner, Charles Short,
| Captain VIM. +. Bye, Captain James w.
Glenn.
Baptist Delegates Received.
Four or five hundred delegates to the
Southern Baptist convention, which has
| been in session at Norfolk, are in the city
and were received at o'clock this after
noon by the President. The arrangement
| for their reception was made by Senator
Berry of Arkansas. Many of the delegates
were accompanied by their wives and men,
bers of their families. The President gave
them hearty reception.
Mr.. Suffers Regiment.
Representative Sulzer Col John W. Mar
shall and Maj. Peter F. Rafferty, of New
York saw the President today and en-
deavored TO have him accept regiment or
ganized by them in New York city. There
| are 2,40O men enlisted in our regiment" said
MIR. Sulzer. land every man is anxious to
get to the front and to take part in the
fuhf
have fought in Cuba under Gomez and
Garcia, and 400 or 500 others were in the
civil war.
This is the first time 1 have visited the
White House since long before Cleveland
went out and desired to ask the Presi-
dent to accept our regiment. H. said that
1t could not be done without a special act
Of Congress, but if this could be enacted he
would sign the bill and put US into the SER
vice. 1 will try and have the bill.passed.
Our regiment would join the Cuban army if
we could secure guns and ammunition"
Mr.. Suffers regiment has a large number
of "Bowery" boys in the ranks.
John Jacob Astor, the New York million
aire, who also wants to fight, was at the
White House with Senator Wetmore again
trying to get an assignment to early duty.
Senator Platt was another New York
visitor.
MIR. BelmOnts Offer Declined.
o. H. P. Belmont and Charles W. Moore
of New York, who offered the government
a swift dynamite gun5oat, saw the Presi-
dent today to announce that the Navy De-
partment had declined to accept their offer
The President was sorry that the offer
could not be accepted, but expressed his
thanks The offer of Mr.. Belmont was to
Immediately build and equip vessel worth
100000. which he would lend the govern
ment until the close of the war, If allowed
to command the vessel himself. The propo-
stion was to equip the vessel with newly
patented dynamite apparatus. No reason
was given by the Navy Department for not
tepting the OFFER
Wants Capt. Young Promoted.
Senator Cannon, by request of a number
Of Utah constituents. saw the President
tooay and asked the appointment of Capt
Willard Young as colonel of engineers in
the volcr teer army. Capt. Young served
IN the engineer corps of the regular army