The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-25
M'KINLEY'S CUBAN POLICY
DEFINED BY PARTIES IN POSI-
TON TO KNOW WHAT 1T Is

utcatinE, Though not Proof of. Its Fail.
ure-our warships Ready to Act In an
Emerg~ncy-Lee Given Authority to
Summon Them to HAvHn<-De LONE
Uneasy at the State of Affairs
Washington January 20-Gentlenen in
congress, who. by a OF their posi-
ton. have reason 20 be accurately in
formed on the policy Of the admlnistra-
ton as to Cuba say that this policy -
in substance as follows:
Al the present ome 1; IS felt that
h same material conditions prevail
that existed when the president sent
his last message to congress. At that
time it was stated that the plan OF au-
tonomy having been inaugurated. il
was the purpose OF the executive
branch TO give proper time for this
plan 10 be tried. The administration
is said to entertain the same sentl-
ments today. The autonomous plan
was inaugurated only three weeks ago,
January 1st) when the autonomous
cabinet took office, so that il is felt
that there has not been adequate time
up to the present moment to form any
fair judgment as to the merits OF the
plan as a ean of ameliorating the
conditions OF the island.
The recent occurrences at Havana
are looked upon as affording evidence
OF d~iscontent with the plan, but
whether this viii be sufficient 10 over
come the plan itself is not considered
as established with any degree Of GER
taiHty, or even approximateness.
In the meantime while closely Oh
serving the progress of the autonomous
plan, the administration has adopted
every precaution to guard against any
sudden emergency, such as an uprising
that will threaten American interests.
This is not expected TO occur, but If ii
should come, it is said that the naval
vessels of the United States are 50 dis
posed as to be in the barber OF HaVa-
ma within six hours Of any crisis which
would imperil American interests.
In order that there may he no delay
| should an emergency arise, il is said
that Consul General Lee has been en-
| powered to make direct request to the
| commanders of the warships so that
the vessels ould start on receipt of
word from him, without the delays in
| cident to having his requests pass
through the official routine at Wash
| ington. To a great extent the 1ntelll-
| gent Judgment of General Lee Is relled
| upon as determining if an emergency
| requires the presence of American YES
| sells. This. however, applies solely to
| the question of tumult Of a critical
| nature and has no connection with the
| general question Of intervention for the
| purpose of bringing the war to a close.
| Such a step is not under immediate
| consideration, for, as already stated, 1t
| is predicated on the failure of the plan
| of utonomy which result, 1t is SAID,
| the administration does not regard as
| established by the evidence at hand.
The Spanish minister, Senior Dupuy
| de LONE, called at the state depart
| ment today, this being diplomatic day,
| and spent three quarters of an hour in
conversation with Judge Day, the as
sistant secretary. There was no late
news today from Havana, which is
taken as a sign that all is quiet there.
| But it is believed that the minister IS
! seriously disputed by certain events of
the last few days in this country.
First, there was the speech yesterday
in the house of representatives of Rep
r~esentative Hit, chairman Of the COM
mittee on foreign affairs, which, While,
| from the Spanish view, serving the
useful purpose of consolidating the me
iority in support of the presidents
| pO1Fcy DIS 10 Nuod' ycl tllpodiCN -
tain statements in general terms that
are likely to be m~isintepreted in Spain.
Then a few changes made recently in
the disposition of the United States
naval vessels are believed to be sub
ject to misinterpretatiCn by the
Spanish. While the movements doubt
less are to be explained as a part Of
the regular routine orders, I is believed
they have attracted the notice and dis
approval of the Spanish authorities.