The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-25
olncLibraY nc 1900 congress to know

Tuesday, and these reasons may cause it
Isr. al later in the week, unless
,.lcI4lbraV 1900 Congress to know Off
cialiy what it is becomes too great to be
restrained. A question of interest only less
than the nature of the report itself is, what
will be the character of the message with
which the President will accompany it?
Will it be merely formal message of
transmittal conveying no information and
indicating no executive policy, or will it
state that demands have been made on
Spain, and, if so, recite them?
The belief is strong and growing that the
message accompanying the report will be
none of those whose outlines are indicated
above, but that it will make known to
Congress the adoption by the President of
policy hitherto unthought of by the public.
That policy is that the President will send
a copy of the report to the Spanish govern
ment and await it's reply, asking no indem-
nifty or reparation, no blood money, not
making merchandise of the national honor.
This may seem like a. fantastic, quixotic
view at first, but when examined it will be
seen to possess great shrewdness. BY omit
ting any demands the President will avoid
the proposition by Spain that the matter
be submitted to international arbitration, a
course he would have to refuse, and If war
resulted from such refusal the charge would
lie at our doors, preferred by Eu-
ropean nations, that we had forced
war through revenge for not being able to
collect money price for the dead of the
Maine. BY pursuing this course the Presi-
dent will remain free to deal with the
greater question of Cuban intervention. "A
large number of senator's and representa-
tives have urged him to keep the Maine
separate, or rather perhaps, to merge the
Maine tragedy with the Cuban question and
settle them together. 1t is believed he has
finally adopted this view A member of the
administration told me to-day that it was
his understanding that this view would be
the one on which the President would act.
He explained that one reason for sending
the report to Spain without demands and
awaiting her reply was to gain necessary
time A month"; two weeks or even ten days
delay now, he explained. would be worth
great deal TO the United States in the
event of war For instance, it was FOUND
out some time ago that this country had
not a sufficient supply of smokeless powder
for large ordnance and that the powder
factories Of the country could not supply
it in time. orders for the necessary amount
were given to European houses that had it
on hand. These orders have been filled and
the powder is now on the high seas and is
expected to arrive in New York next Mon
day or Tuesday In fact, from what he said,
the arrival or sighting of these powder
laden vessels will probably be the signal for
the sending to Congress of the Maine re-
port Army officers say the land forces of
the country could be prepared for the field
in ten days or two weeks. This much delay
seems absolutely necessary, and Congress
is willing to afford it, but that body will
not tolerate a long delay. 1t wants some
thing done and will stand by any action
the President may take, but it will condemn
inaction, mastery or otherwise.
The President, while doing all he can to
avoid war; and hoping until it actually
comes that something may happen to avert
it, yet recognizes war as not only a possible
but a probable outcome of our strained re-
lations with Spain. Recognizing the situa-
ton and it's grave and tragic possibilities,
he has been and Is strenuously preparing for
Intervention already initiated by feeding the
starving reconcentrados, and he intends, if
necessary, that this relief shall be extended
to sufferers in Cuba within the Cuban as
well as the Spanish lines This humane
course may itself provoke the fierce-mind-
ed Spaniards to declaring war; Reports
Cabinet is dissatisfied with his course and
is divided in its support of him. These re-
ports are totally without foundation. Pres
ident Mckinley has the hearty support of
every member of his Cabinet. They are all
10y al to him. One New York newspaper
(the Times) has published a dispatch that
Secretaries Gage and Bliss are so much
disaffected as to contemplate resigning un-
less the President will abandon his interfer-
ence i'll behalf of the sufferers by the Span
ish policy of concentration. 1t also said
that Postmaster General Gary and Secre-
tary Wilson were undecided as to whether
they would support the President or not.
There is no truth in these statements. The
gentlemen named are loyal to the cause of
their chief. They indorse his course and
support his action.
MERELY AN INCIDENT.
How the President VIII Treat the De.