The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-12
Congress N CONTROL.
Message Leaves Cuban Sit
uatiOn in Its Hands.
PAPER FAILS TO PLEASE.
SPANS Minister Sensitive to Its
Language.
DIPLOMATS. ALSO DIFFER.
Do Not Like Its Attack on SPANS
Civilization.


Washington, April 1.-THE future of the
relations of the United States with Spain
and Cuba now rests with Congress, the
representative body of the American peo-
pie
What course the elected men composing
it will pursue cannot be foretold tonight.
The foreign committees of both Houses
now have the subject in their control and
after due deliberation will report to their
respective branches what they consider
should be the attitude of the United States
on the grave question presented.
Early action by the committee is expect
ed, but exactly when it may be looked for
is not now determinable.
The full responsibility of the subject was
placed upon Congress when President Nc
Kinley to-day transmitted to 1t a carefully
prepared and anxiously awaited message
relating to our negotiations with Spain as
to its warfare in Cuba, and drawing there
from his personal conclusions and recon-
mendations.
No message in recent years, not even
that of President Cleveland on Venezuela,
nor President Harrison on Chile, caused
such widespread and intense interest.
That it did not create profound enthus-
,iasm may have been due to the fact that
its main features had been accurately fore
casted, or to a disappointment among
those who wanted Cuban independence and
immediate reprisal upon Spain for the de-
struction of the Maine.
For long time a large majority in both
houses have favored recognition of the in
dependence of Cuba; for more than two
years as voiced in resolutions as passed by
Congress the recognition of belligerency
has BEEN sought. Both of these PROPOSE
tions were .antagonized in the message,
and consequently in this regard the mes
sage did not accord with the majority
sentiment.
The message left Congress very much
at sea, because of the disparagement in
views between it and the executive, an
obstacle hard to surmount unless, as now
seems possible, Congress sees its course
to lie in accord with the Presidents rec
ommendatlon
1t is generally believed that the Presi-
dent would have been authorized to inter-
vene with the army and navy had it not
been for the concluding paragraphs of the
document, which announced the latest
phase of diplomatic negotiations.
The Senate committee on foreign rela-
tons Immediately went into session, but
reached no definite conclusion. From the
fact that the Republican members held a
consultation after the meeting adjourned
and what was said regarding it, the in
ference was drawn that some strong meas
IRE was necessary in order 10 carry any
action by, the committee through the Sem
ate.
A declaration of war was talked of, and
a declaration that the people Of Cuba
shonld be free coupled with authorization
10 the President to bring this about by
armed Intervention, was suggested.
Ii is well known that any proposition
advanced will be met in the Senate with
an amendment declaring the independence
of the present Cuban government and to
SO frame a resolution as to carry a ma
jority of the Senate and at the same time
meet the recommendations of the Presi-
dent is the result or Wnlch the foreign re-
lations committee is trying TO secure.
The conservative senators also met in
the afternoon and determined to oppose
any radical measure If it should be pro-
posed by the Senate foreign relations COM
mittee
The temper of the House could not be ac-
curately determined, but there. as in the
Senate, the proposition for Cuban inde-
pendence has to be met. ANY report from
the committee on foreign affairs that does
not carry with ii this feature will be an
tagonized by an amendment. and the pros
poets are that nearly all the Democrats
and many Republicans would favor il.
Efforts have been directed all day toward
action which will secure the solid support
of the Republican organization and Repub-
lican majority of the House. To this end
the Republican members of the House
committee, TO whom the message was re-
terred. were in conference during the day
and night
Outside Of the capitol the same intense
interest was everywhere manifested I'm the
Presidents message.
Even at the White House there was a
lull in the excitement which has cenfered
there for the last fortnight. The Presi-
dent saw several of his cabinet advisors
early in the day, but there was no cabi-
net meeting. The message left the White
House shortly before noon in order to
reach Congress promptly on its assem-
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