Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-08
At THE White HOUSE
Brownsville Resolutions Re-
ceive Presidents Attention.
CONFERS WITH Mr.. LODGE
Information Received Regarding Con-
ditions in Cuba.
HINTS AT A SPECIAL MESSAGE
Secretary Bishop Of the Isthmian
Canal Commission Discusses the
Opening Of Bids Saturday.
HINTS AT A SPECIAL MESSAGE

The Brownsville affair as it stands in the
Senate, occupied most of the attention Of
the President today before the assembling
of his cabinet officers for the semi-weekly
cabinet session. With Senator Lodge of
Massa chusetts the President spent full
half hour While there was official
statement of the subject of The conference
little doubt existed that the Brownsville
case was under consideration. The visit of
Senator Lodge was followed by one by
Senator Knox of Pennsylvania. When Mr..
Knox arrived the time was past for the
cabinet to go into session, but this did not
prevent the President from remaining with
Senator Knox for twenty or twenty-five
minutes.
Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota was
the only other senatorial caller during the
day, but he volunteered the Information to
newspaper men that Brownsville was not
mentioned.
The Cuban Situation.
President Roosevelt and Secretary Taft
are receiving a great deal of information
relating to the situation in Cuba, but
whether it has in any way changed the
formers determination that this country
shall soon withdraw from the island and
give the natives an opportunity to again
govern themselves can not be stated. But
for the fact that the President had COM
mitted himself to that program there are
a good many men who hold that he would,
in view of the facts coming to him, have
the troops of the United States remain
permanently in the island and take over
the government for this country. Sugges-
lions have been made that the President
may have something to say to Congress in
a special message before that body ad-
journs. Both republican and democratic
Leaders are perfectly willing at this time,
though, to keep from shouldering the Gu
ban question and have no objection to the
President holding to it as long as 1t is
pretty hot.
II the President does not take Congress
into his confidence as to Cuba before March
it will be because he is still firm in his
intention to handle the question in his own
way and to give back to the Cubans their
country some time within the next few
months. If the plotting and contemplating
now in progress in Cuba materially changes
the situation there so as to alter the orig
inal views of the chief executive, the send
ing to Congress of a special message, it is
asserted, would be eminently in order.
Most of the threats as to revolution upon
the withdrawal of this country from Cuba
are conveyed to the Secretary of war
through Gov. Magoon and directly from the
persons giving advice as to what course
should be pursued. The President, how
He finds that there is much dissatisfaction
among higher classes of the people over the
prospect of the United States leaving the
island to the control of the political par
ties there.
Bids for Canal Construction.
j. B. Bishop. secretary of the isthman
canal commission, was a White House
caller today. He said that Saturday is
the day fixed for the canal commission
to receive bids for the construction of
the Panama canal. He does not know
whether any bids have yet been received
as they sealed, but he thinks that
the large bids will not be placed before
the commission until Saturday. The
representatives of the concerns making
the bids will hand in their papers just
before the time for the opening Satur-
day.
The concerns making bids are asked
to supply labor only. The United States
government is to furnish all machinery,
tools, supplies, etc, and the houses in
which the laborers are to live. The gov
eminent will also furnish the food sup
plies for the laborers if the contractors
include that in their contract, but the
understanding is that the contractors are
to feed their employees.