Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1898 — CHANGES HIS PLAN. [ARTICLE]

CHANGES HIS PLAN.

President Decides to Withheld the Message Until Monday. IMPORTANT REASONS FOR THE DELAY. Apprehension for the Safety of Americana Who Cannot Leave Cuba Be- | fore -That Time—No Further Negotiations with Spain. Washington, April 7.—The Washington Post’s summary of ilia sltmation, printed thia morning, i£as follows: “The temporary withholding. of President McKinley’s message from congress was due to the receipt of a cablegrom from Gen. Fltshugh Lee, our consul-general at Havana, advising that if the message contemplated armed Intervention, it be deferred until ail Americans in Cuba oould leave the island. He stated that the *ttOdus could be completed by the 10th instant. Members of the foreign affairs committees ©f the senate and house, upon being shown this dispatch, promptly concurred In th* opinion of the president and cabinet that the message should be delayed until next Monday. The utmost confidence is felt by the administration and congress In the wisdom and good judgment of Gen. Lee in any emergency. The rumors ot disturbances In Havana are not confirmed, but the conditions there are extremely threatening. Gen. Lee Is still at his post,* and will remain there until all other Americans are safe. “The president’s message has only been changed In that It will ask congress to authorize and direct Immediate Intervention. Otherwise the message will stand as heretofore outlined, and it will be of such a vigorous, ringing character as to meet the full expectations of congress and the country. It will inevitably mean war. Hostilities can only be averted by Spain herself declaring the Independence of Cuba and yielding her sovereignty over the island. No Further Negotiation*. “Negotiations with Spain have net been reopened by the United States and will not be. The queen regent has not sent a pergonal message to the president making a new proposal for peace. With the Influences now at work through foreign diplomatic Channels to bring about a settlement of the difficulties between Spain and her rebellious subjects in Cuba this government has absolutely nothing to do. The administration and congress stand pledged to the freedom of Cuba and will aoept no solution that does not involve the withdrawal of Spanish troops from the island and the hauling down of the Spanish flag. “The five great powers have not sent a joint note to the United States counseling against war. Mediation of any sort has not been offered to this government, and Will not be accepted.” Had Nothing to Do with It. The most careful investigation in official circles failed to develop anything in support'of the theory that ths delay of the president’s message was due to the situation at Madrid rather than that at Havana. When the announcement was first made that ths message had been withheld, the inference was drawn in some congressional circles that the delay was partially influenced by the attitude of the queen regent, who was reported willing to yield everything demanded by the United States, provided it could be done without precipitating a popular disturbance in Spain. Press dispatches ol a pending cabinet crisis in Madrid tended to confirm this. Those closest tc the president refused to discuss the Madrid situation further than to say that there was no information from that quarter and that no fresh negotiations had been opened. It was reiter

■ted that the crux of the situation wai In Havana. This was confirmed by members of the foreign relations oomto whom this explanation had been made in such form that they professed themselves satisfied to accept it Millions at Ills Command. Early Wednesday evening the president had a long conference by appoint ment with John A. McCall, of New York. Mr. McCall is understood to have assured the president that the government would be put to no embarrass ment by a lark of money with which t< prosecute war. While he deprecated war, and hoped that it might be avert ed, if It could not be, the whole people of the country would stand by the president in maintaining a just contest. It is said upon excellent authority that Mr. McCall expressed to the president his belief that within 48 hours he could raise among the financial institutions of New York alone $300,000,000, which the government could have upon its own terms, and that if a popular subscription were called for $500,000,00<J could be obtained in a few days. SnbHtnnce of Lee’s Dispatch. The messagk from Gen. Leo is in substance as follows:

On account of the lack of steamer accommodations Consul-General Lee has been unable to remove Americans from Havana at the time (before noon Wednesday) specified by the president. There are now 2,000 Americans, native born and naturalised, who are betrur fed by the con-sul-general, and more aro arrhrtng In Havana hourly. The situation has taken a critical phase by reason of the aotlon of the volunteers, who, excited by recent events and anticipating a warlike message from President McKinley, are parading ths streets, and there Is danger of riots. With a massacre of Americans as a result, and this condition will be greatly aggravated when information regarding the contents of the message reaches Havana. Gen. Ivee therefore urges that the president delay transmitting hla message to congress, and states that If it was made public he would not be responsible for the safety of Americans. He believes that he will bo able to get all Americana away from Cuba by Sunday next. Immediately after the receipt of the above the decision was reached to postpone the transmission of the message, and a dispatch was sent to Gen. Lee informing him of the acquiescence of the president in hla request and urging him to go to any expense he thought necessary to got Americana away from Cuba. He was directed to Inform the president the moment the last American had departed in order that the message might at once bo laid before aongress. Americans Leave Havana. Havana, April 7. —The Mascotto sailed Thursday afternoon with a full complement of passengers, among them many distinguished families. During the last S 4 hours there have been issued 386 passports to persons proceeding or about to proceed to the United State*. Key West, Fla., April 7.—Ths Mas oottearrived with 96 passengers aboard. Bhe is coaling at the government dock and will return to Havana as soon as

tlurough. Consul-General Lee did not some. There is great excitement here. Every stateroom on the Mascotte was engaged. It is reported that there is great excitement in Havana. Ultimatum of the lasts. New York, April 7.—The Cuban Junta, through its counsel, Horatio S. Rubens, made an important statement Wednesday. It declared in the most unequivocal language that the Cuban provisional government and the Cuban army would reject absolutely intervention by the United States unless it should be preceded by a recognition of the independence of the Cuban republic; that if the United States persisted in intervening without recognizing Cuban independence, the Cuban govern,meat and military forces would refuse to cooperate; and that if United States troops should be sent to Cuba upon the basis of intervention without recognition, th* Cuban army would in the last resort turn its arms against the United States.