Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1898 — MUST GO AT ONCE. [ARTICLE]

MUST GO AT ONCE.

Spain to Be Given But Little Time to Agree to Evacuate Cuba. The Ultimatum, Demanding Oomplianoe with Deoision of Congress, Not Yet Signed. It Will Be Brief, But to the Point —ls Ignored, War Will Follow Immediately. The Belief Now Prevails That If Hostilities Begin the War Will Last for Months. Resolutions Reach the President, But His Signature Is Withheld Until the Ultimatum Is Ready. Washington, April 20. —Spain will not receive official notification of the demands of the United States until today. She then will be informed that the Cuban resolutions passed by congress are now a part of the laws of the United States, and an ultimatum will be sent demanding compliance with this law, and an answer within a very short time, probably 24 hours. Compliance is not expected, and a forward movement on Cuba will commence the latter part of the week, according to the plans of the administration. The congressional Cuban resolution will not be signed until this morning. The ultimatum to Spain will be signed at the same time. The president early decided to make the two practically one act by a simultaneous signature of each. * Brief But Pointed. The ultimatum Itself, it is believed, will be short and to the point. IVwill fecite the main features of the resolutions passed by congress, and demand a compliance therewith. So far as could be learned, there will not be a meeting of the cabinet before the president pigns the two documents, which it is believed unquestionably will precipitate War. It is likely that the president and Assistant Secretary Day will again go over the message which is to be sent to Madrid and make any changes which may be thought desirable, leaving the final act of signing the congressional resolution and the ultimatum until this morning. It probably will not be made public here until notice is received that it is in the hands of the Spanish government, diplomatic etiquette requiring this.

The Cuban resolution passed by congress arrived at the white house at 1:15 o’clock. A little over an hour having been consumed in the formalities of securing the signatures of Speaker Reed and Vice President Hobart to the resolution in open session and its delivery at the white house by Representative Hager, of lowa, chairman of the committee on enrolled bills, and Representative Overstreet, of Indiana. It was expected that the resolution would be aigned immediately it reached the presdent, and this was Mr. McKinley’s inclination, but for certain state reasons it was deemed advisable that the resolution and the ultimatum to Spain should be signed simultaneously, and time was needed to draft the ultimatum In diplomatic form. The fact that the resolution was not immediately signed gave rise to a few disquieting reports, but it soon appeared from statements of cabinet officers that the president had not the Slightest intention of withholding his signature, and that the delay in attaching it was accounted for solely by his desire to have a full and complete plan of operations for the government of the executive in the immediate future before taking the final and important step of turning the joint resolution into a statute. Just what this plan shall be was the occasion for the two cabinet meetings. The first session in anticipation of the reception of the resolution was devoted largely to questions of finance and military policy, as well as to the framing of the ultimatum Itself. So far as can be gathered the important point at issue in regard to the ultimatum was the question of time to be allowed for a response on the part of Spain. The steady progress of military and naval preparations indicated the conviction on the part of the administration that a peaceful solution of existing difficulties Is not probable. Future Course of Event*. As to the course of events in the immediate future the only prediction that can be made is one based on precedents. According to these Minister Woodford will notify the Spanish government of the action of the government of the United States, and should the Spanish answer be unsatisfactory, as is expected, the next step in order will be for blm to ask for his passports and leave Madrid. That would be followed instantly by the withdrawal from Washington of Honor Polo, the Spanish minister. At this point it can be said that the state department officials are confident that the Spanish government will so shape every phase of the negot iattons ss to oblige us to take the initiative at every point. After the withdrawal of the ministers, and assuming Spain does not back down, will follow actual war, but whether or not the first overt act will be preceded by a formal declaration of war, which would insure the immediate neutralization of the powers.

or whether the North Atlantic squadron will make its appearance off Havana ns a beginning cannot yet be predicted. In this connection, it may be stated that the army and navy experts are beginning to take a less hopeful view of an easy and quick campaign than they entertained a short time ago. May Last for Months. Months are now mentioned instead ot weeks as the probable length of hostilities and one eminent naval officer, who had experience in the late war, professes a belief that unless outside pressure is brought to bear, a war may easily drag along for a year under the existing conditions. Apparently the powers have abandoned open efforts in Washington to influence the course of our government. Matters are quiet at all the legations and no instructions were received by any of the • ambassadors or ministers in the line of mediation. May Give Spain Until Friday. A member of the cabinet, after the meeting Tuesday, said: “The ultimatum has been agreed upon In substance, but has not yet been formally drawn up. Its preparation has been entrusted to Assistant Secretary Day, of the state department. It will be sent to Spain to-day, and will reach Madrid in the evening, the difference in time between this country and Spain being about six hours. I think you are safe in saying that Spain will be given 48 hours, that is until Friday evening, to submit her reply. In, accordance with the terms of the resolution, the president will demand that Spain shall evacuate the island. The demand for this will be flat footed and absolute, and no tentative or half-way reply will satisfy the president. Nor will any compromise that contemplates the withdrawal Of Spain’s troops from the island and the subsequent reestablishment of Spanish control or the raising of the Spanish flag over the country be accepted by the administration. Possibly it may be that a suggestion that the matter has been referred to the cortes, which meets to-day, for its consideration, may be instrumental In postponing for a brief time the putting Into effeot of the congressional resolution, but the president is disposed not to brook any further delay. It is only fair that in a great crisis like this reasonable time shall be given. “If Spain refuses to evacuate Cuba prompt measures will be adopted to put into force the congressional resolution. A blockade of Cuba will, so far as at present understood, be begun at once. There are an adequate number of war vessels in the vicinity to make this effective. I think suoh supplies as the Spaniards now control will not last them more than a month. Then steps taken, with a view to Increasing ths equipment of Gomez’ soldiers and furnishing them with sufficient hard tack for food will enable him to harrass the Spaniards from the rear, which wllf materially assist In bringing them to terms. My own individual idea is that it will probably take two months to bring about the results which will compel the Spaniards to evacuate and enable the island to be occupied by the United States without molestation. ■ "No, the United States government will not issue any letters of marque and reprisal nor countenance privateering, but if the Spanish government chooses to enter upon this line of warfare she will have to deal with the nations of Europe with whose commerce she seeks to Interfere.” Senate. Washington, April 20. —Comparatively little business was transacted by the senate Tuesday, all of the senators being fatigued on account of their long vigil Monday night over the Cuban resolutions. Consideration of the sundry civil appropriation bill was resumed, and the wide latitude of debate permitted under the rules of the senate afforded opportunity for some explanations to be made concerning the action of the senate upon the Cuban question. At 12:27 p. m. a message was received from the house of representatives announcing the signature of the speaker to the Cuban resolutions.

Eight minutes afterwards the vice president announced his signature to i the Cuban resolutions. Senator Allen (Neb.) offered a resoI lution recognizing Cuban independence and declaring that the United States ; would insist Cuba should not be I responsible for any debt of Spain. He ' and Senator Butler discussed it. I Senator Hawley (Conn.) introduced a bill to increase the military strength of the United States. It is in accordance with the wishes of the war depart- ! ment. The senate then adjourned until j Wednesday. House. Washington, April 20. —The house 1 presented a most desolate appearance when it convened at noon, after the : weary all-night session. While the journal whs being read Mr. Hager (rep., Ta.), chairman of the committee on enrolled bills, brought in the Cuban resolutions, which had been enrolled under his personal direction. The speaker immediately signed them and as soon as the reading of the journal was concluded at 12:16 p. in. he announced his signature. There was no demonstration. The enrolling clerk at his side seized the resolutions and hurried with them across the capltoi. Mr. Dingley stated that in view of the fact that the house had been sitting all night and that the members were weary, he would move to adjourn. Accordingly, at 12:82 p. m., the house adjourned.