Near The Danger Point

Washington, April 5. - Delay seems to be the president's policy. Meanvhile he hopes something may happen to avert war, but it will have to come from Spain. For two days the president has been hearing from the peace advocates throughout the country, but congress is determined. One of the president's friends today sounded a radical leader in congress on the subject of further delay. He told the recalcitrant member that if the president had thirty days he believed he could bring about Cuban independenee by peace. "He will never get thirty days," replied the congressman. It is likely action in congress can be restrained till Tuesday or possibly Wednesday for the message, but I not longer. No concealment is made of the fact by the president that he sincerely desires to avert war and that he will not abandon the hope that Spain may nee the folly of her insistence upon maintaining sovereignty over Cuba, and decide to recognize the independence of the island. But while this is the hope of the president, he has little faith that war will be averted, and recognizing his duty to prepare for such a ealamity, he is urging forward every preparation to meet it. There has been no further communication with the Spanish government since the receipt of its last note in reply to the suggestions or demands of the United States and there will be none unless Spain reopens tile correspondence. This is not likely to occur, for the reason that the Madrid government understands that nothing short of the recognition of Cuban independence will be satisfactory and there is no reason for the belief that Spain will yield that point. It is uncertain what will be the character of the recommendations of the message or whether it will contain recommendations. Gen. Grosvenor, who is perhaps the best authority on the probable action of the president, in a published interview declares the message will "thoroughly review all of this government's diplomatic negotiations with Spain relative to Cuba, and will contain such recommendations as will apppeal to the sense of right and justice of the American people - just such recommendations as every friend of President McKinley has reason to cxpect from one so patriotic and devoted to his country as he is."