The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-02
ANTILLES GIVEN ATTENTION.
CABINET MEMBERS CONSIDER Gu
BAN AND PORTO RICAN MATTERS.

Prevalent Belief That Spain VIII
Accept Terms Laid Down to Her.
Money to BE Paid the Spaniards
Depends Upon the Balancing Up OF
Cost of War and the value of Ter
ritOry AequIred-NO Indication of
Further HOstiIities.
Washington, Nov. 1.-The cabinet to-day
devoted most of its attention to consider
alton Of questions connected with the adj
ministration of affairs in Cuba and Porto
Rico. The administrative feature of the
Philippine question also received some at
tention.
Nothing has been heard from the COM
mission at Paris as to to-day's proceed
ings, and 1t is realized that nothing is to
be expected in the way of Developments
until Fridays session.
While the cabinet gave little attention
to-day to the peace negotiations at Paris.
there is no longer any doubt as to the
general purpose of this government to re-
tain the entire Philippine Archipelago. II
after final balancing of the account. viz,
the cost of the war to the United States
on one side and our acquisitions on the
other, it is found that any compensation
is due the Spaniards, it viii be made sn
a lump sum. No Spanish bonds of any
character or amount other than local or
municipal bonds, will be paid or assumed
by this government. What sum of money
this government would consent to pay
to Spain cannot even be estimated, but
when the final account is rendered il is
believed that the balance due Spain win
be small, probably not exceed
ing $25,OOOOOO or SS0,OOO,OO0. The
belief still prevails among ma
jority of the cabinet that the SpaniaIds
will accept the terms laid down by the
United States, and that whatever of delay
occurs before that result is reached will
be chargeable only to the purpose of the
Spaniards to secure the best possible
terms; to extort the last possible million
dollars before acceding to our demands.
The possibility of disagreement of the
commissioners and the failure Of the con-
ference, however, is now contemplated
with greater equanimity than at the
earlier stage of the negotiations. The ad-
rninistration has satisfied itself that Spain
is neither able or willing TO resume hos
tlitles on any scale that would make her
a dangerous opponent to the United States.
! Even supposing the Paris conference to
| fail, all that would be imposed on our
| government as an immediate duty. would
be to take complete military possession OF
the Philippines. This, it is believed could
be accomplished by the United States with
| out loss of time or life
The last vestige of Spanish military
power in the islands is that under Col
Rios, commander-in-chief of the Viscayas
Islands, and by deputlzed authority. in
charge OF all Spanish territory not direct
ly within the control of the United States
in the Philippine Islands. His force IS
Insignificant from a military point of view,
and 1t is doubtful if he could hold his own
against the insurgents, had the Tagals
been allowed by Admiral Dewey to make
Manila the base of an expedition directed
against the Spanish commander.
So far as Cuba is concerned, the diff
Guilty might be more serious, but even
there the Spanish military forces are not
in condition to offer prolonged resist
ance 10 the American conquest of the ISL
land and with the Spanish navy at the
bottom of the sea they could not be re-
inforced by troops from Spain. Therefore
about the worst that could happen would
be the necessity imposed upon us of strug-
Cling along without the signature of a
treaty of peace, but in full possession of all
the territory We desire. and that such con-
ditions can exist without damage TO ma
terial interests is shown by the history Of
the Spanish-Americ republics which re-
volted from Spain's rule.