The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-08-12
THE SPANISH REPLY.
The Long-Expected Answer to the
Presidents Note Unsatisfactory.
A CONFERENCE WITH M. CAMBON,
The PARTIES at the Meeting win Not Make
Public what'Occurred--Nfi military Oper-
atioDs In Porto Rico to
BE Pushed.

Washington, Aug. A.-After a con.
ference on the peace question lasting
just an hour yesterday afternoon be.
tween the president and M. Cam bon,
the French ambassador, the latter act
ing as the representative of Spain,
Secretary Day emerged from the white
house and announced that the confer
,ence was inconclusive, wherefore the
parties to 1t had agreed to say
nothing public as to what had
occurred. The secretary did not
appear TO be discouraged as
he made this statement, though
he admitted that no time had been set
for another conference. From this 1t
is gathered that the long. an
sswer of the Spanish government to the
presidents note, upon being received
had turned out to be just as was ex-
pected-either counter proposition
or a request for a fuller statement in
detail upon some of the heads of the
presidents note.
Meantime, in consonance with the
declared purpose of the president at
the beginning of the overtures, this
conference is not operating to restrain
military operations in any degree.
Orders went out yesterday for n con-
ference of leaders of the regiments to
accompany Gen. Wade to Porto Rico
and within "a hours some of the troops
of this expedition will be boarding
the transports at Newport News. 1t
is felt that, even should an armstice
be declared before these troops see ac-
tive service at the front, it will be
beneficial for them to have made the
trip, for otherwise there was danger
of the morals of the troops being de-
stroyed through their craving to get
away from the big concentration
camps and at least see the shores of
Cuba or Porto Rico
On the assumption that peace is near
at hand some attention is being given
TO the steps by which this may be
brought about formally, and the meas
ures necessary TO be adopted immedi-
ately afterwards. 1t is said to be not
at all improbable that the prelimi-
naries leading up to the signature of
the treaty may consume fully three
mont this, so that 1t may be well along
toward the legal date of the assembly
of congress before the president will
be pre- pared to submit peace treaty
to the senate. 1t does not follow from
this that an actual state of war will
prevail during this interval of three
months, for, as a matter-of fact, hos
tilities will terminate within a very
few days after Spain has notified the
United States government of her ac-
ceptance of the terms laid down in the
presidents note of last Saturday. The
a ,,h
be maintained during that time and
many acts performed that are incident
10 actual warfare.
1t is expected here that the Spanish
pledge TO accept the broad conditions
laid down by the United States will
take the form of written agreement,
something in the nature of a protocol,
which, while very necessary step in
the negotiation of treaty, is not al
WAYS part of the documents The
negotiations have not progressed sutfi-
rciently TO indicate who shall be the
parties to this agreement, or rather
who shall represent the principals
the United States and Spain. II is
possible that it may be signed in
Washington, as between Secretary
Day and M. Cambon, or on the other
hand the ambassadors of Spain and
the United States in one of the Euro
pean ountries-probably in this case
France might meet and by the au'
thorization of their respective govern
ments sign this agreement. The pro
tocol. If it may be so called, in either
case would not take the place in any
manner of the treaty of peace which
would be drawn up later by commits
sioners to be appointed for this pur
pose.
Under the terms of the PRESIDENT
note, if they shall be accepted by
Spain, the Spanish government IL
bound to evacuate Cuba and Porto Rice
Immediately. This action is not t.
wait-upon the work of the peace com
missioners, but is to preeede it, anC
to follow Immediately upon the sigma
ture of the memorandum accepting
rthe presidents conditions. The wore