The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-13


Socialists. but careful investigation shows
that the real partisans of this Spanish
Boulanger. although noisy. are few, and
scandals connected with his accommodating
a. princely fortune while soldiers under
his command were unpaid, have, FORUM
ately for Spain, greatly diminished Cen
eral Weyler's prestige. The remaining
marshals and generals. nearly all of whom
owe their advancement to service in the
Philippines or Cuba, carefully abstain
from committing themselves to any politi-
cal party. This Is the case even with such
pronounced Alfonsoists as Amicarraga and
Chnchilla, the present Captain-General of
Madrid, who, like the rest, are simply
awaiting events.
Meanwhile 1t is evident that the first re-
suit of the peace will be not to diminish
but increase the permanent military es-
tablshment Of the country, because Senior
Sagasta recognizes the necessity Of offer
| ing scope to the army by providing posts
for several thousand officers who must
soon return home. This involves the crea-
ton of new regiments and costly staff ap-
pointments, which the Ministry of War has
already taken In hand
| The drift of public opinion here is aptly
Illustrated by the following remark made
by Senior Sagasta to one of his friends:
| 1--WE have at least the consolation, amid
our misfortunes, of knowing that we have
in Cuba and the Philippines bequeathed to
the United States almost insurmountable
obstacles which for many years to come 1t
will be in our power to render still more
formidable Shouldn't be our policy to do So"
Scope of the Treaty
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 12--While the doc
| ument signed today is properly enough
described as a protocol, 1t is still techni-
cally between the armistice which usually
intervenes between active war and final
| peace.
So far as It goes. this protocol Is absolute
ly peace treaty. Thus, having provided
for the disposition of Cuba, Porto Rico
and one of the Ladrone Islands, there Is
| nothing more for any peace commission to
do in relation to those subjects, their fate
Is sealed, and the protocol In that respect
is as binding as any definite treaty of
peace. It was such protocol as this that
was signed by President Theirs and Prince
Bismarck to terminate the Franco-Prus-
sian war, and the conditions therein laid
down were not even subject to revision at
the hands OF the peace commission that
followed.
Many details remain to be agreed upon
which are not even referred to in the
protocol. Such of these as relate to purely
naval subjects will be referred to the mill
tary commission. This commission may
encounter some difficulty IN making dis
position Of the Spanish soldiers In Cuba
| and Porto Rico, and the military and naval
prisoners now in the United States. The
Spanish government is showing a remark
| able unwillingness to provide for the re-
turn of these soldiers and sailors to SPAIN
This has gone so far as to lay the Span
Ish government open to the charge of In
difference to the fate Of the men who
struggled for her cause.
European advices received here from
private sources throw light upon this, say
ing that the Spanish government is ap-
prehensfve that the returning warriors
will join the Carlsts and break out in open
rebellion against the political dynasty.
They Wanted to Sign
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-When the
members of the Cabinet assembled at the
regular Friday session today most of them
expected to have the signed protocol placed
before them for consideration. They were
| disappointed, however, for authority had
not yet come from Madrid for NJ. Cambon's
| signature. Consequently. there was far
less interest IN the Cabinet meeting than
had been anticipated.
Secretary Day said that beyond the
press dispatches from Madrid he had not
been advised of the action of the Spanish
Cabinet. When asked If 1t was likely that
a special session of the Cabinet would fol-
low the signing Of the protocol he replied
that he did not know, but he could now see
no reason why a special session would be
necessary. The President, while lacking
official advice of the Spanish agreement on
the formal document, was confident there
would be no delay In It's execution and re-
garded the prompt ending of the war as as
sured.
An official statement of the press giving
the provisions of the peace protocol was
read and approved at the Cabinet session.
1t was prepared by Secretary Day the
purpose being to make 1t public immediate
ly after the required signatures had been
affixed to the protocol. 1t does not give the
text Of the document, but details Its pro-
visions. The protocol in general is a re-
iteration of the terms of the note given
to Spain with very little difference In the
language of those terms, though with con-
siderable supplementary paragraphs Of an
| administrative nature.
| The most substantial difference Is tn re-
| gard to the evacuation of the captured ter
| ritory. The note, as handed to NJ. Cam
| bon. called for immediate evacuation Of
Cuba and Porto Rico, while the protocol
leaves the time of evacuation to be sdbse-
quently determined upon. the design being
to have the date of withdrawal left to be
affixed by joint military commission of
the United States and Spain. The position
of the protocol supplementary to what is
embodied In the note relates principally
to the manner Of execution Of the pro-
visions of the protocol.
The protocol provides for two commits
sions: first the Peace Commissions, which
will meet in Paris, and second, the Mill
tary Commission, which will meet in Ha-
yana province within Is days.
The Military Commission VIII be created
Immediately on the signing Of the protocol.
Its duties will be of great Importance. It
will settle the details Of the evacuation
Of Spanish armies from the West Indies
and will decide all questions relativ to the
removal of all submarine Mines the I'm
mediate REIMBURSEMENT to the United
States Of the great fortresses at Havana,
San Juan and other points and the transfer
of possession Of Manila City itself.
H