Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-07-21
Tho Terms of Pence.


ard the condition of our forces at SAM
tiaeo 1t is significant of the trend of af-
.airs that the chico interest now centcrs
In the prospect of negotiations for peace.
There may be more lighting between the
land and naval forces of the two Coun-
tries hut tho Spanish as wei, as other
Europeans know what the outcome is to
be, ana only favorable opportunity Is
wanting 10 render peace Il certainty. The
Spanish government knows that it must
sue for peace and IL Is anxious to begin
negotiations, but Spanish honor has not
yet been fully satisfied AS ore Spanish
paper puts IT, peace will not he possible
until Il defeat has been inflicted upon the
American forces or until tho Spanish
arms have suffered anothe: disastrous de-
feat.
At tho present time an almost impass
able gulf separates the two countries.
Spain is said to be willing to negotiate
peace provided she Is deprived of no 9TH
er territory than Cuba, while it is GER
tain that tho people of the United States
will not be satisfied to allow a Vcstge of
Spanish rule to remain on the western
continent. We shall in all probability in
sist upon the Ceding of Porto Rico, the
granting Of naval station in the Canary
islands, the retention of the Ladrone Isl
ands, and the surrender of the Island of
Luzon, which Deweys victory has placed
within our grasp, If indeed VIC do not ho.d
all of the Philippines until an ample war
indemnity has been paid. Terms similar
10 these have been outlined by European
diplomats for the purpose of testing Span
ish sentiment. but peace upon that basis
has bconp pronounced by the Madrid govern
ment to be utterly impossible. The state
mcnt has been issued by the ministry that
although Spain now only makes war to
uphold her right TO repcl unjust agrees
sion, she will continue the struggle until
she is in a position 10 conclude an honor
able peace, whatever sacrifices she will
have to make 10 attain that end
! Il may be that Spain is waiting for fur
thor disastrous defeats to prepare the
way for peace, but tho more plausible
/ explanation Is that she hopes by pleading
a desire for honorable peace while contn-
uing the struggle to excite the sympathy
that shall assure Intervention in her be-
half. Indications are not wanting that "a
concerted movement is now on foot in
certain European circles to discrcdit this
country in the event of further hostlities,
under the cry that a mighty nation is
taking advantage of its strength to dis
member and cmbarrass a weaker coun-
try, but all demonstrations of this char
acter will simply strengthen the deter
mination of Uncle Sam to settle this trou-
I bic without foreign assistance and in such
a way as to assure an utter absence of
further trouble With Spain on the Amcri-
can continent.
Our people may decide 1t to be the best
policy for this nation not to retain per-
manent control of the Philippine Islands,
but If such control is undertaken the at
titude assumed by Germany through her
press and through the presence of her
| fleet in Philippine waters will have con-
| tributed more than any other one infiu-
ence to that result. In view of the utter
failure, and the probable inability, of the
continental powers to Europe to under
stand the spirit of the American people
the effect of the maintenance of "A large
German feet at Manila at this time will
undoubtedly fail of comprehension abroad
but the German people ought to be able
to understand the position taken by
Dewey by this time and to comprehend
its significance.
| If Spain hopes to secure moderate terms
of peace by counting the assistance of her
European neighbors, she Is taking Il
course directly opposite to that which she
should pursue. President Mckinley has
intimated more than once that Spain must
sue directly with the United States and
this ought to be sufficient notice to the
/ European powers that they will not be
allowed to NEEDLE In the settlement of
our troubles with Spain. The Spanish can
not hope for more favorable terms ofpeace
than she can secure from our government
directly and at the present time.