Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-08-11

| spOnOent OF the DAILY MAIL telegraph
| ing Sunday says: The answer of the
| Spanish government declares that
| Spain cannot discuss the American
proposals but only accepts them be-
cause they are imposed on her by force.
Only few unessential changes in the
American demands were asked for and
it is not expected that President Nc
Kinley will refuse them. A commits
sion composed of Spaniards and Amer
leans will decide the question of the
Cuban debt, the dates and manner of
evacuating Cuba and Puerto Rico and
the protection of Spaniards and Span
ish interests in these places. The COM
missioners will also decide whether
Spain is to be allowed to withdraw her
artillery and the remainder Of her
arms and ammunition from the coll
onies, while the question of the future
of the Philippines will be settled by
the same body. Treaty will be signed
subject to approval by the cortes,
which will be convoked Immediately.
The cabinet council will appoint Span
ish commissioners to meet the Ameri-
cans to arrange as to the future of the
Philippines and other details.
Convinced That War Is Ended.
Washington, Aug. s.-Although as
yet without official confirmat ton of the
report that the Spanish government
has decided to accept the terms laid
down by the United States as essential
to the negotiation of a treaty of
peace, the officials here are proceed
ing under the conviction that the end
has come and are giving attention to
the steps to be taken next.
Future steps.
Should the Spanish answer be an
unconditional acceptance of our terms
some negotiation may be necessary to
agree upon the steps to be taken to
give effect to the agreement. So far
as can be learned it has not yet been
determined how this shall be done.
There are two ways open. The first is
a military capitulation by the captain
generals of Cuba and Puerto Rico.
which will Immediately place the
American military or naval COM
manders in technical occupation of
the islands, and enable them to carry
out in their own way and in their own
time the embarkation of the Spanish
armies in the islands. The question as
to whether they shall be permitted to
carry off their arms is not now as
material as it was in the case of the
surrender of Gen. ToraPs forces at
Santiago, where occurring in the
midst of the campaign there was a
necessity for securing the moral effect
of compelling the Spanish soldiers to
lay down their arms. Spain having
succumbed it might be urged that the
United States might grant a conces-
sion on this point to Spanish pride
without fear of having the action at
tIibuted to fear of the consequences
of refusal. This would not apply.
however, TO the volunteers who might
elect to remain in Cuba, a. it would not
be prudent to allow so large body of
men to carry arms without restraint in
the days of reconstruction, when deli
cate and difficult matters of internal
policy are to be settled and new meth
DDS applied to the government of the
islands.
hC SCSohu ihS thod Ny "lllCll pre-
liminary peace agreement might be
formally effected would be by proto-
col to be signed by representative of
the president, probably Secretary Day
in this case, and by M. Cambon in be-
half of the Spanish government. 1t
was by just such an agreement as this,
known as the Cushing protocol that
war was averted as result of the Vir-
ginius affair. This course having the
weight of precedent, may be adopted in
this case. 1t is probable that in the
Philippines the greatest difficulty will
be met in putting the agreement into
effect on account of the attitude of the
insurgents, but Gen. Merritt is now
gaining in strength daily, and probably
will be in position to meet any emer-
gency.