The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-31

COMMISSION to Settle the Future %
the Philippines Arufn,,s,
nrenk In Defying Americans
VIII Likely Cut Him Ont NJ Al,
in the Adjustment
or the Philippines Questiop
Porto Rico to Be Coded. Cuha 30
De Freed From the Spanish Yoke
-SDanfards Must Abandon Sow
erefgnty In West Indian Waters
WASHINGTON, July 3O.-The reply
vi the United States government to
tue spanish overture for peace was
lnls AFTERNOON placed in the hands of
WI. CANNON, the French ambassador.
TO be by him transmitted to the gov.
eminent of Spain.
IL was 4:30 o'clock before the minis
ter received the answer, and. as if
makes about LOO words in all. must
De reduced to the diplomatic cipher
ana then transmitted by cable The
MADRID authorities probably will not
receive 1t until some time tomorrow.
AT 1880 o'clock this morning, in ac-
cordance with the agreement reached
yesterday, the members Of the cabinet
began to assemble at the White house.
but it was nearly II o'clock before they
were all present and ready to resume
their discussion at the point where it
was interrupted yesterday, by adjourn
ment. Secretary Day had prepared a
draft Of the answer, based on the ex-
DreSSiOns Of his oO11ea o11as IN tba ooh;
net yesterday, and 1t was expected
that only a short time would be con-
sumed in going over this and giving
1t formal approval. It turned out 9TH
erwise, however. Probably overnight
new factors had suggested themselves
or fresh influences had been brought
to bear, for the cabinet was soon en-
gagged In an animated discussion of
the Philippine settlement. On the
other points of the answer there was
no disagreement, and these PROPOSE
tons were ratified as they stood yes
terday, namely: Cuba to be free;
Porto Rico to be coded to the United
States; one of the Ladrone islands
(probably Gauun) to be ceded to the
United States as a coaling station, and,
as an immediate step, all Spanish mil
itary forces in the West Indies to be
withdrawn, with the formal relin-
punishment by Spain of her sovereignty
over any possessions among those ISL
ands.
AS to the Philippines, the cabinet
agreed upon the following point:
That Manila bay, with the city and
surrounding territory, should be re-
tanned in the possession of the United
States at least for such a length Of
time as is necessary to devise and put
in operation some plan for the future
government Of the entire group.
After that point, the main divergence
of opinion began and all sorts of
propositions were put forward and
urged by individual members as the
best means of dealing with the future
Of the islands.
AGUINALDO'S BAD BREAK.
In the very midst of the discussion
the element that had strongly urged
the necessity of protecting Aguinaldo
in any settlement we should arrange,
received a severe check through the
receipt Of a cablegram from Admiral
Dewey, stating that the insurgent CHI ef
had assumed a defiant attitude, and
Admiral Dewey expressed the opinion
that the United States would be obl.g-
ed to make war upon them, nece5sitat-
ing the requirements of 100000 troops
to subdue the islands While this did
not bring about complete dismissal OF
the proposition to take the insurgents
into account in settling the terms Of
peace, it did have the effect to cause
an agreement upon the proposition to
defer action upon the question as to
the disposition of the islands until the
other phases Of the peace negotiations
have been satisfactorily adjusted;
meaning by that that the matter goes
over until the last Spanish flag has
disappeared from the Western hemi-
sphere, and the American flag is host
ed to stay over the coaling stations We
require in Micronesia.
The discussion lasted tvs hours ard
a quarter before the cabinet hit upon
the best course for the United States
to adopt. 1t was finally decided that
| what we desired could be best done by
! the appointment of JOINT commission.
limited in its representation to the gov
ernments of the United States and
| Spain, which commission is to endeavor
| to settle the details of the government
of the Philippines, and determine what
treatment shall be accorded the insur-
gents, the United Sites army and navy
meanwhile occupying Manila and Ma
Mia bay, and thus retaining a position
to enforce speedily the verdict that
shall be finally reached by the COM
mission.
CAMBON AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
AS the cabinet meeting adjourned AS
siitant Secretary John Moore, who had
been called into the meeting at TIE last
moment, went to the state department
to put the views of the president and
cabinet in the proper diplomatic form,
and while this was doing notice was
sent to the French ambassador that the
president would be pleased to hand him
personally the reply of the United
States government at 2:30 o'clock this
afternoon. 1t was expected that this
ceremony would occupy only few mo-
ments; that the ambassador would taka
the note and Immediately hurry with
it to his cipher clerks, and then to the
telegraph office. In this expectation
Assistant Secretary Moore went out of
town on an afternoon train and Secre-
tary Day, as he went to the White
house to meet the ambassador, tossed