The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1898-07-29
PEACE PROPOSALS.
spain Commences To Think She
Has Had Enough.

!
Washington, July 26.-The
| Spanish government has sued
| for peace, not indirectly through
! the great powers of Europe, but
by direct appeal to President
Mckinley The proposition was
| formally submitted to the presi-
dent this afternoon by the
French am bassador, NJ. Jules
Cambon, who received instruc-
tions from the foreign office at
Paris today to make tender Of
peace, formulated by the Span
ish ministry. At conclusion Of
the conference between the pres
ident and the French ambassa
dor, the following official state
ment was issued from the white
| house:
The French am basSador on be
half of the government of Spain,
and by direction of the Spanish
minister of foreign affairs, pre-
sented to the president this after
noon at the white house a mes
sage from the Spanish govern
ment looking to termination of
war and settlement of the terms
of peace.
This was the only official state
ment made public but it sutfic-
ed 70 put at rest all conjectureS,
and make clear at last that Spain
has taken the initiative toward
peace.
Washington, July 21.-1n a
| day or two our government Will
| have determined and commune
Gated to the French ambassador
just what steps leading towards
peace it will take, 1t is likely
that if the Spanish govern
ment is really in earnest IN
its desire for peace our govern
ment will consent to an armistice
as a preliminary. But it can be
stated positively, the president
certainly is determined to lose
no ground through Spanish
diplomacy. The armistice,
if granted, will be conditioned
upon the most binding pledges
| that it is to be followed by q
treaty of peace. Moreover, the
preliminary agreement that pre-
walls for an armlStice must
constitute in itself an under
taking on the part of Spain to
submit to certain broad condi
tions imposed by the United
States as the basis Of peace.
Military operations are to 90
steadily forward, SO far as the
United States is concerned, until
the negotiations have advanced
much farther than they are at
present They are subject to
interruption at any moment by an
armistice, but it must be said
that this is scarcely expected.
1t is realized that when the
Spanish government learns the
extent Of the demands to be
made by the United States the
first effect will be reflex move
ment, which, in turn, will result
in the continuation Of active
hostilities for time. This time,
it is expected, however, will be
brief, only, perhaps. SO long as
is necessary for General Miles
to completely invest San Juan.
That stroke, it is thought, will
bring the Spanish government
to a realizing sense Of the hope
lessness of further resistance,
if it has not already yielded to
the earnest representations OF
those European powers that
have been SO persistent IN their
efforts to secure peace. Military
experts allow two weeks as the
maximum period necessary for
General Miles to secure this
commanding position, and it is
hoped that within that time the
Spanish government will have
been brought, not exactly to the
approval Of a treaty Of peace,
but to an application for an ar
mistice that in it's conditions
will amount to concession OF
of those things most desired by
the United States government
As to the terms imposed by
the United States, it seems prob
able that our state department is
again about to give the diplomats
of the world lesson in straight
forward dealing, abandoning the
devious paths Of old. time diplo
macy and striking straight for
ward ard without double dealing
, or hair splitting toward the ob
iect in view. In such negotia
tions, conducted on the broac
nnd bira a1ann which has char