The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-08-03
4 FIRM ANSWER.
President Mckinley Gave It to the
Agent of Spain.
NJ. CRmbOn, the French Ambassador at
Washington, Acting as spain's Rep
resentatlve, Receives the Reply
to the Dons' Request that
Peace be Declared.

Washington, Aug. Events of the
most momentous character occurred
at the conference at the White House
Saturday afternoon between the pres
ident, Ambassador Cambon, of France,
and Secretary Day, carrying the peace
far beyond the mere sub
of terms of peace by the Uni
ted States and reaching the point of
a preliminary basis of peace between
the governments of the United
States and Spain, needing only the
of the Madrid cabinet
to bring the war to an end. This was
accomplished on the part of Spain
when Ambassador Cambon presented
to the president credentials he had
received from the Spanish govern
ment appointing him envoy eXtraor-
dinary, with complete instructions as
to the manner of acting upon every
one of the peace conditions presented
by the United States, including the
disposition of Cuba, Porto Rico, the
Philippines, the Ladrones, indemnity,
armistice and all other questions
likely to arise in the course of the
negotiations.
With these credentials authorizing
him to speak as plenipotentiary for
the government of Spain, and with
full instructions on every point at is
sue, Ambassador Cambon on behalf of
Spain not only received the peace con-
ditions laid down by the American
cabinet earlier in the day, but there
upon entered upon their full discus
sion with a view to reaching final
agreement. After strong argument
the president and Secretary Day con-
sented to a modification of the Ameri-
can terms in one particular. The
modification brought about practical
unanimity between the president and
Ambassador Cambon and the latter
transmitted the results of the confer
ence to Madrid for approval, which if
given, will end the war.
The following propositions were
ratified by the cabinet and the presi-
dent, viz: Cuba to be freed; Porto
Rico to be ceded to the United States;
one of the Ladrone Islands (probably
Guam) to be ceded to the United
States as a coaling station, and all
Spanish military forces in the West
Indies to be withdrawn, with the for
NAL REIMBURSEMENT by Spain of her
sovereignty over any possessions
among those islands. AS to the Phil
ippines, the cabinet agreed upon the
following point: That Manila bay,
with the city and surrounding terri
tory, should be retained in the pos
session of the United States, at least
for such time as is necessary to de-
wise and put in operation some plan
for the future government of the en-
tire group.
The answer of the Spanish govern
ment to the terms of peace outlined
by the government of the United
States is not expected before Tuesday.
This opinion is based upon a knowl-
edge of the time when the communi-
cation was received in Madrid, which
was not until early Sunday morning;
the time required to decipher it, the
necessity for an extended considera-
tion of the matter by the Spanish
cabinet, and also the necessity for
carefully framing the rejoinder. 1t is
not meant by this statement to ques-
ton in any manner the full plenipo-
Tertiary powers of M. Cambon in deal
ing with the subject. On the contrary
they are in latitude wider than those
usually conferred in such cases.
His position is somewhat similar to
that of President 4LcKinley, who is
obliged to secure the sanction of the
United States senate to any treaty of
peace that he may prepare, for the
ambassador must submit to the Ma
drid cabinet for its approval any
agreement that he may enter into.
But in the drafting of such an agree
ment he is fully authorized to proceed
in his discretion, and to guard against
any possibility of reputation of his
action he has been given the minutest
definition of the concessions that will
be made by the Spanish government
on every point that by any possibility
could be expected to arise in the
course of the negotiations.
There is much speculation as to the
nature of the amendment in the an
swer of the United States that the
ambassador succeeded in inducing
President Mckinley to make. All that
can be knowingly stated is that it re-
lates to that part of the answer which
deals with the future of the Philip
pines.
Had our demand been limited to a
coaling station there would have been
no doubt of its acceptance, and it ie
even probable that the concession
might have been made or a considera-
BILE tract of land for a naval station
and supporting zone. But it is be.
lieyed that there was streDuous OBJ
lection to the cession of the city OF
Manila, the metropolis of the group
and particularly to the reference to
a commission of the question of the
future government of the islands, fol-
the Spanish government is desirous
that its full sovereignty shall remain
unaffected and without question. II
is assumed that it was this point
which was the subject of amendment
at the hands of the president, though
what form that change took is still
unknown. No demand for one ot
the Caroline Islands was made.
Six Young People Drowned.
Humansville, Mo-, Aug. 1.-Fivt
young women and one young mar
were drowned near here Saturday
while attempting to ford Pomme dc