New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-31
NJ. CAMBON RECEIVES REPLY
IT WAS COMMUNICATED TO HIM AT
THE WHITE HOUSE-TEXT NOT
MADE PUBLIC.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBrSE.l !

4
| Washington, July 30-The Administration S
reply to the overture for peace. made last Tues
day through NJ. Cambon. was definitely framed
| to-day, approved by the Cabinet and communi-
] Gated to the French Ambassador by the Presi-
| dent In the course Of a personal interview which
| lasted the better part of three hours.
AS the text Of the answer could rot with pro-
| priety be made public here before it had been
transmitted to Madrid the general expectation
that the conditions which this country was
willing to grant cessation OF hostilities would
| be given at once 10 the would was more or
less frankly disappointed. Nor was any official
or semi-officia abstract OF the note prepared
| for publication. the Administration preferring
| to allow its precise contents to be divulged at
! Madrid rather than at Washington.
II is known however. that the long discussion
| in the Cabinet yesterday over the expediency
or the inexpediency of disclosing % Spain at
tn time the probable policy q the United States
| In the Far East ended in a victory for those
| who have held tha. the future of the Philip
I pines should be determined only after Spain had
accepted the far more essential conditions Of
peace embodied in the evacuation Of cuba and
the session Of Porto Rico 1t is understood that
the note delivered to NJ Cami~n this after
noon VIII show. when its full text appears, that
the original purpose Of the state Department
to name as the sole condition Of the restoration
10 Spain of the Philippines the retention by
the United States OF a single coaling station and
naval base. has been modified that the whole
problem Of the future ownership and govern
uent Of the Philippine group is to be reserved
for settlement by a special commission.
This commission to begin ts work only when
Spain has made negotiations possible by agree
ing absolutely to abandon al! claims to sover-
eighty In the West Indies. II the Philippines
are 10 become wholly American. or even a single
island in the archipelago like Luzon is to be
retained. It will. Of course, become necessary to
establish coaling stations both in the Ladrones
and the Carolines. and a coaling station and
, naval base In the Ladrones seem now neces-
sary outcome Of peace. whatever disposition is
made of the Philippine group. It IS certainly
further stipulated in the reply that Cuba aud
Porto Rico are to be surrendered by Spain free
from obligations though the question Of making
some equitable disposition of the Cuban debt
and Of the claims against Spain for damages
arising out Of the Cuban insurrecton, will prob
Ably he committed for solution 10 the joint COM
mission. which is to arrange the details OF the
treaty after the main points ot settlement in
sisted on by the United States nave been yield
ed by Spain.
PEACE PROSPECTS ENCOURAGING.
Members OF the Cabinet are very much en-
couraged tonight over the prospect that iurther
aggressive military and naval operations Will
be unnecessary and thai the hard fighting OF the
war is past This feeling is based to some ex-
tent upon the disposition evnced by Ambassa-
dor Cambon TO take more active part In the
negotiations than mere transmitter OF
notes between the belligcrents. His protracted
stay at the White House this afternoon has not
been the only indication of his ambition 10 be
in an appreciative degree instrumental in eX-
peAitirg the conclusion Of peace without in any
manner involving his own Government in any
responsibility beyond that OF strict neutrality.
II is the impression that NJ Cambons great ex-
perience In the colonial affairs OF France will
make his advisory comments on the American
stipuations Of great value 10 Spain, and will
enable the Madrid authorities 10 have a clearer
conception OF the comparative moderation OF the
terms announced to day. and the advantages OF
accepting them In preference 10 the harsher
ultlmatum which must result II the conflict is
prolonged.
a striking instance OF this encouraging outlook
Is given in the initiatory steps taken to-day 10
Continued on second page.