The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-06

Washington, ID. c., August 5.-When
day he had not received the reply of
Spain nor any intimation as to how soon
the reply might be expected. The French
Ambassador had not been heard from
throughout the day. and he, as well as
our Government officials, WIS waiting
for Spain to give the final response. Two
days have now passed without ii word
officially from Spain, either in the way of
inquiry or response. From this 1t Is
clear that the Spanish Cabinet fully
realizes the time for counter proposals
or modification has gone by, and that
there is only one simple issue to be met,
namely. whether the American terms
will be accepted as whole or rejected.
There is indeed reason to believe that
the Spanish Government has been di-
rectly advised that the state of negotia-
tions is past and that only the matter of
an answer, favorable or unfayorable, re-
mains That the answer has not come
quickly is no matter Of surprise to the
officials here. for they realize the tre-
mendous responsibility which Premier
Sagasta must assume in making these
peace terms sufficiently palatable to the
Spanish populace and the political lead
ers TO permit it's acceptance without an
internal convusion. In his conferences
with the President and Secretary Day,
the French Ambassador has brought out
clearly the great task before Sagasta. 1t
comes to be the general view here that il
the Premier and his Ministry were un-
trammeled an acceptance would come at
once. and that the preliminary peace ar
rangement would be now closed. But in
preparing the Spanish public. and in
guarding against political agitations here
after by public men of other parties. the
Madrid officials are taking time for mis-
sionary work not only among themselves
but among all political and social ele-
ments. The best informed persons fix
Monday as the time when the United
States Government is likely to receive
Spain's final answer. but this is simply
conjectural. for there is not the slightest
means Of knowing the tendencies at Ma
drid. 1t might come Saturday but in the
event of its coming late in the day. or.
on Sunday. the response would
not he communicated to the Government
until Monday. There is the same
confidence among officials that there has
been from the first that Span's answer
will be reluctant but not the less CON
elusive acceptance. AT the same time
il was suggested today in some quarters
that there was Il possibility that the dis
closures made by the American General
at Santiago concerning the serious CON
dition of our troops might .e n straw at
which the Spanish Cabinet would grasp.
This is quite improbable, as there is a
question whether the statement of the
American General ever got outside the
borders Of the United States, owing to
the strict censorship imposed last night
Moreover, all the evidence reaching the
officials here indicates that Spain is
weary with the conflict and convinced be-
yond the slightest question of the hope
lessness of further opposition.
The day would have been remarkably
dull at the War Department considering
the existence of n state OF war had it
not been for the publication in the news
papers Of the round robin signed by the
military commanders at Santiago, and
the sharp correspondence between Roose-
welt and Alger. This afforded food for
some discussion among some classes. In
proof of the allegation that the War De
partment had bestirred itself to succor
the unfortunate army in Santiago before
the united protest was made. the fol-
lowing statement was given ont by the
Secretary of War regarding the ship
ment of troops north from Santiago:
Until quite recently it was supposed
that yellow fever was epidemic in Santi-