Morris tribune., 1898-08-10
Assent to Our Terms Acc0mpan-
led by a Large Amount Of
Comment.
Official Opinion Divided as to
Whether 1t Will Be Ac-
ceptable.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10.-Spain's re.
ply to the American peace conditions
was not delivered to the government
prior to the meeting of the cabinet.
The last of it did not reach here until
a late hour at night, and although the
cipher experts worked until long after
midnight, there was still some de"
cipherlng to be done. Moreover, the
cary assem- bling Of the cabinet at II
O'Clock, made it inexpedient to hold a
conference before that hour, which
might b. protraoted by the importance
of the questions considered. In the
meantime the government had been
informed that the reply had been re-
ceived by the French ambassador, but
contents OF the reply or its general
nature was not made known to Secre-
tary Day or any other official of the
government. The plan was to present
the communication later in the day,
and no doabt existed that by evening
the government would be in full pos.
session o. Spains position.
Official Opinion Divided.
Under the circumstances it was evil
dent that the cabinet meeting, at most,
could not consider the situation with
all the light which the text OF the reply
would give, and at most the only con.
Bideration would be as to the policy of
entertaining incidental questions which
might be raised by the reply. AS to
shis, official opinion appears to be d.
glded. The general DRIFT Of sentiment
was towards standing strictly on the
conditions first laid down by the
United States and requiring direct
answer, accepting or rejecting without
any considering OF incidental questions
which SPANS reply might raise But /
ON the other hand there was believed I
to be a conSiderab BILE and influential ele. |
meuU OF Americans DESTROYS of the +
realization of the present prospect OF .
peace, so long as every vital and essen.
tial condition laid down by this gov.
ernmeAU was accepted. even though the .
Spanish reply sought to dispose Of
other incidental points involved in a
TRANSACTION of this vast magnitude.
Some Points Established
So tar as the reply itself is concerned
even the best informed government Of
fc,als had no information, and there
MAS little buJ conjecture as to it's con-
tents several points were apparently
es;aD iSheu beyond question. First of
3aese was shat the reply was so framed
as 10 be considered by those who
drafted IL an acceptance of all the con.
sditions laid down by the United States.
Second, 1t was established that this &C.
ceptance was a general characterize.
hon of the document as whole, and
that III making the acceptance, Spain
AAd Pre- s~nted elaborate views on
each po4ut involved and on questions
which w. Il naturally arise when the
American conditions were carried into
etfeca. Ihls raised question as to
whether the reply would be received
rs complete compliance TO American
acrms or TO an opening of negotiations
0n Subordinate points. A determine.
'&1n on This matter cannot be reached
Rail- the administration has the tu!l
aeGt II the r~piy, and Is aoie to meas.
IRE the seriousness of the incidental
points raised. Ii the points are purely
incidental anl formal, strong hope is
pnt r,aned in official quarters that
peace will Ue realized as result of the
present neg citations, but if Spain seeks
La impose important conditions there is
a prospect Of delay and possibly a re.
10sal to accept the reply as responsive.
Ane latter condition is hardly expected.
however, IN any quarter