Evening star., 1898-08-11
Foreign Diplomatic Methods Given a
Shock.
RESIDENTS ATTITUDE TOWARD SPAIN
Evasive Tactics Met With a Plain
Proposition.
DELAY NOT PERMISSIBLE

i
in yesterdays Star. Fhe information today
| also goes to show that the President met
Spanish diplomacy in manner which has
set diplomatic circles here agog. What is
! called the ''shirt-sleeve" diplomacy of this
| corntry again promises to triumph over
the supposed artistic work practiced for
| centuries by the Spaniards and Europe. All
| the diplomats of the old world by this time
see through the situation, although it has
| remained clouded to most of those not
versed in such affairs.
| 1t is said today that when the story of
the negotiations is laid bare it will be found
that Spain accepted the terms of peace pro-
posed, but she opened a number Of new
questions which she desired passed upon
really making the acceptance conditional
There was hardly frank manly sentence
| in the answer.
| When the President read the answer he
Immediately the old story of Spanish
delay and diplomacy. To answer the uues-
tions propounded by Spain meant further
delay. more quibbling and an endless
amount of time lost. This is just what he
had decided should not be the case
Without discussing the points presented
to his mind the President is thought to
have told M. Cambon that he would con-
would have a protocol drawn up for Sa-
gasta to sign. The various minor cues
tions presented by Spain could not and
would not be settled at this time. Spain
would have to leave those questions to the
peace commission. Thus came the pro-
tocol which Spain is now considering. Had
the President decided to answer the minor
questions proposed an interminable amount
of correspondence would have been in prog
Tess for months before Sagasta finally con-
cluded that everything was satisfactory
enough to take the step of signing peace
agreement. All that chopped off by
the protocol. Ii Spain does not sign this
the war continues If she does it ends The
protocol is an ultimatum of the straightest
character.
No Further Delay Allowed.
State Department officials try to soften
this idea, but every diplomat in the world
now knows that document has been laid
before Spain which admits of no further
delay, and upon which there can be no
equivocation. Sagasta is again beaten.
Although the protocol is in plain English,
an ultimatum, Spains honor is being
cared for by sending out the impression
that she will agree voluntarily to sign it,
She has not done yet and is gently being
! forced to make peace.
Cambon VIII Promptly Sign.
An excellent authority said today that it
was believed that NJ Cambon would sign
the protocol in hour or so after he re-
caived authority from Spain to do so There
fore the world will quickly know when
Spain has given her assent to the Ameri-
can terms. TIE signing will take place at
the State Department
Day yesterday gave the impression that
Spain would readily sign the protocol, but
the administration did not know this morn
ing what Spain would do. The question was
still open. and nobody knew when it would
be closed. If Spain signed she would be
yielding to pressure. NJ. Cambon believes
that Spain will give way and cease TO tenn
porize. The President believes Sagasta and
his cabinet will authorize the signing of the
protocol. But there was nothing more SUBJ
stantial today than this belief.
spain may give her assent at any min
ute. She may take days to give this as
sent. What the Spanialds will deliberate
over will be the reference of everything
except the main terms of this country to
commission. They may not understand
our ultlmatum and seek further explana-
tions and answers to questions which the
President Will not give.
A Time Limit May Be Fixed.
In the event of more useless consumption
Of time the President will give Spain
tWenty-four hours in which to agree TO
the protocol, which is not now limited
This time limit will possibly be fixed if
no answer is received by tomorrows cab
met meeting.
No Orders to Miles and Merritt,
Secretary Alger and Attorney General
Grfggs were among the Presidents visitors
today Secretary Alger was asked about a
story that orders had been issued to Gem
eral Miles and General Merritt to make no
forward movements, which would mean the
first step to a cessation of hostiiities Sec
retary Alger said that neither the Presi-
dent nor himself had issued any such Or
ders or agreed to issue them. He said that
naturally such a step would quickly follow
an agreement to cease hostilities, but no
orders of this nature will go to either of the
commanding officers named until the prop
er time arrives.
This government is not in position to
safely anticipate that Spain will agree to
the protocol which has been prepared, as
Well as to the steps which will follow.
Up to IL o'clock today there were no i'm
portant peace developments at the White
House, and no indications of immediate
further, progress in the situation, though
the cable authority of the Sagasta govern
ment for Ambassador Cambons signature
of the peace protocol was hourly expected
Secretary Alger and Attorney General
Griggs had a brief conference with the
President during the morning, at which
there was full discussion Of the proposed
government of Porto Rico.
While the conference was in progress a
telegram of instructions for the guidance
of General Miles In collecting tariff and
other dues in Porto Rico was sent after
approval by the President.
Secretary Alger smiled at the Boston re-
port that Blanco already had surrendered,
and said that was the first the President or
he had heard of 1t.