Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-29
SPANISH TRICKERY'
Will Have No Show 10 the Pfospec.
tive Peace Negotiations -Sagasta's
Plant No. Jus;iflad---Peace Pr0p0-
sails Must bs Bonaflde and Straight
forward.

Washington, July 2S.-It can be
stated on the authority of the State
Department and the foreign embassies
here that there were. no overtures on
behalf OF Spain for peace or cessation
of nostiiities until the French ambas-
sador last Tuesday afternoon present.
ed his note to the President. This
statement is made with full knowledge
of European denials, and must be ac-
cepted as that of the government of
the United States. Therefore, all the
talk about bad faith shown by our
government in pressing the Porto Ri
can campaign during the last few days
is absolutely without foundation and
cur government has done nothing
that can subject it to criticism on this
score. In addition to the representa-
tives of the United States government
the persons qualified TO speak for the
government of Spain in this country
make an exactly similar statement and
the alleged charges Of bad faith against
the United States attributed to Premier
Sagasta, as discredited as inventions
designed to prejudice the successful
progress of the present peace move
ment. 1t could not be contemplated
for a moment that any mere personal
exchange of views between persons in
Europe could be construed as an over
ture for peace, and although there may
have been some Of this back door"
gossip" as it is denomfnated at the
State Department, it can be again at
firmed that the United States govern
ment has not been party to It, More
over, so far as Ambassador Cambon is
concerned, 1t can be stated positively
that he made no overture, direct or in
direct, official OR unofficial. relating to
peace Or to any phase OF peace prior
to o'clock last Tuesday afternoon.
Even supposing there had been
peace overtures which there had not
been, military authorities regard Pre-
mier Sagasta's alleged statement that
peace overtures operate to stay the
course Of military operations was little
short of amazing and as directly con-
trary not only to the military law of
| the United States. but of the world re.
cogniZed principles of international
1 law. In general the international law
writer's agree that military operations
| stop only when truce or an armistice
| is actually concluded, and that this
| truce or armistice must be in writing
! Until then the mere preliminary over
ture toward suspension Of hostilities
| is not regarded as any warrant for
stopping the war. This is expressed
| in the United States instructions for
| the government of armies in the field
as follows:
| Article 147.-Belligerents sometimes
include an armistice while their pleni-
potentiairies are met to discuss the
condition Of treaty OF peace; but
plenipotentiaries may meet without a
| preliminary armistice; In the latter
case the war is carried on without any
abatement.
Another section of the regulations is
as follows:
Article 14S-An armistice is not a
partial or temporary peace; 1t Is only
the suspension of military operations
to the extent agreed upon by the par
ties.
The military authorities. as we'll as
1.-THE specific regulations of the United
States hold that there Is no suspen-
sion of hostilities prior to the agree
ment to suspend military operations.
Even then, the agreement Is binding
on military commanders only from the
time they receive actual notice OF 1t.
In the meantime military commanders
have the right to push forward and
hold such territory as they occupy. The
need for limiting this cessation of hos
tilities is obvious for until signed
agreement is made there no knowledge
of the extent of the armistice In the
present case an armistice might include
or exclude the Philippines or Porto
4 mi ixrhf
until they agree there will be no obi
cation to abate military operations In
any field of operations.
| After the signing OF the armistice
preliminary to peace status quo Is
established, and all military operations
come to a halt at the points desig-
mated, and at points not designated the
military operations proceed. In the
| present case, If the truce is general,
| Gen. Shafter, Gen. Miles and Admiral
| Dewey would simply retain the posi-
tions they now occupy and moral OBJ
legation would be imposed not to
| strengthen these positions or to make
| secret preparations for more effective
| continuance of the war hereafter. The
military authorities agree that the
| only qualifications for this rule Is that
| ACCOMPLISHMENTS may 10 bSut iVi w oh "
and that defensive, but not offensive,
operations may be continued. Under
such rule, Spain would continue her
! preparation for defending the coast OF
Spain even after suspension OF hos
| tilities, and at the same time the
! United States could send forward re-
| Inducements to Gen. Miles and Admir-
| al Dewey, but all offensive operations
| would cease.
| With these well-defned rules of mil
itary procedure, accepted by all ma
tions, the assertion attributed to
, Premier Sagasta that the mere over
lures for cessation Of hostilities
should in itself stop these hostiities,
| is regarded as unaccountable. More
over, 1t is looked upon as showing a
| disposition on the part of Spain not
| to deal with frankness and with the
usual customs of international proceed
| ure. but rather to adopt methods which
will excite foreign powers and create
q misleading prejudice against the
| United States. This view is likely to
| seriously prejudice the efforts OF the
| Spanish government toward the OPEN
| ing Of peace negotiations here. and Ia
| create the belief that the only method
| of procedure which will be clearly nm
derstood by Spain is to push the war
r~,- y.