The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-05
And at which Secretary of State Day
Rico Must Be Evacuated at Once.
ANSWER MAY COME TO-DAY
AND THE ADMINISTRATION is CONFI-
DENT 1T WILL BE FAVORABLE.
Request that Paris he the Meeting
Place of the Commission Granted
by President Mckinley.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4-There was an
expectation at the State Department that
perhaps towards the close of the afternoon
some word might be received from Spain
through the French ambassador in reply to
the Presidents deliverance yesterday on the
subject of the peace conditions. This ex-
pectation was based on the fact that the
terms themselves had not been modified in
any essential point, so there was little oc-
casion for prolonged discussion by the Span
ish Cabinet, which was presumed to have
thoroughly considered this matter before
rendering the first reply However, it was
perceived from the news dispatches that the
Madrid Cabinet meeting had been inconclu-
sive, so 1t was then presumed that nothing
definite could be expected before to-mor-
row noon at the earliest. There is conf
dent belief among the administration Off
| Gals that the Spanish government will ac-
cept the terms laid down by the President
and that the delay of day or two in recog-
nizng the inevitable is to be accounted for
| by reason of Spanish internal politics, which
would not countenance submission without
at least display of a purpose to improve
the terms. This, however. cannot be ac-
complished. and the French ambassador
VINO is well aware of that fact. unquestion-
ably has so informed the Spanish govern
| ment, though that government has pre-
served its record in good form to meet the
criticism of its political opponents by sub
| mitting the counter-proposition presented
yesterday by NJ Cambon to the President
PARIS SELECTED.
There is no doubt that the peace negotia-
tions are progressing to the entire satisfac-
ton of the President and the members of
the Cabinet. A statement to that effect was
made to-day by a high official(of the admin
| istration. who expressed the belief that
within very short time there would be a
complete cessation of hostilities. The con-
ference yesterday afternoon at the White
House. in which the President NJ. Cambon
and Secretary Day participated, was de-
voted almost entirely to discussion of de-
tails which are regarded by the President
as unimportant and hence the requests of
the French ambassador. for the most part
will be acceded to. One of these was that
the commission to be appointed to settle
the terms of peace, shall meet outside of
| the United States, and preferably in France
| The President sees no material objection to
granting this request and it is said to be
practically settled that the conferences will
| be held in Paris. The Madrid government
| through M. Cambon. propounded number
| of questions as to the time when Spain
would be expected to evacuate Cuba and the
| territory to be ceded to the United States
| and as to what provision would be made
| by the United States to protect the inter-
| ests of Spanish subjects in these islands
while the evacuation was in progress. NJ
| Cambon was informed on all these points
presumably to his satisfaction.
| There is one point, however, which the
| Spanish authorities, judging from their
| communication to their representative here
| failed to comprehend, and Secretary Days
| call on the ambassador last night was for
| the purpose, principally, of making perfect
| ly clear this point, which was that the
| evacuation of Cuba, Porto Rico and one
| of the Ladrone islands, to be selected by the
| United States and the permanent cession
| to this government of all these islands, ex-
| cept Cuba, was made condition precedent
| to all peace negotiations, and that not
until these terms had been fully complied
with would this government consent to en-
| tertain any peace propositions whatever.
| This very important condition does not, it
is said, seem to be fully comprehended by
the Madrid authorities, and it was with the
view to setting the ambassador straight on
this point that Secretary Day made his call
| On NJ. Cambon last night.
WILL ACT FAIRLY.
| The questions on which the Spanish gov
| ernment have SO far asked for additional
| information are regarded by the administra-
| ton as perfectly legitimate and proper, and
| up to this time nothing has occurred to
| bring in question the sincerity of its mo-
| tives. Under these circumstances it is the
| purpose of the President to deal with Spain
| in a spirit of perfect fairness and to make
| the road TO peace as smooth for it as the
| rights and dignity of this govrnment will
| permit, and to this end unimportant conces-
| sions will be readily granted
1t was midnight last night before the con-
cession of the President regarding the meet
ing place of the peace commissioners was
communicated to the Madrid authorities
The French ambassador was not disappoint-
ed in the result of his meeting with the
President yesterday. He realized that the
| Spanish plea for an abatement of the condi-
tions would be useless. so far as it touched
the vital points of the demand. He un-
doubtedly had reached that conviction at
the second interview, when the President
in going with him over the terms he pro-
posed as basis for peace, had impressed
strongly upon him the determination of our
government not to indulge in haggling for
advantage not to be equipped with two sets
of terms maximum and minimum condi-
tions. but TO lay down at once the propo-
sitions that the United States deemed to be
fair and just as a basis for peace, and
having done so, TO adhere to them firmly
so far as all matters of principle are con-
cerned. But the French ambassador felt
that il was his duty regardless Of his per-
sonal convictions. 10 lay the plea of the
Spanish government before the President
and that is what yesterdays meeting