The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-08-10
Assent to Our Terms AccOmpan-
led by a Large Amount of
Comment.
Official Opinion Divided as to
Whether 1t Will Be Ac-
ceptable.

WASHINGTON, Aug. l0.-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
q late hour at night, and although the
cipher experts worked until long after
midnight, there was still some de.
ciphering to be done. Moreover, the
early assembling OF the cabinet at IL
o'clock, made it inexpedient to hold q
conference before that hour, which
might be protracted by the importance
of the questions considered. In the
meantime the government had been
informed that the reply had been re.
celved by the French ambassador, but
contents of the reply or its general
nature was not made known to Score.
tary Day OF any other official of the
government. The plan was to present
the communication later in the day,
and no doubt existed that by evening
the government would be in full pos.
session Of Spain's position.
Onicial Opinion Divided.
Under the circumstances it was evi.
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.
sideration would be as to the policy Of
entertaining incidental questions which
might be raised by the reply. As to
this. official opinion appears to be di.
vided. The general drift of sentiment
was towards standing strictly on the
conditions first laid down by the
United States and requiring q direct
answer, accepting or rejecting without
any considering of incidental questions
which SPANS reply might raise. But
on the other hand there was believed
to be a considerable and influential Gle.
ment 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.
eminent was accepted. even though the
Spanish reply sought to dispose of
other incidental points involved in q
transaction OF this magnitude.
Some Points Established.
So far as the reply itself is concerned
even the best informed government of.
fcials had no information, and there
was little but conjecture as to its con.
tents. Several points were apparently
established beyond question. First OF
these was that the reply was 80 framed
as to be considered by those who
drafted it al acceptance Of all the con.
ditions laid down by the United States.
Second, it ives established that this &C.
ceptance was q general characterize.
ton OF the document as q whole. and
that in making the acceptance, Spain
had presented elaborate views on
each point involved and on questions
which would naturally arise when the
American conditions were carried into
effect. This raised a question a. to
whether the reply would be received
as a complete compliance to American
terms or to an opening of negotiations
on subordinate points. A determine.
ton on this matter cannot be reached
until the administration has the full
text Of the reply, and is able to meas.
ure the seriousness Of the incidental
points raised. II the points are purely
incidental and formal, strong hope ID
entertained in official quarters that
peace will be realized as q result of the
present negotiations, but il Spain seeks
to impose important conditions there il
. prospect Of delay and possibly : 70.
fusal to accept the reply as responsive
The latter condition is hardly expected.
however, In any quarter.