The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-11


I5nr step to-day when the secretary OF
s,,to and the French ambassador
arroo5 mon the terms upon which fu-
+Tre negotiations for a treaty are to
ho conducted and reduced these to the
Sorm Of a protocol. This protocol. 1t is
+ruc Is yet to be signed and Is to be
snhmIted to the Spanish government
before the formal signatures are af-
sxed but the ADMINISTRATIONS view as
40 the progress made to-day was set
ou, IN secretary Days sentence: ut is
expected that this protocol will be ex-
eruted."
There IS always the possibility In
dealing with the Spanish government
that ii mag recede at the last moment
from an implied agreement, but 1t IS
scarcely probable that 1t would be will
ing 10 involve the French ambassador
IN the difficulties that would follow
what 10 the world would seem to be a
repudlation OF his benevolent Efforts IN
behalf OF Spain.
NeesSIary Delay.
There must be a delaE-possibly from
tven,y-tour to 1orty-eight hours-be-
fore the next step can be taken and the
protocol made binding upon both the
fTnIted states and Spain by the attach
ment OF the signatures Of the plenipo-
tentiaries, Secretary Day, for the
limited States, and N. Cambon. for
spain. The delay will be largely at
tributable to physical causes. The pro-
torol is long; II must be translated and
turned back and forth into code and
slnple language no less than FIVE times
before Il reaches Madrid through the
French foreign office. This work was
not begun until late this afternoon az
ter It had consumed the best energies
OF Assistant Secretary Adee, OF the
state department, and n. Thlebaut'
secretary OF the French embassy, in
the preparation In formal shape OF two
copies OF the protocol, one In English
and one In French. These were pre-
panSs sSEanys carefully. the idiOmatic va
rance In the two languages necessitdt-
ing the greatest caution in order that
the Identical character of the two copies
should be preserved. The length Of the
protocol Imposed a great amount OF
labor upon the cipher clerks, or who-
ever is charged with the work of rem
darlng the original into cipher, SO that
altogether It is apparent the consump-
ton Of time Involved Is purely me-
chanlcal functions will be so consider
able as to make the rendition Of very
early answer Improbable.
Character Of Protocol,
As to the character of the protocol,
1t can be stated on authority TINT the
terms are in oil practical points those
set out in the abstract of the Presl-
dents conditions published from the
white house a week ago. From this
fact 1t Is deducted that the extra con-
dltions or qualifications sought to be
imposed bE the Spanish government
we're abandoned, at least In large part,
by the French ambassador. This de-
ducton ~ supported by the clrcum-
stances that In the early morning and
before the conference between Secre-
tary Day and n. Cambon which result
ed In the agreement. there was preva-
lent impression, based upon the utter
ances Of public men who have talked
with the President, that the Spanish
answer was unsatisfactory and that the
negotiations looked as II they might
terminate suddenly. AS this question
changed so suddenly after the confer
ence, 1t may be fairly assumed that the
ambassador abandoned the conditions
which the President was Teputed 10
have regarded as unsatisfactory.
II Is believed that the protocol cnr-
rles within itself provision for the ces-
sation OF hostillties. On this point the
naval continnent Is urgent that our
government adopt the Nnpolennlc poll
Icy Of refusing to enter Into an arnis-
tee without acquiring some substan-
tal pledge to secure the contamination
OF peace, What they particularly de-
sire is that our government shall de-
mand MS \ condition OF the cessation Of
hostlities, the surrender to the United
States military forces OF Morro Castle
at the entrance OF Havana harbor and
some such points OF vantage Mt the
other important ports IN the territory
coon to fall under our control.
The Pence Commissioners.
The peace negotiations are now be-
lieyed 20 be advanced to n point where
the President has felt Warranted in
turning his attention TO the selection
OF the commissioners 10 be charged by
the United States with the drafting oi
4 treaty Of peace.
So FAR rs can be gathered, but ono
name has been positively determined
spon, namely, that OF Secretary Day
WHO will head the commission. Beyond
mat point there Is no certainty, al
though gome prominent names have
been brought forward. Mr.. WoOdford,
our late minister to Spain, has been
mentioned. though ms he is credited
WIN entertaining desire 20 return "a
Madrid In the capacity OF Unlted States
minister. after the war, the two ambl.
uon' might conflict. peace commls.
Hgher not always being welcome na q
Munster resident, particularly where
ne mas been party 10 forcing an OBJ.
nokipuS peace upon the country Il
which he Is TO be accredited one oi
lhe names that finds universal approval
among persons Verscd In diplomacy s.
lhll df Minister Eustis. X-nmbnRgndoi
70 France, whose gtnunch Amcrlcnnism
combined with diplomatic knowledge
shl legal ability, are urged aa httlnp
MN especially for appointment as peac,
commissioner. Tile fact that Mr.. Euatl,
Us Democrat would not miFitnt,
against his chances az Il Is presumed
me President would rather prefer tc
make the commission non-pnrtizan.
ASIgn nrPrHsr.
The naval officers have made up theil
minds that peace Is at hand and ar'
planning for a reduction Of the navn
Establishment 10 u peace basis. Tn,
"fst step 10 bn taken viii be the retire,