New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-27
PRESIDENTS REPLY TO SPAIN.
1T WILL PROBABLY BE READY BEFORE
THE CABINET MEETING FRIDAY.


Washington July 26.-In the late afternoon
and evening the President conferred with most
of the members OF the Cabinet. and the Spanish
proposition was thoroughly canvassed. Secre-
taries Day. Alger and Long were at the White
House during the afternoon. and in the evening
the President was Joined by Secretaries Bliss
and Wilson and Postmaster-General Smith.
There Cabinet meeting In the ordinary
sense. but these talks with individual members
served about the same purpose as a formal
meeting
1t wos understood that the President would be
prepared to give an answer within the next few
days. and certainly before the next regular Cab
met day. on Friday No intimaton came from
any official source to the probable character
Of the answer. There were strong intimations
however. that there would be acceptance
which would imply the stopping Of the war
wnen the American arms were adding victories
on victories and the embarking on a vague dip
lomatc negotiation. 1t was felt that this Gov
ernment had everything to lose in a subtle game
Of diplomacy. in which the only certain element
would be the inaction Of the Army and Navy.
For this reason there was disposition in official
quarters to know what terms were in sight be-
fore entering upon general negotiations.
POSSIBLE COURSE OF NEGOTIATIONS
A prominent Administration official said. az
ter talking with Cabinet officers. that, in his
opinion. the situation was not materially
changed by the Spanish proposition. and that
the war would be pressed with undated vigor
| until something more tangible in the way Of
| peace terms was at hand. In case the peace
| negotiations are opened, the means by which
| they will be carried on not determined, nor
| have they been officially considered. 1t is un-
| derstood however that means likely to be
| proposed Is to authorize direct negotiations be-
tween Spain and this country. Spain being rep
resented by Senor Leon Castillo. the Spanish
Ambassador at Paris. and the United states oy
General Horace Porter. United States Ambas-
sador to France.
Senor Castillo is one OF the foremost diplomats
OF Europe and since the war began his chief
mission has been 70 go from capital to capital
behalf of Spain Failing in this he has turned
his attention to the peace movement as the last
chance for saving his country Castillo is I'm
guist. and speaks English, so that the negotia-
| tons could proceed with facility.
General Porter is regarded as able and tact.
full. and he would be guided by explicit instruc-
tions from Washington. This plan is tentative.
however. and IL is rather doubtful whether the
United States Government would consent to
have such important negotiations removed 90
far from Washington
SPANS peace proposal excited the deepest in.
terest throughout Washington. and for the time
being war news gave way to animated discus
sion Of the prospects for peace. This was par
tcularly true in diplomatic circles. The move
Of the French Ambassador took the other men,
bers OF the corps completely by surprise. az
they had we'll known among themselves that
all peace talk up to this time had been fanciful
and they had no reason to expect that a move
would take definite shape so quickly Several
of the foreign representatives made Inquiries Of
the State Department as to the meaning Of the
French Ambassadors CALL and learning that he
had presented Spain's proposition for peace.
full reports cabled to the foreign Offices
The matter was considered OF such moment
that the cable report to one of the foreign
offices cost several hundred dollars.
LIKELY TO ACCEPT THE OFFER.
The conference OF Secretaries Alger, Bliss,
Wilson and Postmaster General Smith with the
President lasted until nearly midnight At its
conclusion Secretary Alger said no special Cab
met meeting had been called for tomorrow. and
he saw no prospect OF one. Probably no regu-
lar session OF the Cabinet will be necessary for
the President to determine upon his answer to
the French Ambassador. in fact from what
was said by members OF the Cabinet who have
consulted with the President 1t seems prac-
tically determined to accept the ofer to open
negotiations.
II was stated that in effecting settlement
some beginning had to be pade. The Offer made
to-day was to be such a beginning Nothing
could be known about the terms upon which
the negotiations will be conducted or proposals
TO be made until there had been further con-
ference by those having the matter in charge