West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1898-07-27
SPAN SUI FOR PEACE.
Continued from 2nd page
scented his credentials to Presider

|
scented his credentials to President
Mckinley January IS, 1898.
During the late afternoon and
evening the President conferred
with most of the members of the
cabinet and the Spanish PROPOSE
ton was thoroughly discussed.
Secretaries Day, Alger, and Long
were at the White House during
the afternoon and in the evening
the President was joined by Secre
tarieS Bliss and Wilson and Post
master General Smith. There
was no cabinet meeting in the or.
binary sense, but these talks with
individual members served about
the same purpose as a formal meet
ing.
1t was understood that the Presi-
dent would be prepared to give an
answer within the next few DAYS,
and certainly before the next regu-
lar cabinet day on Friday. No in
timation came from any official
source as to the probable character
of the answer. There were strong
intimatiOns, however, that there
would be no acceptance which
would imply the stopping Of the
war when the American arms were
adding victories upon victories,
and the embarking on a vague dip
lomatlc negotiation. 1t was felt
that this government had every
thing to lose in a subtle game OF
diplomacy, in which the only GER
tain element would be the inaction
Of our army and navy. For this
reason there was a disposition in
official quarters to know what terms
were III sight before entering upon
general negotiations A prominen,
administration official said afcel
talking with prominent cabinet of
fcials, that in his opinion the stu
alton was not materially changed
by the Spanish proposition anc
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 negotiation.
are opened, the means by which
they will be carried on are not de.
termined, nor have they been off
Cially considered. 1t is understood
however, that the means likely tc
be proposed to authorize direct ne
gotiations between Spain and thi.
country, Spain being represented
by Senior Leon Castillo, the Spanish
ambassador at Paris, and the United
States by Gen. Horace Porter, ou1
ambassador to France.
SPANS peace proposal excited
the deepest interest throughout
Washington, and for the time being
war news gave way to animated
discussion of the prospects fol
peace. This was particularly true
in diplomatic circles. The move O
the French ambassador took the
other members of the corps com
pletely by surprise as they hac
known among themselves that al
peace talk up to this time had beer
fanciful, and they had no reason &c
expect that move would take def
mite shape so quickly. Several O.
the foreign representatives made
inquiries of the state department as
to the meaning of the French am
bassador's call, and learning that he
had presented SPANS proposition
for peace, full reports were cablec
to the foreign Offices. The matte,
was considered of such momen
that the cable report to one of the
foreign offices cost over a hundred
dollars.
| The conference of Secretarie,
Alger, Bliss and Wilson and Post
master General Emery Smith with
President Mckinley lasted unit
nearly midnight. At its conclusion
Secretary Alger said that no spe
cial cabinet NEE ting had been called
t1r tomorrow and he saw no pros
pect OF one. Probably no regula,
session OF the cabinet will be nee
essary for the President to deter
nine upon the answer to the am
bas5ador. In fact, from what wa.
said by members of the cabinet
who consulted the President, il
seems practically determined tc
accept the offer to ope1 negotia-
lions. 1t was stated that in effect
ing a settlement some beginning
had to be made. The offer made