The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-08-11
Some Points Regarding the Doc
nment Established Beyond
Question.
Assent to Our Terms Accompan.
led by a Large Amount of
Comment.
Omcial 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 4ntil
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 II
O'Clock, made it inexpedient to hold a
conference before that hour. which
might be protracted by the Importance
OF the questions considered In the
meantime the government had been
Uniformed that the reply had been re-
ceived by the French ambassador but
contents Of the reply or its general
mature was not made known to Secre-
tasy Day or any other official of the
government. The plan was to present
the communication later in the day.
and no doabt existed that by evening
tho government would be in full pos.
session of SPANS position.
Omoial Opinion Divided.
Under the circumstances it was evil
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-
Hided. The general DRIFT of sentiment
was towards standing strictly on the
conditions first laid down by the
United States and requiring direct
answer, accepting or rejecting without
any considering of incidental questions
which Spain's reply might raise. But
ON the other hand there was believed
20 be considerable and influential ele-
ment of Americans DESTROYS Of the
realization of the present prospect of
peace, so long as every vital and essen.
fial condition laid down by this gov.
eminent was accepted. even though the
Spanish reply sought to dispose of
other incidental points involved in
transaction Of this vast magnitude.
Some Points Established.
So far as tho reply itself is concerned-
even the best informed government Of
ficials 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 SO framed
as to be considered by those who
drafted it an acceptance of all the con-
ditions laid down by the United States.
Second, it was established that this ac-
ceptance was a general characterize.
ton of the document as a 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 question as 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.
nre the seriousness of the incidental
points raised. Ii the points are purely
Incidental and formal, strong hope is
entertained in official quarters that
peace will be realized as result of the
present negotiations, but if Spain seeks
20 impose important conditions there is
a prospect of delay and possibly a re-
fusal to accept the reply as responsive
The latter condition is hardly expected,
however, in any quarter.