The Columbus journal., 1898-08-10
MESSAGE FROM MADRID
Cambon Receives Spain's Ans
wer to Peace Conditions.

wer to Peace Conditions.
CANE IN SEVEN LONG. SECTIONS.
Length Of the Answer to Peace PROPOSE
tions Taken to Me:n That Spain May
Haxgles Some of the Conditions.
Much Speculation n. to Contents Of the
Message-Son,e Questions Left Open.
WASHINGTON, Aug 9.-The reply of
the Spanish government to the peace
conditions laid down by the United.
States was received by the French am
bassador, N. Cambon, shortly before 3
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. The reply
came in sections. the dispatch first re-
, ceived giving only the opening passages
of the Spanish reply. A few minutes
later another dispatch brought a second
section and these kept coming uninter-
ruptedly by procession Of messengers
until seven sections Of the Spanish reply
had been received at 10 minutes of 4,
when the last part was still to arrive.
In the meantime the cipher experts
were at work and by $50 O'Clock they
were abreast of all that portion of the
reply received mp to that time and there
was a lull of some time pending the ar
rival Of the concluding portions. 1t
was thought terrific rainstorm, which
swept over Washington about O'Clock
might have Occasioned delay of the
remainder.
Speculation Ms to Reply.
Pending the official delivery of the
answer speculation was rife as to its
contents. There was little or no fur
ther doubt that the length of the reply
meant that Spain had not given q
simple and direct Affirmative to the
American conditions. 1t was evident
that if the reply was an acceptance, it
was accompanied by extended discus
I, sion and probably by conditions. This
caused considerable apprehension in
official circles here, for while it was
felt last week that Spain would surely
yield in every particular, it began to be
felt that possibly there might be an
other period Of discussion and possibly
an indirect attempt to open up a diplo-
matte exchange ON the nature of the
terms. The prevailing view however.
was that the reply was ON its face an
acceptance, although not such one as
precluded all possibility of further dis
cussion. All vital points were believed
to be conceded-the abandonment of
Cuba, Porto Rico and the LadrOnes
and the establishment of q commission
to pass upon questions relating to the
Philippines. In the carrying out of this
program it was believed that Spain
would seek to secure an understanding
ON many incidental points involved,
some of them Of considerable import
ance. e
For instance, some doubt was raised
as to whether Spain's acceptance would
be operative until referred to and rati-
fed by the Spanish cortes, and it was
understood that the reply might call
attention to this condition. The same
condition, it was pointed ont, exists as
to the United States for a peace treaty
requires the ratification of the senate to
become operative. In case Spain's ans
wer discussed these incidental points
there promised TO be wide latitude for
controversy, and delay unless the presi-
dent and cabinet declined to enter the
field of discussion.
Late in the afternoon the president
received an indirect intimation that the
Spanish reply had come to the French
embassy. A cabinet officer who was
with him ut this time, said on leaving:
Several Questions Left Open.
"The information that has come from
Madrid about the action of the Spanish
cabinet indicates the Spanish have ac-
cepted our terms in a general way, but
leaves several questions open that we
did not include in the terms submitted.
The communication Offering those terms
was explicit, specifically stating such
points as would be left open to further
negotiations. We will stand on these
terms"
The administration has not yet given
serious consideration to the personnel
of the peace commission, but it can be
stated that no one not in accord with
the presidents present views as to the
disposal of the Philippines will be ap-
pointed, and Mckinley favors keeping
at least Manila harbOr and sufficient
territory around it for its support and
protection, if not the whole of Luzon
island. As to members of the cabinet
as members of the commission, there
are precedents for their appointment.
notably the treaty of Ghent.
The concluding portion of the Spanish
reply was received during the evening
but it was not until late hour that
it was deciphered as whole and gone
over by the ambassador. No effort was
made to communicate it to the United
States government last night beyond
note to Secretary Day advising him
that the document had been received
but not disclosing its contents. There
is complete reticence in all quarters as
to the text of the reply, but there is
reason to believe it is not an unqualified
acceptance of the American terms, but
is framed on the theory Of accepting the
essentials and trusting to hoped-for
conciliatory spirit ON the part of this
government to moderate to some extent
features which the Spanish government
seems to regard as unessentials.
Talk Of Day Resisning.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-The published
report of the intention of Secretary
Day to resign the Office of secretary of
state upon the termination of the pres
ent war, is based ON statements made
at the time he assumed Office to the eff
feet that he would consent to hold it
but short time: No official utterance
as to the secretary's purpose is now OBJ
tainable and Secretary Day himself de-
clines to make any statement ON the
subject, SO it cannot be ascertained pos
itively whether or not the period of
time which he had in mind as to the
length Of his service when he assumed
Office has about exuired