Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-08-05
THE ANSWER
TO SPAIN
BY PreSid and
Cabinet.
No Indemnity IS ASKED FOR.
Demands Cession OF Porto Rico
and Adjacent Islands, Alb
s0lute Independence Of
Island OF Cuba.

a washington ispatcn says: Inc CAD
met discussed the presidents answer
to SPANS peace proposal Friday and
reached the following conclusions:
The absolute surrender Of Porto
Rico to the United States.
Recognition of the independence Of
Cuba.
Cession Of one of the Ladrone
islands to the United States as coal
ing station and the cession TO the
United Of at least o coaling station in
the Philippines.
The question undecided is, what
disposition shall be made Of the Phil
ippine Islands as whole. It can be
stated that there is practically no diff.
ference Of opinion in the cabinet on
the question of the retention OF the
Philippine Islands, as q whole, oil the
members being opposed to our ac-
QUESTION Of these islands. There has
been no decision, however, as yet on
the extent to which the government
will 60 in its decision respecting the
future of these islands, but il is prob
able that the answer to the president
will express the willingness of this
government to leave the matter OF the
future government OF the Philippines
entirely in the hands Of q joint COM
mission TO be appointed by this gov.
eminent aud the government Of Spain.
The probability is that the United
States will insist upon guarantee Of
certoin reforms In government in the
Philippine Islands.
Our answer will make no mention
OF the money indemnity. Neither
will there be any armistice at all. The
answer will be in the nature OF an
ultmatum, and II Spain does not &C.
cept II she will fare worse in the
future. The note from Spain, II Is
said, was very adroit and equivocal
document, from reading which one
would think the only question involved
was Cuba.
Apparently Spain might not really
have intended getting q direct answer
from us, but to open diplomatic cor
respondence. This movement will
not have any such correspondence, but
will make q straightforward statement
of its present peace terms for Spain's
acceptance or rejection, naming condi.
tions that under the circumstances are
reasonable and even generous.
Cabinet Conference Held Early.
Secretary Of State Day was in con.
ference with President Mckinley as
early as 1920 q. m, preliminary to
laying the full draft Of the answer to
the Spanish peace note before the cab
met.
Secretary Day drove over from the
state department, scarcely two blocks
away from the white house, and hur-
ried to consult with the president. He
carried with him portfolio OF the
presidents, embracing the secretary's
rought draft OF our anpwer TO Spain
and the data in connection with the
subject.
For forty minutes Secretary Day oc-
cupied himself in close and uninter-
rupted conference with the president
Then began the solemn deliberation OF
the full cabinet session. The session
adjourned at 80 p. m. to meet again
at $50 p. m.
Interest was naturally focused in
the cabinet meeting. II was the gen.
eral expectation that in its results
this meeting Of the cabinet would
prove to be the most important that
has been held not only during the
present but in many preceding admin
istrations.
Upon the nature OF the answer to
the Spanish overture for peace would
depend the whole future policy OF the
United States, for II would determine
whether the nation shall now embark
upon q policy Of worldwide expan-
sion or shall more cautiously con-
tent itself with expelling the Spanish
flag from the western hemisphere, while
OF the same time providing what may
be In the end ample guarantee for the
extension Of our trade in the east.
All this means, in substance, that,
in the best Judgment of close observ.
ers at Washington, the one critical
point 10 in the future Of the Philippines.