The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-08-02
AN EXTRA
SESSION
Ha .'.---~-. ...-...- -.
OF Congress Will Be Called
by the President
AS SOON AS SPAIN YIELDS,
There Is Need For Special Army
Legislation.
AS SOON AS SPAIN YIELDS.
REGARDING PEACE PROPOSALS.

REGARDlNG PEACE PROPOSALS'
Our Concession Concerning the Philippines
Not Considered Important by the Admin
istration-our Government Not Yet Sat
isfied What Sound Policy Would Dictate
in Settling the Philippines Question, and
the Proposed Commission Will Be Prac-
tically Peace Commission.
Washington, Aug. 2.-The Post today |
says: President Mckinley will call
an extra session of both houses of con-
gress as soon as Spain accepts the
terms of peace offered by the United
States. 1t has always been understood
that the senate would be convened as
soon as the treaty of peace was ready
to be acted upon by that body The
attention of the president has been
called, however, to situation which
makes the assembling of the entire
congress necessary This situation can
be explained in a few words
Under the law which provides for the
raising of the volunteer army that
army goes out of existence as soon as
the war ceases. When this law was
framed It was not for a moment
supposed that, after the war had ended,
there would be any necessity of keeping
the army intact. The developments of
the war make 1t very evident that in
stead of sending the army back to
civil life. fully 100000 will continue to
be needed. 1t is the present intention
to distribute no less than $4,000 soldiers
! throughout Cuba, with 10000 in the
Philippines and probably 10000 in Porto
Rico.
Under the law, as soon as hostilities
cease the volunteer army is disbanded,
and the regular army goes back to its
| peace footing, thus leaving only $4,000
men In the service. This Is a total far
too small for the work that will be re-
quired. Consequently the aid of con-
gress will be needed to frame new laws
which will keep an adequate army for
garrison purposes. In addition to this,
laws must be passed to meet the new
requirements of government in the
Philippines and Porto Rico.
The president is naturally averse to
calling congress together during the
hot weather, and 1t may be decided
that the war is not ended until the SEN
ate has ratified the treaty Of peace. In
this case congress will not meet until
the first or middle of September, as It
will take at least a month or six weeks
for the full details Of the treaty to be
discussed and framed. The present
outlook is, however for an extra ses-
sion at a much earlier period, in the
hope that its work can be concluded
hafora the fall paupaiun has raacba1
, its height.
All eyes in official life were turned
yesterday toward Madrid, for it was
realized that upon the Spanish cabi-
net depended the restoration of peace.
1t had been announced here in a quar-
, ter that removed the information from
any question of its accuracy that the
decision of the Spanish government
was not to be submitted before today
at the earliest. In the absence of any
new phase In the negotiations here
speculation naturally turned back
= ward toward the remarkable meeting
at the White House on Saturday, and
great interest was manifested in every
: particular respecting that event. A
s disposition was shown in some quar-
' ters to question the authority of the
5 French ambassador to act as he die
representing Spain. But 1t can agair
u be stated that, regardless of any tech.
" nical point, such as the absence OF
P signed, sealed and delivered mall ere
dentials. which of course could not
p reach here in the little time at hand
u that the president regarded M. Cam
/ bon as fully qualified to act as a rep
resentative of the Spanish government
o in the negotiations, subject, of course
| al, aIT I,ta
u bassadors in these days, to the refer
ence of the work accomplished by then
10 the government they represent TO
-, final approval.
u NJ. Cambon made It so clear that h
IL had been fully instructed on ever!
Il point likely to rise In the negotiation
. that the president was satisfied that b!
q accepting him as the representative o
!" Spain In this matter a vast saving o
- time would be effected, and a point o
10 the most Importance that the nego
~ tiations would be technically conducts
- without the interpOsition of any neu
u tral government. However, any ques
" tlon that might have arisen as to tn
powers of the French ambassador wa
10 set at rest by the short, guarded an
- concise statement Issued yesterda
~ from the embassy Itself,
~ Then. discussion turned on the natur
OF the change made at the instance G
70 NJ. Cambon in the list of American de
mands. 1t was contended In som
quarters that no change had been made
" In others that an important modiffca
ton had developed. AS a matter q
fact as to the Importance of thi
i, change there Is a difference OF Opinio
"a between the parties, the admInistratio
m looking upon 1t as inconsequentia
% while NJ. Cambon attaches importanC
" TO Il. However this may be, as til
-, administration believes that the chang
a D is not essential, and that it ceTtainl
~, does not affect the principle of III
- document, It might be well to recaI
ha itulate briefly Just what he demand
"a of the United States were. As to Cu
a ba, 1t is demanded that Spain is to re
l. lease her government possession an
=" control. II will be noticed that notf
90 tng is said of Cuban independence, an
:, that the acceptance of this positio
~ leaves the United States free TO de-
uu with the island as 1t may deem best.
Porto Rico, with the small Islands az