The record-union., 1898-08-09
Reason to Believe That the Spanish
Reply
Is Not an Unqualified Acceptance Of the
American Terms, but an Indirect
Attempt to Open the Way for
Further Discussion.

of the Spanish Government to the peace
conditions laid down by the United
States was received by the French En-
bassador, NJ Cambon, shortly before )
o'clock this afternoon. The reply came
in sections, the dispatch first giving
only the opening passages of the Span
ish reply. A few minutes later came
second section, and they kept coming
uninterruptedly by a procession Of mes
sengers until seven sections of the
Spanish reply had been received at ten
minutes to / o'clock, when the last part
was scheduled to arrive. In the mean
time the cipher experts were at work,
and by 1870 o'clock they We're abreast
of all portions of the reply received up
to that time and there was lull for
some time, pending the arrival Of the
concluding portions. 1t was thought
a terrific rainstorm which swept over
Washington about 4 o'clock might have
occasioned delay to the remainder.
Pending the receipt of the complete
reply, no steps were taken to fix
time for a conference with the Presi-
dent. as the time for that depended
largely upon some Of the features OF
the reply, and also upon the explicit
instructions concerning the delivery of
the answer which usually accompanies
a document of this solemn character.
The concluding portion of the Spanish
reply was received during the evening.
but it was not until a 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 tonight. beyond a
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 Amer
lean terms, but is framed on the theory
Of accepting the essentials and trusting
TO a hoped for conciliatory spirit on the,
part of this Government to moderate
TO some extent features which the
Spanish Government seems to regard
as unessential
Pending the official delivery of the
answer, speculation was rife as TO it's
contents There was little or no fur
ther doubt that the length Of the reply
meant that Spain had not given a SIM
pie and direct affirmative to the Ameri-
can conditions 1t was evident that If
the reply was an acceptance it was ac-
companed by extended discussion and
probably by conditions. This caused
considerable apprehension in official
circles here, for while il was felt last
week that Spain would surely yield in
every particular. it began TO beget that
possibly there might be another period
of discussion. and possibly an indirect
attempt 70 open up diplomatic ex-
change on the nature of the terms.
The prevailing view, however, was
that the reply was on its face an ac-
ceptance, although not such a one that
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 a commission
TO pass upon questions relating to the
Philippines.
In the carrying out of this program
il was believed that Spain would seek
to secure an understanding on many
Incidental points involved some OF
them of considerable Importance. For
instance. some doubt was raised as Il
whether Spains acceptance would be
operative until referred to and ratified
By the Spanish Cortes, and il was un-
derstood that the reply might call at
tention TO this condition. The same
condition. it was pointed out, exists as
to the United States. fer peace treaty
requires the ratification OF the Senate
to become operative.
In case Spain's answer discussed these
incidental points. there promised to be
wide latitude for controversy and delay
unless the President and Cabinet de-
clined to enter the field of discussion.
Late in the afternoon the President
received an indirect intimation that tht
Spanish reply had come TO the Frencf
Embassy. Cabinet officer who was
with him at this time said on leaving
The information that has come from
Madrid about the action of the Span
ish Cabinet indicates that the Spanish
have accepted our terms in a genera
way, but leaves several questions opeT
that we did not include in the terms
submitted. The communication offer
ing those terms was explicit specifically