Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-08-04

Washington. July 31.-Nearly seven
hours earnest discussion by the pres
ident and his constitutional advisers
of the nature of the response to be
made by the government to the Span
lSh overtureS for peace brought no
conclusion and the subject necessarily
was postponed for further considera-
ton at another meeting Of the cabinet
to be held at 1880 to-day. Such was
the formal statement of the situation
at the conclusion of the days work by
each member of the cabinet who was
questioned upon the subject. A final
conclusion. however, is much nearer
than this statement would seem to in
dictate. and. indeed there is little rea-
son to doubt that an agreement has
been reached upon all the substantial
points at issue and that what remains
to be done is rather to smooth away
inequalities and to adjust some minor
points OF difference before making the
answer expected by NJ. Cambon. The
point under discussion during the
greater part of ihe m9rning was What
disposition should be made Of the
Philippines. On the other issues
Immunity Developed.
There was to be independence demand
eG for Cuba: Puerto Rico was to he
coded to the United States. coaling
stations We're to he acquired at Guam,
in the Ladronc islands. and one in the
Caroline islands. These propositions
We're disposed of quickly. but when it
came to the Philippines some diversity
Of opinion was revealed. AS near as
can be gathered this did not relate
mainly to the retention Of the islands;
on that proposition a majority of the
cabinet was speedily recorded in the
negative. but accepting the broad prop
ositon that Spain was to be allowed
to keep these possessions. other cues
tons naturally developed. and it was
felt these must be adjusted before the
subject was definitely disposed of.
There was no question as to the 0ro-
priety of demanding a Ccaling station
in the Philippines. The question was
as to what form Of government should
be established in the Philippines and
what should be the nature of the guar
antee required OF Spain that the new
government should lie liberal and au-
tonomous in character. These two
ton to interfere at all in proposing Il
change in the Philippines.
No Reference to II Concert.
\ point which was quickly estah-
lished was that there should be no
reference of any phase Of the question
Of the disposition OF the islands to any
concert or individual member of the
powers. One point that was settled,
although there was no formal action
on it. was that no protest against the
continuance of military or naval ope-
rations pending the peace negotiations
would avail in the slightest: there
would he no suspension of operations
nor modification whatever in the pres
ent plans until the Spanish govern
ment had agreed upon the plans pro-
posed. A result Of the cession Of
Puerto Rico and the recognition Of
Cuban independence by Spain was the
decision that every vestige of Spanish
government and authority in the Ca
ribbean and West Iudian waters must
be removed on formal acquisition Of
numerous islands over which the Span
ish flag flies. Furthermore. sweeping
change of authority from Spain to the
United States in our nearby waters is
to be effective also as a quit claim Of
| all Indebtedness assumed by the
! Spanish government and charged by
her to those islands, so far as the
United States is concerned, and all
commercial treaties now existing be-
tween the Spanish government and her
possessions and other powers gre eX-
| tinguiShed. Some discussion was had
as to the probability of Spanish ac-
| ceptance Of our terms. The views diff
fered, though it can be stated that sew
eral Of the more influential members
Of the cabinet believed that the terms
substantially agreed on would not be
accepted by Spain at once.