Evening star., 1898-10-21
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
Spanish Commissioners May Retire
and Force Deadlock.
ATTEMPT AT COMP LEGATIONS
This Government Fully Prepared
to Resume HostiIities.
A VIGOROUS PROSECUTION

The Paris dispatches with relation to the
peace negotiations strengthen the belief
here in the possibility of deadlock in the
commission. The press dispatches from
Paris are misleading in their references to
Spain's REIMBURSEMENT of sovereignty over
Cuba. The treatment of this as a question
still open for discussion is absurd in view
of the fact that Spanish sovereignty has
already been relinQuished by the operation
of the protocol signed in Washington, and
that the evacuation of the island is In prog
ress. The fact, however, that the Spanish
commissioners are trying to avoid the di-
rect issue which is to be considered by the
commission is apparent to the administra-
tion here, and no motive for this avoidance
can be imagined except underlying pur-
pose to cloud the question to give
Spain opportunity to retire from the
negotiations with the peace conditions still
unsettled.
The expression attributed to one of the
Spanish commissioners that the Spaniards
might submit under compulsion to the die
tates of this government, but that they
could not be compelled to subscribe to
them. is cOntirmatory of this theory of
Spanish designs.
The Spanish Attitude.
The Spanish apparently feel that 1t will
serve their dignity better to yield a stub
born submission to force without making
any concessions in the treaty Of peace, but
maintaining a passive attitude of hostility.
In this they may feel that they have little
to risk, and that by such course they will
involve this government in complications
and embarrassment. failure of the peace
negotiations would compel the United
States to continue the naval and military
forces on war footing without any defin-
lite prospect of a conclusion of hostilities,
and would probably compel continuous
military occupation of territory which 1t
is the design of this government to estab-
lish under a local civil government.
The most natural result of a retirement
by Spain from the peace negotiations
would be the immediate prosecution of act
i've hostilities against Spain herself, in
stead of her colonies; but apparently the
Spaniards feel that they have little to fear
from this. The injury to her commerce.
what there is left of it. she would prob
ably count on avoiding by transferring 1t
to another flag, and it is known that Spain
holds to the idea that for the United States
to carry the war into Spain proper would
excite the interference of one or more of
the European powers. The SpaniardS are
now doing all in their power to arouse the
compassion and sympathy of their Euro
pean neighbors. and II is felt here that
every move of the Spanish commission thus
far indicated has this object in view.
This Government Prepared to Act
1t may be stated positively however that
the probability of such a design on the
part of Spain and no consideration that
can be suggested will induce this govern
ment TO recede from the position assumed,
and that If Spain shall defeat the peace
negotiations she will be compelled to suffer
the CONSEQUENCES according to the rules of
war. The whole character of the war If
hOstlueS have to be resumed on account
OF the bad faith of Spain, will be changed
Since the suspension of hostilities this gov
ernment has not been idle The naval es-
tdDllshment has been materially improved
and is in better condition for aggressive
operations than 1t has been at any time
before since the war began. A strong fleet
could be sent into Sapnish waters on very
short notice, and its operations would not
be limited as was the case early in the war
by the necessity of maintaining blockades
and protecting our own coast. The army
while numerically reduced is more eff
fectIEely organized and better capable of
severe service, and this government has not
lost sight at any time Of the possibility of
Spain proving her insincerity in the peace
negotiations, and is prepared to act If it
snail become necessary.