The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-30
Can't Hold an Island on This Side
of the Allan iC.
REPLY IS NEARLY READY.
Will Probably Be Cahl8d to Madrid
Before Night.

Washington, July 29.-Nearly FIVE hours
earnest discussion by the President and
his constitutional advisers of the nature
of the response to be made by the gov
ernment TO the Spanish overture for peace
brought no conclusion. and the subject
necessarily was postponed for further
consideration at another meeting of the
cabinet to be held tomorrow morning at
1880 o'clock.
Such was the formal statement of the
situation made at the conclusion Of the
days work by each member Of the cabi-
net who was questioned upon the sub
ject
A final conclusion, however, is much
nearer than this statement would seem
to Indicate and, indeed, there is little
reason TO doubt that an agreement has
been reached upon all the substantial
points at issue and that what remains to
be done tomorrow Is rather to smooth
away inequalities and adjust some very
minor points of difference before making
the answer expected by NJ Cambon.
The point under dscgssion during the
greater part of the meeting was what dis
position should be made Of the Philip
pines.
On the other issues unanmity develop
ed. There was to be independence de-
manded for Cuba; Porto Rico was to be
ceded to the United States; coaline sta
tons were to be acquired at Guam in the
I4adrone Islands and one in ,the Caroline
Islands.
These propositions We're disposed of
quickly, but when 1t came to the Phil
ippines some diversity Of opinion was re-
vealed. AS near as can be gathered this
did not relate mainly to the retention of
the islands; on that proposition the ma
jority of the cabinet was speedily recorded
in the negative.
But, accepting the broad proposition
that SPAIN was to be allowed 10 keep
these possessions, other questions of i'm
portance developed and it was felt that
these must be answered definitely before
the subject could be disposed or
There was no question as to the pro-
priety Of demanding a coaling station in
the Philippines and while there reasOna-
bly, might be a difference of opinion as 10
the location and extent Of this station, lit
tie difficulty was expected to be encoun-
tered in solving that problem because the
matter could be referred 70 the naval
war board who are competent TO deal
with the subject.
The perplexing problem was what form
Of government should be- instituted in the
Philippines, and what should be Che ma
ture Of the guarantee required of Spain
that the new government should be liberal
and autonomous in character
These two questions hinged on the pri-
mary decision 80 Interfere at all in pre-
scribing a change in the conditions IN the
Philippines. Some Of the cabinet felt that
the insurgents under Aguinaldo having
acted independently of the United States
from the very beginning Of the insurrec-
tionary movements, and having lately
shown a disposition 10 make trouble for
US, had no moral claim upon the United
States IN the settlement Of the terms of
peace.
On the other hand. 4 was urged that our
government should lose no opportunity to
extend it's principles throughout the world,
that this would be done best in the present
case by requiring Spain TO extend genuine
autonomy 10 the Philippines. IL was upon
just such points as this that the discussion
proceeded q 2 day.
Admiral Dewey may be called to Wash
ington later on to consult with the admin
istration as TO the general situation in the
Philippines, the reforms that are needed
in the present form Of government OF the
islands and the location thai should be
reserved for orr coaiug station there.
point which was quickly established
was that there should be no reference Of
any phase Of the question Of the dispos-
ton of the islands 60 any concert or in
dividual action by outside powers.
Another point chat was settled, though
there was no formal action on IL, was that
no protest againA the continuance Of mill
tary or naval opeaations pending the peace
negotiations would avail In the slightest;
that there would be no armistice no sus-
pension Of operations nor any modification
whatever Of present plans unUl The Span
ish government had agreed to the terms
proposed
Incident to the cesslou of Porto Rico
and the recognition of Cuban independ-
ence by Spain was the decision that every
Vcstige Of Spanish government and author
ity in the Caribbean and West Indian
waters must be removed, eifecting a ma
teriai acquisition Of numerous islands over
which the Spanish flag files, one of the
most important Of which is the Isle of
Pines
Furthermore, this sweeping change OF au-
thority from Spain to the United States in
our nearby waters IS to be effective also
as a quit claim Of all indebtedness as
sumed by the Spanish government and
charged by her 20 those islands 50 far as
She United States is concerned, and All