Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-08-05
THE ANSWER
TO SPAIN
BY PreSidentand
Cabinet.
No INDEMNITY IS ASKED FOR.
Demands Cession OF Porto Rico
and Adjacent Islands; Alb.
solute Independence of
Island OF Cuba.

washington dispatch says: The cab
met discussed the presidents answer
TO SPANS peace proposal Friday and
reached the following conclusion:
The absolute surrender Of Porto
Rico TO the United States.
Recognition Of the independence of
Cuba.
Cesion Of one Of the Ladrone
islands to the United States as a coal
ing station and the cession to the
United OF at least o coaling station in
the Philippines.
The question undecided is, what
disposition shall be made OF the Phil
ippine Islands as a whole. II can be
stated that there is practically no diff
ference Of opinion in the cabinet on
the question of the retention OF the
Philippine Islands, as a whole, ali the
members being opposed to our &C.
QUESTION Of these islands. There has
been no decision, however, as yet on
the extent to which the government
Will 60 in its decision respecting the
future Of these islands, but il is prob
able that the answer to the president
will express the willingness Of this
government TO leave the matter Of the
future government Of the Philippines
entirely in the hands Of O joint COM
mission to be appointed by this gov.
eminent and the government of Spain.
The probability is that the United
States will insist upon guarantee of
certoin reforms in government in the
Philippine Islands.
Our answer will make no mention
Cd the money indemnity. Neither
will there be any armistice at all. The
answer will be in the nature Of On
ultimatum, and IL Spain does not &C.
cept II she will fare worse in the
future. The note from Spain, IL is
said, was a very adroit and equivocal
document, from reading which one
would think the only question involved
was Cuba.
Apparently Spain might not really
have intended getting direct answer
from us, but to open diplomatic COR
This movement will
not have any such correspondence, but
will make Q straightforward statement
Of its present peace terms for SPANS
acceptance or rejection, naming condi-
lions that under the circumstances are
reasonable and even generous.
Cabinet Conference Held Early.
Secretary OF State Day was in con-
ference with President Mckinley as
early as 1920 a. M, preliminary TO
laying the full draft Of the answer to
the Spanish peace note before the cab
met.
Secretary Day drove over from the
state department, scarcely two blocks
away from the white house, and hur.
fled to consult with the president. He
carried with him q portfolio of the
embracing the secretary's
Fought draft OF our auGwer to Spain
Md the data in connection with the
subject.
For forty minutes Secretary Day oc.
,upied himself in close and uninter-
rupted conference with the president. |
Then began the solemn deliberation Of |
the full cabinet session. The session |
adjourned at / 80 p. m. to meet again
Il $3.50 p. m.
Interest was naturally focused in |
he cabinet meeting. It was the gen.
,ral expectation that In its results
his meeting OF the cabinet would
prove to be the most important that
has been held not only during the
present but in many preceding admin
STATIONS.
Upon the nature OF the answer TO
he Spanish overture for peace would
depend the whole future policy OF the
United States. for IL would determine
whether the nation shall now embark
,pon . policy Of worldwide expan-
hon or shall more cautiously con-
'ent itself with expelling the Spanish
lag from the western hemisphere, while
It the same time providing what may
DO In the end ample guarantee for the
extension Of our trade in the east.
ALI this means, In substance, that,
n the best judgment of close observ.
RS at Washington, the one critical
'ointis In the future Of the Philippines.