, 1898-08-01

Washington, July 31.-The best in
formed as to the probabilities declare
that the answer Of the Spanish govern
ment to the terms of peace outlined by
the government of the United States is
not expected before Tuesday.
This opinion is based upon a knowl-
edge of the time when the United
States communication was received in
Madrid, which was not until an early
hour this morning, the time required
to decipher it, the necessity for an ex-
tended consideration of the matter by
the Spanish cabinet, and also the ne
cessity for carefully framing the re-
joinder.
1t is not meant by this statement to
question in any name the plenipo-
tertiary power Of M. Cambon, the
French ambassador, in dealing with
the subject. On the contrary, they are
in latitude wider than those usually
conferred in such cases. But his posi-
ton is somewhat similar to that Of
the president himself, who is obliged
to secure the sanction of the United
States Senate to any treaty of peace
that he may prepare, for the ambas-
sador must submit to the Madrid cab
met for its approval any agreement
that he may enter into. But in the
drafting of such an agreement he is
fully authorized to proceed in his dis
erection, and to guard against my pos
sibility of reputation Of his action, he
has been given the minutest defini-
ton of the concessions that will be
made by the Spanish government IN
every point that by any possibility
could be expected to raise in the course
of the negotiations. 1t was not known
to our government that NJ. Cambon had
such powers when he appeared at the
White house to receive the American
answer. Only the President was sat
isfied that he was competent to deal in
any authorized with Dur gov
eminent The production of his Gre
dentia1s was hailed with satisfaction.
as tending to hasten the reaching of
an agreement without loss of time and
in the most direct manner for, tech
nichally. the United States is now
treating with Spain without the inter
~vention of any third power. 1t may be
said also that NJ. Cambon is provided
with authority to act with straight
,ru-orJpne. ,nurorIc bic nhinnt and |
that there is no fear of devious diplom-
acy being introduced into the nego-
tiations.
There is much speculation as to the
nature Of the amendment in the an
swer of the United States that the am
bassador succeeded in inducing Presi-
dent Mckinley to make. after the doc
ument had been so carefully con-
structed by his cabinet. All that can
be knowingly stated is that it relates
to that part of the answer which deals
with the future Of the Philippines. 1t
is known that the Spanish efforts were
concentrated upon the retention Of the
islands, and the Madrid cabinet was
willing to make almost any sacrifice
in its power to secur that end.
Whether or not the ambassador pre-
vailed in this is not known, but there
is reason to believe that the success
he attained was limited, and that the
United States proposes to retain some
foothold a little more important than
a simple coaling station in the islands.
Had our demand been limited to a coal
ing station, there would have been no
doubt of it's acceptance, and it is
even probable that the concession
might have been made Of a consider
able tract OF land for a naval station
and a supporting zone. But it is be-
lieved that there was a strenuous OBJ
lection to the cession of the city OF
Manila, the metropolis Of the group,
and particularly to the reference to a
commission of the affairs of the future
government of the islands, for the
| Spanish government is DESTROYS that