Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-08-10
PEACE IS ASSURED.
Spain Accepts the Terms offered
by President Mckinley.
no OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT YET
The Unofficial News Reached the Pres
tdent In the Form of Private
Dispatehes-War Regard
ed as Ended.


fore midnight last night Secretary
Alger, as he left the Write house, af-
ter conference with the president,
sand the administra ton had received
no official informa tion that the Ma
drid government had accepted the
terms OF peace proposed by the Unit
| ed States. Unotficially the president
had been informed that 1.-THE Spanish
ministry had acceded to the terms of
this country for a cessation of the
war. The unofficial news reached the
president in the form not only of
press dispatches, but of private dis
patches for confidential agents of THE
United States government.
While this government has strong
reasons for believing that its terms of
peace have been agreed to by the ia
drid government, the president is tax
ing nothing for granted. Arrange
ments for pressing The war to a sue
cessful conclusion are going forward
precisely as if no negotiations for
peace were in progress
AT a conference participated in by
the president, Secretary Alger and
Adjutant General Corbin at the exec
utlve mansion last night, final decis-
lon was reached as to the constitu-
ton of the provisional corps of Porto
Rico to he commanded by General
Wade.
The regiments which are to COM
prise the corps were decided upon,
and will be designated in general
order to be ISSUED probably tomor-
row. Secretary Alger saiu THAT the
,.s,l,N
Rico within a week.
Notwithstanding these warlil1e
preparations, the belief in o1frcial cir
cles last night amounts almost to a
conviction that active hostilities prac-
tically have been concluded. A prom
1nent official of the administration
said last night:
1lhe end is near, in my opinion.
The information thus far received Is
unofficial and meager, but that it is
accurate, in the main, we have no
reason to doubt. In fact, we have
reason to believe it is correct"
1t is understood THAT the reason re.
ferred to is contained in the private
advices received by the president and
from private dispatches received by
representatives of foreign govern
merits at this capitol
Ambassador Cambon, who is con-
Quoting the negotia tions for the
Spanish government has not commun-
ic0ted. so far as could be aScertained.
with the president last night, and it is
not probable that the official re-
sponse to the terms proposed by the
United States has yet reached the
French Ambassador. Upon its re-
ceapt it will be transmitted to the
president without delay.
In the event of Spain's acceptance
OF the terms proposed by this coun-
try, the first step probably will 6e
toward an agreement to close active
hostllities, pending THE draflting of a
treaty of peace along the lines of the
accepted terms.
According to precedents ordinarily
regarded, an armistice would be pro-
claimed. and in the circumstances,
thrs would mean the practical close
of the war.
1t is pointed out. however, that sew
eral precedents have Deen set aside
by this government in the conduct of
the war and in the treatment of
events which led up to it. One nota-
BILE instance in which recognized dip-
lomatic precedents were swept away
was the personal demand made by
Secretary Day upon Minister DeLome
to know whether the Spanish minister
was the author of the letter reflect
ing upon the president.
Another precedent was relegated 10
the past when the government decid-
ed to return to Spain the prisoners of
war taken with the surrender of San
tiago.
Precedents have been disregarded
IN other instances by this govern
ment. In view of this fact, therefore.
precedent may not govern absolutely
In the conduct of the peace negotia-
tions.
After the proclama tion of an armis-
uce, automatically, the newt stem
would be the designation by the pres
1dent of the commissioners to reDre-
sent the United States in the conduct
OF the final negotia tions of peace.
The terms proposed by this govern
ment provide for a joint commission
to draft peace treaty and to solve
the diffic uaty relative to the future
government of the Philippines.
W Ulie DeSU aN-
eepted precedents, this joint commits
sion would meet upon neutral groun
1t has been suggested tina, the COM
mission may assemble in Paris. but
as yet that is the merest conjecture.
The commission might meet in either
of the belaigerent countries.
Pending the conclusion of the work
OF the commission, the probahiaties
are that the armies of both Spain and
the United States will be kept in the
field, their relative positions remain
Ing unchanged during the diploma tfc
neGotia tions-
Here, again, however, precedent
may pc put aside by the United
States. but it is regarded that this
country will not withdraw any of the
troops from the field until a deter
mination shall have been reached Of
all questions in issue before the COM
missioners.
Bicycling is now the rage in Siam.
the rOyai family dax;,r