The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-07-19
THERE IS A HITCH.
Toral Asks That His Men Be Allowed ia
Keep Their Arms-McKinley Says
Unconditional Surrender.

WASHINGTON, July 15.-After an ex-
tended conference with the president
Friday night at which three other
members of the cabinet were present,
Secretary Alger said:
THE situation is just this: These
Spaniards at Santiago are prepared 60
surrender, but they want to carry
their arms. We have determined to
grant no such concession nor any
concession except. the generosity of
this government to transport them tc
Spain"
Secretary Alger was asked if it was
not the expectation that when it was
known that no other terms would be
granted the surrender would take
place. aud replied that such was the
case. In any event no other conces'
sou would be atforded by this govern.
meut.
~ was nearly o'clock when the con-
ference at the white house adjourned.
Besides Secretary Alger there were
present Secre tarieS Bliss and Wilson
and Postmaster General Emery Smith,
Aclt. Gen. Corbip was present during
the last hour of tho conference.
Gen. Shafter will be irnmedia tely in
| structed to carry out the determine
ton of the president. with whom the
matter has been thoroughly discussed.
| Secretary Alger did not say how much
| time would be allowed the enemy to
reach n conclusion. but it is known
| that the administration will make it
] very short and submit to no further
| parley with Gen. Toral. The next
move is surrender upon the terms
which the United States government
Spanish forces by the army and navy.
At LIS o'clock Saturday morning,
when Adjt Gen. Corbin left the war
| department for his home, he was yet
without definite information from Gen.
Shafter concerning the surrender OF
! Santiago.
| In accordance with the decision
reached at the conference with the
president. he sent instructions to Gen.
Shafter that nothing but an uncon.
ditional surrender by Gen. Torai
would be satisfactory to this govern
ment.
In view OF Skaters last dispatch nc
| fear is felt that the negotiations for
the surrender of the forces in Santi-
ago city will not be prosecuted to a
| successful conclusion. Gen. TOral,
it is known. at first insisted that
his men should be permitted to
carry their arms with them TO Spain.
This concession Gen. SAafter declined
to grant TOral has modified his de-
mand regarding the arms anC has. pre-
scented n petition that the arms taken
from his men be returned to Spain
with the troops. AS indicated in Sec
rotary Ayers statement above given
the petition has been denied by this
government.
The unusual delay. which has puz-
zled the war officials, IS accounted for
by the difficulty which Gen. Toral is
having in surrendering that part of
the force under his command which
is not in the city of Santiago.
Gen Shaftcr estimates that there
from 1000 to 5000 men in
Santiago and nearly as many
more in the province outside the city.
1t is believed that the delay in the
negotiations is made necessary in or
der to secure the surrender of the ont
: lying garrisons, some of which may
question ToralS authority to sur
render them without definite inStruc-
! tions TO that effect from Madrid.
There was entire Willingness on the
part of Gen TOral to turn over the
: arms to Gen. Shafter at the time of the
surrender. but with this was to he
the understanding that the arms were
TO be returned to the Spanish troops
when Spanish soil was reached.
This was 4 condition which had not
been anticipated. The authorities here
did not regard it as serious or us like
ly to overcome a final settlement, as il
was attributed to the Spanish ScuSi-
tivcness against the humiliation in,
volvcd in laying down their arms AT
the same time it was q poiut on
which neither side appeared To bt
= ready to yield.
One of the dispatches from the front
p after specifying that this difference
9 had arisen added that il was belie> &C
settlement would be reached before
=, Friday closed. Gen. Shafter hm
: self summed up the situation 10y say
4 ing: ''It can not be posi- tile tina
:, there will he failure in com pleting ar
rangemcnts No question whatever
has been raised rs to the surrender it
o self, Not only has Gen. ToraI agreed
o toit. but this agreement has been rati
. fed by Gen. Blanco at Havana and b.
4 the Spanish authorities ut Madrid
II A cabinet official expresses doubt a
70 the SiupCritv of Gan 'TOral on,