The Portland daily press., 1898-08-08

Bat Washington Believes the End
Has Come.

Washington, August ?.-Although as
st without official confirmation repor ted
rom Paris that the Spanish government
las decided TO accept the terms laid down
Iy the United States as es sentia1 TO The
negotiations of a treaty of peace. the
ofticials are proceeding under tlhe conylc-
lon that the end has come and are CIV
ing attention to the steps to be taken
ext In view of the delay in coming to
This conclusion, the idea was beginning
10 prevail that the Spanish government
VAS about to enter plea in abatement
md the answer would again be 1ncon'
ciasive. In this case. the President was
isposed to deal firmly with the issue,
- give notice that our proposals were
yvithdrawn and to let it be understood
hat when Spain again sued for peace the
,onditions would be more severe than
nose first laid down.
IL the Spanish answer should embody
sra effort to secure any material change
N the conditions, 1t Will meet Wild
-,roInpt rejection.
some reference has been made in the
dispatches of British newspapers to de-
ire on the part Of the Spanish govern
lnent to include in the preliminary
agreement clause exemrting it from
ability for the Cuban debt The formal
stAtement of the poin5s of the United
~.tates given out from the White House
made no reference to this subject and it
fcannot be known as yet whether or not
ne full text shows anything more But
uresuming that no reference whatever is
made to the Cuban debt, it is possible the
aubiect MAJ be regarded as one that
ha 81
fioners who are to meet later to frame the
1reaty which, of course. will embody
many details that are left untouched in
tho main proposition. though cabinet
Ulcers have authorized the statement
nat no part Of the Cuban or Porto Rican
sebts would be assumed by the United
states.
Based upon the Associated Press re-
ports of the progress being made at
aiadrid towards returning the answer of
spain, it was calculated by the depart
1lent officials that the formal note could
not be delivered to the President before
tomorrow and that was also the bsl1ef OF
me French ambassador.
From the length of time consumed in
SIS preparation the note. was believed
70 be long, thus entailing the oonsump-
lion CT much time In forwarding 1t first
10 Paris, reducing it to cipher there,
lrans,nitting 1t over the cable ana tneh
In the case Of the last note the attaches
Of the embassy worked nearly all night
0 prepare their communication to the
Spanish government, though the confer.
noe with the President closed before
Z the afternoon, with the ambassador in
rossession of the United States note.
should the Spanish answer be an uncon-
Uitlonal acceptance of our terms, some
uegotiation may be necessary to agree
upon the steps to be taken to give effect
10 the agreement. So far as can be learned
10 has not yet been determined how this
shall be done. There are two ways open.
The first is a military capitulation by
ne captain generals of Cuba and Porto
ltico. which will Immediately place the
Anerican military or naval commanders
n technical occupation of the islands and
saahle them to carry out, in their OWL
Jay and in their own time, the embarka
ion of the Spanish armies in the islands.
The question as to whether they shall bt
permitted to carry off their arms, is not
now as material as it was in the case Of
5he surrender of Gen. Toral's forces al
santiago where occurring In the midst
Of a campaign. there was a necessity fol
iasuring the moral effect of compelling
the Spanish soldiers to lay down their
arms. Spain having succum bed it might
be urged that the United States grant 6
Concession on this point to Spanish pride
This would not apply, however, to the
volunteers who might elect to remain ir
Cuba,as it would not be prudent to allow
80 large body of mep to carry arms
Without restraint In the days of recon
struction, when delicate and difficult
matters of internal policy are to be settled
and new methods applied to the govern.
1nent of the islands. The second method
~ which the preliminary peace agree
1nent might be formally effected should be
by protocol to be signed by a repre-
Of fho hah
tAry Day il this case. and M. Cambon
~ behalf of the Spanish government. II
vas by just such an agreement as this,
lnown as the Cushing protocol that Wal
With Spain was averted as d result OF
me Virainus affair. This courss having
tie weight Of precedent may be adopted
IA this cause 1t is probable that in the
9hilippines the greatest difficulty will be
net II putting the agreement into effect
On account of the attitude of the insur-