, 1898-08-06
STILL NO REPLY
TASK BEFORE SENIOR SAGASTA
ADMITTED TO BE A
HARD ONE.
lie Must Make the Peace Terms Palat-
able to His People-Belief In
Washington That No Reply VIII
Be Received Before Monday-Re-
luctant, But Conclusive Acceptance.

Washington. Aug. G.-When the
president closed his official work today
he had o received the reply of Spain,
0 any intimation as to how soon the
reply might be expected. The French
ambassador had not been heard from
throughout the day, and he, as well as
our government officials, was waiting
for Spain ITO give a final response. Two
days have passed without a word ofici-
ally from Spain, either in the way of in
quiry or response. From this it is clear
that the Spanish cabinet fully realizes
the time for argument, counterpart
posals or modification has gore by, and
chat there is only one simple issue to
meet, namely, whether the American
rejected.
There is indeed reason to believe that
the Spanish government has been di-
rectly advised that the stage of nego-
tiations is past and that only the mat
ter of IN answer, favorable or unfavor-
able. remains. That the answer has
not come quickly is no matter of sur
prise to the officials here. for they re-
alize the tremendous responsibility
which Premier Sagasta must assume
in making these peace terms sufficient
ly p!atable to the Spanish %populace and
the political leaders to permit the ac-
Ceptance without an International con-
vulsion.
TASK BEFORE SAGASTA.
In his conferences with the president
and Secretary Day. the French am
bassador has brought out clearly the
great task before Sagasta. 1t seems to
be the general view here that if the
premier and his ministry were untram-
elcd an acceptance would come at once
and that the preliminary peace agree
ment would nov be closed. But in
preparing the Spanish public, and in
guarding against political agitations
hereafter by public men of other par
ties, the Madrid officials are taking
their time for missionary work, no
only among themselves, but among all
the ropulace and secret elements.
The best informed persons here fix
next Monday as the time when the
United States government is likely 10
receive SPANS tina answer, but this is
simply c~onjectural. for there is not the
slightest means of knowing the tenden-
cies of Madrid. 1t might come tomor-
row, but III the event of its coming
ate in the day or on Sunday, the re-
sponse would not be communicated to
che government until Monday.
CONFIDENT OF ACCEPTANCE.
There is the same confident belief
among officials that there has been from
the first that SPANS answer will be a
reluctant, but none the less conclusive,
acceptance.
AT the same time it was suggested to-
day in some quarters that there was a
possibility that the disclosures made by
the American generals at Santiago con-
corning the serious condition of our
troops might be a straw at which the
Spanish cabinet would grasp. This is
quite doubtful. however, as there is a
question whether the statement of the
American general ever got outside the
borders of the United States owing to
the strict censorship imposed last
night. Moreover, all evidences reaching
the officials here indicate that Spain
IS weary with the conflict and is con-
'inced beyond the slightest question of
the hopelessness of further opposition.