The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-31

operation some plan for the future govern
ment of the entire group. After that point
the main divergence OF opinion began, and
all sorts of propositions were put forward
and urged by individual members as the
best means of dealing with the future of the
islands.
In the very midst of the discussion the
element that had strongly urged the neces-
sity of protecting Aguinaldo in any settle
ment we should arrange received severe
check through the receipt of a cablegram
from Admiral Dewey, stating that the in
surgent chief had assumed defiant atti-
tude, and Admiral Dewey expressed the
opinion that the United States would be
obliged to make war upon them, necessitat-
ing the requirement of 10000 troops to sub
due the islands. While this did not bring
about complete dismissal of the PROPOSE
ton to take the insurgents into account in
settling the terms of peace, it did have the
effect to cause an agreement on the prop
osition to defer action on the question as to
the disposition of the islands until the other
phases of the peace negotiations have been
satisfactorily adjusted, meaning by that
that the matter goes over until the last
Spanish flag has disappeared from the west
ern hemisphere and the American flag is
hoisted to stay over the coaling stations we
require in Micronesia.
JOINT COMMISSION.
The discussion lasted two hours and a
quarter before the Cabinet hit upon the best
course for the United States to adopt 1t
was finally decided that what we desired
could be best done by the appointment of
joint commission, limited in its representa-
ton to the governments of the United
States and Spain, which commission is to
cndeavor to settle the details Of the govern
ment of the Philippines and determine what
treatment shall be accorded the insurgents,
the United States army and navy mean
while occupying Manila and Manila bay,
and thus retaining position to force
speedily the verdict that shall be finally
reached by the commission
When the Cabinet meeting adjourned the
members went off to their luncheons with
pleasant consciousness that they had sue
ceeded in disposing properly of the very
difficult problem. Assistant Secretary John
Moore, who had been called into the meet
ing at the last moment, went hastily to the
State Department to put the views of the
President and Cabinet in the proper diplo-
was sent to the French ambassador that the
President would be pleased to hand him per-
sonally the reply of the United States gov
eminent at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon 1t
was expected that this ceremony would oc-
cupy only few moments; that the am
bassador would take the note and immedi-
ately hurry with it to his cipher clerks and
then to the telegraph office In this expec-
fofi A-cicf NJ
of town on an afternoon train, and Sec
rotary Day, as he went to the White
House to meet the ambassador
tossed his gripsack into his, carriage
in the firm expectation of being able 10
catch the $3.50 train for Atlantic City to meet
his wife. The ambassador came on time.
accompanied by his secretary, but as the
minutes ran along into hours without the
temperance of M. Cambon, it was immedi-
ately surmised that something had hap
pened to disarrange the original plans for
this meeting. 1t was after stay of two
hours and a quarter that the French am
bassador terminated his visit. While it con-
tinued Secretary Long and Admiral Sicard,
of the naval war board. and Assistant Sec
rotary Adee. of the State Department, were
called into consultation.
The newspapers had been led by prom
ises made earlier in the day by members of
the Cabinet to expect that statement
would be given out explaining the nature of
the answer to Spain, but, to the disappoint-
ment of their representatives, it was an
nounced by Secretary Day that this had
been abandoned for the reason that to
make any statement at this point would in
volve a serious breach of diplomatic ETH
quette that might embarrass the future ne
gotiations.
Immediately following the long conference
the French ambassador and NJ. Thiebaut
returned to the French embassy, and then
began the hard work of reducing to cipher
the American peace conditions together
with the results of the conference, and
transmitting the same to Madrid. The am
bassador was smiling and apparently we'll
pleased with the result of the conference.
All the staff of the embassy were engaged
on the cipher work, as it was long and in
tricate process. Allowing for the difference
Of the time between Washington and Mad
rid, the terms could not reach the Spanish
capital before midnight tonight, and would
not get before the Spanish Ministry until
tomorrow.