Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-08-10
SPAIN'S ANSWER
Handed to the President by
Ambassador Cambon.
Conference Between Them Is Secret,
Lasting Over an Hour.
Usual Mystery Prevails About Exact Terms Of
the Spanish Reply.

Washington, Aug. 9.-More than a
hours after it had begun TO reach
Washington. THE Spanish note in an
swer 10 the Presidents peace condi-
tiuns was presented at the White
House by the French ambassador
What the nature Of the answer was,
can only'b be conjcctured at this stage.
the secretary of state, at the conclu-
sion of the conference made the for
NAL statement that nothing whatever
could be said upon the subject.
The conference LASTED one hour and
twenty-five minutes. This prolonged
discussion was believed to indicate that
the Spanish answer was not satisfac-
tory III all respects. though! in just
what points IL fell sllort of meeting the
expectations of the President. it is i'm
possible to say.
Il was felt by the observers that had
the answer been a complete acceptance
of our terms the result would have
been made public.
on the other hand it would be a
strained inference to conclude that the
answer was unsatisfactory entirely.
for in that case, according 70 the Pres
ilent's statement heretofore made mis-
offer would have been definitely with
drawn and the wAr resumed with
greater energy than before.
1t would seem that there could
scarcely be a good reason for with
holding The result of the conference.
on the whole, il is rather TO he con-
Guided that middle result has been
obtained, that Spain was found to have
attached certain conditions TO her ac-
ceptance of the Presidents terms, but
that the latter was not disposed to re-
gard the injection of the new matter
as sufficient in itself to warrant an
immediate termination Of the peace ne
goNations.
According to this view, the President
has taken exception to some of the
Spanish conditions, burt has allowed q
last opportunity for them to be with
drawn or modified.
The reply Of the Spanish government
bracing about 1900 words. 1t bears the
signature of the Spanish milister of
foreign affairs, and the form of state
mert throughout is that Of Her Ma
jesty's government.
The copy delivered to the President
was in English, the translation from
Spanish to French having been made
at Paris and that from French to EnE>
liah having been made here.
The Spanish reply is said to be di-
vided into five points. or heads, name
ly: Cuba, Porto Rico, Ladrone Islands,
occupation of Manila and appointment
of commission, which are treated in
the order named.
SO tar as could be learned no mention
is made of the Cuban debt. The re-
tention of arms and ammunition by
the Spanish troops comes in for indl-
rect reference under the head of
Cuba.
in the absence of an official state
ment, it is Impossible to give the
Spanish position on the several Amer
lean conditions. But the following is
from the best information obtainable,
In treating each subject-Cuba, Por-
to Rico. Ladrones, Manila and peace
an acceptance in some
eases is understood to relate to con-
ditions somewhat different from those
laid down by the American govern
ment. As to Cuba. the American
terms demanded the evacuation of the
island, without specifying the future
form of government.
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