The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-29
v5s .i4.l DENIED.
No Bad Faith Shown by
President Mckinley.
THE OvERTURES FOR PEACE.
First One Came Last Tuesday, Not
withstanding Reports
from Spain.
THE ovERTUREs FOR PEACE.

Lnthy-th As ~ CohPote VI
Mutual Agreement, and Under 1t De-
fensive Operations May BE Continued on
Either Side-Rules That Govern.
Madrid, July 29.-With the under
standing that no indemnity will be de-
manded and that Spanish sovereignty
in the Philippine islands will be re-
spected, the newspapers here consider
the terms of peace attributed to Presi-
dent Mckinley as being acceptable. The
papers. however, protest against the
continuance of hostilities by the United
States after Spain has sued for peace.
Washington, July 29.-It can be stated
on the authority of the state depart
ment and the foreign embassies here
that there were no overtures in behalf
of Spain for peace or a cessation of hos
tilities until the French ambassador,
last Tuesday afternoon, presented his
note to the president. This statement
is made with full knowledge of Euro
pean denials, and must be accepted as
that of the government of the United
States. Therefore all the talk about bad
| faith shown by our government in
pressing the Porto Rican campaign
| during the last few days is absolutely
without foundation, and our govern
ment has done nothing that can sub
| ject it to criticism on this score. In
| addition to the representatives of the
United States government the persons
| qualified to speak for the government
/ tl.f- aaly of.t
| ly similar statement, and the charges
| of bad faith against the United States
attributed to Premier Sagasta are dis
| credited as inventions designed to pref
| udice the successful progress of the
| present peace movement.
! "Back Door Gossip"
/ 1t could not be contemplated for a
| moment that any mere personal ex-
| change Of views between persons in Eu-
rope could be construed as an overture
for peace, and although there may have
| been some of this "back door gossip"
as it is denominated at the state de-
partment, 1t can be again affirmed that
the United States government has not
| been a party to it. Moreover, so far
as Ambassador Cambon is concerned,
it can be stated positively that he made
no overture, direct or indirect, official
| or unofficial, relating to peace or to
any phase Of peace, prior to o'clock
last Tuesday afternoon.
Even supposing there had been peace
| overtures, which there had not been,
I military authorities regard Premier Sa-
| gasta's alleged statement that peace
overtures operate to stay the course
of military operations as little short of
amazing, and as directly contrary, not
only to the military law of the United
States, but to the whole recognized
principles Of international law. In gen.
eral the international law writer's agree
that military operations stop only when
truce or an armistice is actually con-
cluded, and that this truce or armistice
must be in writing. Until then the
mere preliminary overture toward a
suspension of hostilities is not regard
ed as any warrant for stopping the
war.
| Regulations on the Subject.
This is expressed in the United States
instructions for the government of
armies in the field as follows:
article 147. Belligerants sometimes
include an armistice while their pleni-
potentaries are met to discuss the con-
ditions Of treaty of peace; but pleni-
potentaries may meet without pre-
liminary armistice; in the latter case
the war is carried on without any abate-
ment."
Another section Of the regulations is
as follows:
Article 142. An armistice is not a
partial or a temporary peace; IT is only
the suspension of military operations to
/ 49, - tto.
The military authorities, as well as
the specific regulations of the United
States. hold that there is no suspension
of hostilities pr.or to the agreement to
suspend military operations. Even then
the agreement is binding on military
commanders only from the time they
receive actual notice of 1t. Meantime,
military commanders have the right to
push forward and hold such territory
as they occupy. The need for limiting
this cessation of hostilities is obvious,
for, until a signed agreement is made
there is no knowledge of the extent of
the armistice. In the present case an
armistice might include or exclude the
Philippines or Porto Rico, as the two
parties might agree, but until they
| agree there will be no obligation to
abate military operations in any field
of operation.
status Quo Established.
After the signing of the armistice
preliminary 10 peace a status quo is
established, and all military operations
come to a halt at the points signated
and at points not designated the mill
tary operations proceed. In the pres
ent case, If the truce is general, Genel al
Shafter, General Miles and Admiral
Dewey would simply retain the posi-
tions they now occupy, and moral OBJ
legation would be imposed not 10
strengthen these positions or to make
secret preparations for more effective
continuance of the war hereafter. The
military authorities agree that the only
qualification for this rule is that re-
inforcements may be sent forward. and
that defensive. but not offensive. oper-