The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-30
Would Prefer to Sacrifice One of the
der the West Indian Colony.
AN ARMISTICE NOT ASKED
SENIOR GAMAZO's ALLEGED STATE
MENT ON THE QUESTION.
Evidence that Peace Negotiations
sula-COmments of London Editors.

LONDON, July 30.-The Madrid corre-
spondent of the Daily Mail says: "The
Spanish government will combat to the last
against a cession of Porto Rico to the
United States. 1t would much rather sacri-
flee one of the Philippine islands, contend
ing that Porto Rico has always been loyal
and outside the scope of the war;
Another special from Madrid says:
Though it is not likely that the govern
ment will decide to prolong the war because
of Porto Rico considerable feeling is man
ifested and every possible diplomatic effort
will be made to retain it. Apparently there
is little objection to ceding coaling station
in the Philippines provided Spanish SOW
ereignty is respected in the island, which, in
the opinion of the government and official
circles generally, will afford compensation
in commerce for the loss of the Antilles, be-
side procuring occupation for the West In
dian army in re-establishing Spanish rule.
''The American reply is still anxiously
awaited. Judging from press opinion, any
thing beyond the cession of Cuba will be
considered harsh and unjust This is the
unanimous feeling among even the strongest
advocates of peace. The people are begin
ming to realize that peace will mean almost
a total loss of colonies, and, looking to the
delicate and difficult position of the Queen
Regent, great care is still necessary to in
duce the nation to accept the terms The
Carlist and Republican papers are making
the most of the situation, while many of the
Catholic preates decline to comply with
orders from the Vatican to censure the Car
list agitation. Ell Imparcal's Rome corre-
spondent says the Pope is so displeased with
this attitude of the priests that he has
washed his hands of the whole affair.
According to Ell Liberal the government
would not allow even the loss of some of the
Philippines to hinder the conclusion of
peace, because it is very doubtful whether
the country would indorse sending an army
of 10000 men to crush the rebellion
"One of the leading Carlists here denies
the report of dissension. Ell Heraldo pub
fishes warning as to the necessity for
closely watching the Carlists as peace ap-
proaches. 1t is estimated that there are 20,
900 persons out of employment in Cata-
lonia." **%
The Madrid correspondent of the Times
says that according to a newspaper state
ment Senor Gamazo, Spanish minister of
public instruction and public works said in
the course of an interview at Madrid yes
terday: Spain has not asked an armistice
or even a suspension of hostilities. That
would be tantamount to beseeching the
enemy not to strike us. We shall never
come to that The message to the United
States while recognizing the superiority of
the Yankee forces and their military opera
tions, is confined to terms so dignified that
when the document is published no one will
be able to say it is humiliating. 1t asks
whether the United States is disposed to
make peace, but requests neither truces nor
armistices."
The Times correspondent says Senior
Gamazo added: 'If Manila surrenders the
capitulation will only apply to the walled
town." 1t is feared, the correspondent re-
ports, that the peace negotiations will not
be very smooth or expeditions. Already
there are premonitory signs of agitation
against the inevitable concessions, and the
correspondent of the Times considers it
Every doubtful whether all the ministers
have the moral courage to accept the re-
sponsibility and to face boldly certain
amount Of unpopularity.
The Madrid correspondent of the Times
in a dispatch dated Thursday and delayed
in transmission, explains that the function
of M. Cambon, the French ambassador at
Washington, in Spains approach to the
United States was merely that of trans
mitting agency" The correspondent pro-
ceeds: "The message was dispatched from
Madrid Thursday night. The delay in its
delivery at Washington arose from the fact
that when Senor Polo y Bernabe the Span
ish minister to the United States, retired
on the breaking off of diplomatic relations
and confided the interests of Spain to
France and Austria, he left only a single
copy of the diplomatic cipher. When NJ.
Cambon received the peace message this
cipher happened to be IN the possession of
his Austrian colleague, who was out of
town The idea is current here that but
for this delay the Porto Rico expedition
might have been indefinitely deferred. This
will not. however, stand the test of care
full examination
At the United States embassy in London
nothing is known of the reports that the
negotiations for peace between Spain and
the United States are to be conducted in
Iondon