The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-07-28
TO Be Negotiated on Certain
General Lines Named by the
4 United States
Presidents Answer to This Eff
feet Will Be Speedily Com
municated to Spain
The Appeal for Peace Negotia
tiOns Was Made Directly to
J This Government.

WASHINGTON, July 2S.-Within "a
hours our government will have de-
termined and communicated to the
French ambassador just what form the
steps leading toward peace shall take.
It is likely that if the Spanish govern.
ment is really in earnest in its desire
for peace, that our government will
consent to an armistice, as a prelimi.
nary. But it can be stated positively,
the president is determined to lose no
ground through Spanish diplomacy.
The armistice, if granted, will be con.
dltioned upon the most binding pledges
that it is to be followed by a treaty Of
peace. Moreover, the preliminary
agreement that provides for an armis-
4ice must constitute in itself an under
taking on the part of Spain to submit
90 certain broad conditions. imposed BY
the United States as . basis for, peace.
Military operations are to 60 steadily
forward SO far as the United States is
concerned, until the negotiations have
advanced much further than they have
1t present. They are subject to inter.
rnption at any moment by an arms.
tioe, but it must be said that
this 10 scarcely expected imme-
fiately. It is realized that when
the Spanish government learns the ex.
tent Of the demands, to be made BY the,
United States the first effect win be. .
reflex movement, which in turn will
result in a continuation OF active hos.
tilities for time. This time, it is ex-
pected, however, will be brief-only.
perhaps, 30 long as is necessary for
General Miles to completely invest San
IJnan de Porto Rico, That stroke, it is
fhought. will bring the Spanish gov
ernment to realizing sense OF the ut
ter hopelessness of further resistance.
4f not before that time yielding to
the earnest representations OF those Eu-
ropean powers that have BEEN 50 per.
Sistent in their efforts to secure peace.
Military experts allow two weeks as
the maximum period Of time necessary
for General Miles to secure this com.
mandipg position, and therefore 1t IL
hoped that within that space Of time
the Spanish government will have been
brought not exactly to the approval of
q treaty of peace, but to an applicatio
for an armistice that in its conditions
will amount to concession OF most OF
those things desired BY the United
States government
Another Lesson In StFsightferwsrdness
As to the terms to be imposed by the
United States, it seems probable that
pur state department. is again about to
give to the diplomats OF the Old World
q lesson in straightforward dealing,
abandoning the devious paths of Old
zine diplomacy and striking straight
forward and without double dealing or
hairsplitting toward the object in view.
In such negotiations, conducted on the
broad and high plane which has
characterized the attitude OF the
United States government from the
very beginning Of the controversy
which led up to the war. there will be
little chance for the successful result
OF what is termed Spanish diplomacy.
AS far as can be gathered. our gov
arnment, in general way, has already
prepared itself to announce the out
lines of the conditions 1t will seek to
impose in the contamination Of peace.
None are officially made public, but
it il generally stated two propositions
seem included in all lists of demands.
namely, absolute Independence of Cuba.
with the provision that the island shall
be absolved from responsibility Tor any
debt heretofore charged against it by
Spain. The last clause, it is expected,
will cause some friction, inasmuch as
fl is certain to arouse a desperate re-
sistance by certain European holders of
Spanish bonds based on the revan mes
OF Cuba.
The absolute cession Of Porto Rico tc
the United States. likewise unencum.
bered of liability for Indebtedness. Il
is thought that Spain has practically
made up her mind to these conditions
before instituting the overtures for
peace.
Want n Few Coating Stations.
Another point upon which the Unit.
ed S: ates, it is be.ieved, will insist, is
the cession of certain coaling stations
in he Ladrones and Carolines, prota-
bly q lam island in the former and
Wap island IN the latter, and perhaps
one other in different quarter of the.
world, not yet designated. These ter
,xltorial concessions, i i expected, are