The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-05
ABOUT THREE MONTHS
Short Enough Time For Get
ting Everything Settled.
AS SPANISH TROOPS Go
From Cuba American Must
Take Their Place.

Washington, Aug. 3.-On the assumption
that peace is near at hand some atten-
aion is being paid to the steps by which
this may be brought about formally and
the measures necessary to be adopted
Immediately afterwards. 1t is said to be
not at all improbable that the relimin-
aries leading up to the signing of the
treaty Of peace may consume fully three
months. so that it may be well along
toward the legal date of the assembling
Of congress before the president will be
prepared TO submit peace treaty to the
senate. This allowance of time is rather
moderate than excessive. We were two
years, from 1871 to 1873, in arranging a
peace with Great Britain to terminate
the revolutionary war In the case of the
Chinese-Japanes war It was several
months before the commissioners were
able to perfect the treaty which termin-
ated that war. 1t does not follow from
this that an actual state of war will pre-
vail during this interval of three months
for as a matter of fact hostiities will
terminate within very few days after
Spain has notified the United States gov
eminent of her acceptance Of the terms
laid down in the presidents note Of last
Saturday The military establishment,
however, must be maintained during that
time and many things performed that are
incident to actual warfare.
1t is expected here that the Spanish
pledge to accept the broad conditions laid
down by the United States will take the
form Of a written agreement, something
in the nature of a protocol, which, while
a very necessary step in the negotiation
Of a, treaty, is not always a part of the
document. The negotiations have not
progressed sufficiently to Indicate who
shall be the parties TO this agreement or,
rather, who shall represent the principals,
the United States and Spain. 1t is posi-
bic that 1t may be signed in Washington
as between Secretary Day and VI. Cam
bon, or. on the other hand, the ambas-
sailors Of Spain and the United States in
one Of the European countries, probably,
In this vase, France, might meet and by
the authorization of their respective gov
ernments sign this agreement The pro-
tocoL if it may be 50 called, in either
case would not take the place in any man
ner Of the treaty of peace, which would
be drawn up later by commissioners to
be appointed for this purpose.
Under the terms of the presidents note
If they shall be accepted by Spain, the
Spanish government is bound to evacuate
Cuba and Porto Rico Immediately. This
action is not to wait upon the work of
the peace commissioners, but is to pre-
cede It and to follow Immediately upon
the signature of the memorandum ac-
cepting the presidents conditions. The
word Immediately" in this case is per
haps a little deceptive. The experience
Of the war department in the endeavor
to remove to Spain the Spanish troops
surrendered a Santiago has not justified
the expectation that he larger force of
Spanish regulars can be gathered and
shipped home to Spain in less than about
sixty days a the best. This estimate is
based on the fact that it is no expected
hat the Spanish authorities who are di-
recting the movements of the Spanish
troop transports that they will be able
to return all Of the Santiago prisoners to
Spain before the first Of September.
Therefore what is meant by the word
''immedia tely" is that the Spanish gov
eminent shall at least begin the arrange
ments al once for the evacuation of the
Islands.
on the whole # is a rather fortunate
circumstance that this evacuation cannot
take place en- masse and Immediately, for
1t has been determined that the Spanish
troops Withdrawn must be replaced by
United States troops. This is deemed nee
esSary to guard against anarchy and to
secure the establishment of a stable gov
eminent in Cuba under proper constitu-
lional guarantees, hut in all probab ilty
not many Of them will have to so there
before the present rainy season has near
cd its end.