The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-29

PROJECTION, naming conultlons tHdl uiiuei
| the circumstances are reasonable and
even generous.
Public men who talked with the Presl-
/ dent and members of the Cabinet today
positively assert that the administration
| has confidence in the sincerity of the
| Spanish note that the administration
| takes the view this note is the beginning
| Of the end and that the administration IS
practically certain the answer of this
1 Government and the general terms II VIII
propose will be accepted by Spain.
| Interest focused this morning on the APP
preaching Cabinet meeting. 1t was the
general expectation that in its results this
| meeting of the Cabinet would prove to be
| the most important that has been held
not only during the present but in many
preceding administrations. Upon the ma
| ture of the answer to the Spanish over
| ture for peace would depend the wnoie
| future policy of the United States, for It
would determine whether the nation SHAH
now embark upon a policy of Worldwide
! expansion or shall more cautiously con-
| tent itself with expelling the Spanish nag
| from the Western Hemisphere. while at
the same time providing what may be in
the end ample guarantee for the extension
| of our trade in the East.
| All this means in substance that in the
| best Judgment of close observers here the
| one critical point is the future of the
| Philippines AS near as can be ascer-
tanned from personal inquiry, clear ma
| iority Of the Cabinet are disposed to be
| content with the requirement of coal
| ing station In the Philippines, allowing
Spain to retain the remainder of the
| group of islands. However, It be stated
that within the last forty-eight hours the
| President has confined his condolences
| closely to the Secretary of State, so that
the remaining members Of the Cabinet en-
tered the White House today with their
| minds in a receptive condition as to any
| arguments that might be presented upon
this important proposition, and even pre-
pared for delays.
In connections with the peace negotia-
tions some significance was attached to
the fact that the members of the war
board conferred with Secretary Long in
his office just before that official left for
the Cabinet meeting. While these con-
ferences are frequent, there was dis
position to regard this particular one as
having bearing on present negotiations,
as Captain ATahan and the other naval
strategists composing this board would
be able to give valuable advice on the
strategic value and necessity of coaling
stations in the Philippines. Ladrones and
other points on the highway to the Orient.
Secretary Day has a clear idea now as
to what he desires, and when he left the
State Department today for the White
House he had his views outlined and
ready for submission to the Cabinet in
| documentary form. 1t may be that the
Secretary's presentation Of the case viii
be so clear and conclusive as to induce
| the remainder of the Cabinet to assent at
once to the programme he has outlined,
in which case it VIII be entirely possible
to return an answer to the Spanish Gov
ernment through NJ Canbon within the
course of the day.
| The President has not so far as can be
learned, changed in any degree his dis
position to take the American people into
his confidence in dealing with this most
difficult and delicate subject, and about
the only restraint that is imposed upon
publicity at this stage is that caused by
| the observance of the amenities of diplo-
matte exchange. ThussSit Will be necessary
to communicate to the French Ambas-
| sador the decision of the administration
| before the same can be made known to
! the American public.
This is the rigid requirement. of ddplo-
matte courtesy and to fail in this appar-
emily trivial point would be to invite re-
monstrance that might end in the serious
| interruption of the negotiations 1t is
said that the Governments response will
/ be handed to M. Csmbon, whence it may
| fairly be inferred that the Ambassador
| is to call in person for 1t at the White
House as soon as he is notified that the
answer is ready.
The simple matter of handing this COM
| rnunication to the Ambassador may inl
! volve quite important results. In the
/ event of its being sent to him or handed
to him, this will be in the nature of a
| finality, and there will be nothing re-
| manning for the Ambassador to do but to
| forward the communication to Madrid.
! If, on the other hand, he Is invited to
| the White House to receive the commu-
nication, it opens up the possibility of
| conference between the President and the
! Ambassador which may carry forward
| the subject considerably beyond the point
( specified in the answer of the United
| States Government. 1t is probable how
| ever, that the action of the government
will be restricted simply to handing the
/ answer to the Ambassador, after which.
| without further discussion, elaboration
4 or explanation, it will be for Spain to
make the next move
Up to today the Spanish government
| has given no intimation whatever as to its
attitude or purposes beyond the original
proposition submitted last Tuesday,
| though many public men say the admins
tration fully expects peace to result from
| its answer
! The Universal Peace Union has sent to
| Ambassador Cambon letter of cordial
| congratulation on his course in presenting
| to the American government overtures
1 for cessation of hostilities The letter
| expressed a sincere hope of an early re-
/ storation of peace, and that through the
! spirit of justice and brotherhood and
| conciliation, the high purposes of this
| movement may be realized.
The change of base of operations fol
! the Porto Rican expedition has resulted
in complete rearrangement of plans Of
the signal service for that campaign
There will be no cable connections made
| with our army at Guanico, as would have
| been the case had the original landing
| place been taken, and the war balloons
| instead of being expedited ahead, viii
be held at Tampa pending further de
yeiopmentS. The original plan as decided