Evening star., 1898-07-30
Spanish People May Object to In
eVitable Concessions.
MINISTER GAMAZO'S STATEMENT
He Says Spain Has Not Asked a
Suspension of Hostilities.
PEACE MAY BE RESISTED

spondent of the Times says that, according
to a newspaper statement, Senior Gamazo
Spanish minister of public instruction and
public works. said in the course of an in
terview at Madrid yesterday:
Spain has not asked an armistice, or
even suspension of hostilities. That
would be tantamount to beseeching the en-
emy 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 operations, is con-
fined to terms so dignified that when the
document g published no one will be able
to say 1t Is humiliating. 1t asks whether
the United States Is disposed to make
peace, but requests neither truces nor
armistices.''
Senior Gamazo added: "If Manila surren-
ders the capitulation will only apply to the
walled town"
Premonitory Signs.
1t is feared, the correspondent reports,
that the peace negotiations will not be very
smooth or expeditions. Already there are
premonitory signs of agitation against the
inevitable concessions, and the correspond
ent of the Times considers it very doubt
fui whether all the ministers have the
moral courage to accept the responsibility
and to face bodily a certain amount of un-
popularity"
Spain VIII Resist 1t.
The Madrid correspondent of the Daily
Mail says: 1.-THE Spanish government will
combat to the last against a cessation of
Porto Rico to the United States. 1t would
much rather sacrifice one of the Philippine
Islands, contending that Porto Rico has al
ways been loyal and outside the scope of
the war
The Madrid correspondent of the Times,
in a dispatch dated Thursday and DELAYED
in transmission, explains that the function
of NJ. Cambon. the French ambassador at
Washington, in Spains approach to the
United States was merely that of a trans
mitting agency" The correspondent pro-
ceedS:
The message was dispatched from Mad
rid Thursday night. The delay in its defiv-
cry at Washington arose from the fact that
when Senior Polo de Bernabo, the Spanish
minister to the United States, retired on
the breaking on of diplomatic relations and
confided the interests Of Spain to France
and Austria he left only a single CODY 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 ex-
pedition might have been indefinitely de-
ferred. This will not, however, stand the
test of careful examination"
Ine LOndOn fapers.
Except upon the unsettled point of the
Philippines the main lines of the peace
terms were already discounted here. The
editorials in the morning papers today gen.
orally regard them as evidence of a desire
on the part of the United States to meet
Spain generously and to limit. so far as
possible, the extension of American ad-
ministrative responsibilities beyond seas.
The papers agree that there is no limited
liability in warfare. Spain is naturally
sore; but, they point out, she must put up
with the loss of Porto Rico, and, if she is
we'll advised, she will close with the Ameri-
can terms
The Morning Post. however, says: "Since
the United States have decided to take Por-
to Rico, there is no need to be fastidious
about Cuba. 1t must be seen now that the
resolutions of Congress was an unnecessary
tying of hands. If it is consistent with
Justice and morality to annex Porto Rico,
1t cannot be wicked or unjust to annex
Cuba
Difficult for America.
The Times, in an editorial on the terms
of peace, confines itself to a discussion of
the question raised in the Philippines. 1t
says: .--.-
1T seems equally difficult for America to
take or to leave them. Spain had trouble
enough to hold them before the war. She
will be still more embarrassed now and
tempting offers from some of the powers,
which her poverty might impel her to ac-
cept
Had America demanded a cessation of
the Philippines outright, Spain could hardly
have avoided yielding. Now she may find
in her very weakness the means of soften
ing the other conditions of peace, for, since
the United States have decided that the
islands are not worth annexing, some ar
rangement must be made with Spain to in
sure the reversion of the islands to the
United States in the event of Spain failing
to maintain a tolerable government.
Here are all the elements of bargain
which skillful diplomacy might turn to
Spain's advantage, but the thing must be
done quickly and the advantage not pressed
too far"
FavOrs Annexation.
The Daily Chronicle is for the annexation
of the Philippines, and thinks "it will not
be an easy task to bring Gen. Merritt and
his army back with nothing to show but
ccaling station" The paper says:
1--WE are impatient with American mod
esty in believing the task of governing the
Philippines too much for the United States.
1t must be admitted that a grave danger
looms in German ambitions, but no other
power will object to annexation England
has already informed Washington to that
effect, and Europa, with the exception of
Spain and Germany, would be relieved If
the United States decided on direct control
OF the Philippines"
The Standard advises Spain to accept the
terms. and is not surprised that America
does not intend to annex the Philippines.
1t says:
IF German temper had been officially
manifested, thu Philippines would have
been annexed just to show that America
was not to be buIlied. We would be glad If
she did annex them, and, in any case, we
do not belisve that she will like the idea Of
Spain sending the Cuban army to the
Philippines,
The Daily Mail says: I'VE cannot believe
that President Mckinley will abandon
Aguinaldo and the insurgents. 1t would be
the deepest dishonor. beside sowing the
seeds of universal war. joint commission
could not arrive at an enduring compro-
mise"