Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-07-30

AllicS-tOr war ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Facts About Spain-SpaUish Men,
darity sweet to Die for Ones
Country"-News aud Notes.
Washington, July 2S.-The admins
tration is carefully celebrating over
the formal dcply to be made to the
peace message presented through the
French ambassador. Secretary of State
Day and Postmaster General Smith
went over the situation with the prcsi-
dent yesterday and reviewed the course
to be taken. Weight is given to the
counscls of the postmaster general ow-
ing to his diplomatic experiences ana
study of International questions.
A final conclusion will not be reached
unit, the cabinet has an opportunity TO
take up Spain's note and our projected
answer. There will be no extra SEES
sion of the cabinet and the matter will
not be placed before the presidents al e
visers until tomorrow, when reply will
be definitely settled The Spanish gov
eminent will have the answer of this adj
minislration in its possession by Friday
night or Saturday morning.
The Spanish proposition is clothed
with all the solemnity and formality OF
IL government act. The official in
structions to Mr.. Cambon bear the Off
cial signature of Duke Almadovar, the
Spanish minister of foreign affairs, and.
besides expressing the desire of the cab =
tons he opened, they are given the add
ed solcmnity of approval and earnest
personal request by the queen regent.
The instructions bear the date of Mad
rid, July %. These formalitics dismiss
all question in the minds of officials hero
as to the wishes of the government of
Spain. Aside from this, Cambon is
too much of IL veteran In diplomatic
affairs to have embarked on private
ovcrturcs toward peace.
Naturally the first point of inquiry was
the exact shape taken by the Spanish
presentation. Curiosity on this point
remained unqualified and must probably
so continue for some days to come, the
president having decided that nothing
more definite than the statement issued
from the White House shall be given
to the public at this time. The motive
is prudential one, and the president has
even gone so far as to suggest to the
Madrid authorities the cXpedency of
keeping the text of the Spanish overture
from publication for the present
The next point Of interest was the
character and extent of the demand
likely to be made by the United States
as the condition of peace. 1t is felt that
the statement of terms both from Spain
and from the United States may be some
days off, as there doubtless will be con-
siderable fencing at the outset before
the actual point of stating terms is
reached, a good deal of this for in
stance may result from the attempt to
define the methods of approach to the
object sought, whether through COM
mission or through the direct exchange
of notes. There will be much discussion
in all likelihood also regarding an arm
stiCe for it is the distinct purpose of the
Spanish authorities to secure a sus-
pension of hostilitics pending the ne
gotiations for peace. it may be that the
application will be granted, but if so 1t
will be only under the most effective
safeguards to prevent loss of any adj
vantage to the United States and upon
binding pledges that certain well de-
fined objects are to be conceded to us.
The president discussed this complex
subject all day with various members
of the cabinet as they called in the
course of ordinary business. Secretary
bay and Postmaster General Smith
spent some time at the White House
1t is virtually admitted by leading
members of the administration that upon
only one point In the peace negotiations
f. there likely to he serious friction, and
that relates to the future of the Philip
pines. AS to Cuba and Porto Rico, all
believe that there is reasonable
certainty of encountering little opposi-
ton to our demands. The Spanish gov
eminent might insist upon the PROPOSE
ton thrown out by the vatican. namely,
that the United States shall annex Cuba,
the ostensible purpose being to secure
further protection for the Spanish clc-
ment left in the island; but while this
would be NeXatious point, it would
yield to adjustment. AS t-~the Philip
pines, there is full expectation of
greater difficulties to be surmounted
There is reason to believe that these diff
flCulties will be rather internal than in
ternational in their character at least
from the outset. The president is firm
~ of the opinion that the United States
has no use for the islands as permanent
noSspSSinn Tho rrnhloy,,c q
government would result were the at
tempt to be made to annex them owing
To the heterogeneous and i'll favored
character of the large population of the
Islands. while any effort to unite with
other powers in a joint administration
might he fairly expected to result as
unsatisfactory as the triparttc ar
rarGemcnt between the Tinted States,
Great Britain and Germany for the gov.
eminent of the Samoan group. How
ever there are evidences that a large
element in the United States Is Of the
opinion that the islands should be nc
CURED by the United states and 1t is
hoped by the president that before II
comes to the formulation officially of the
United States demand public sentiment
in this country. through newspaper dis
cussion and otherwise, will have so far
orystalized as to enable the government
To perceive the popular demand clearly.
1t may be stated that 1t is confidently
expected that when the governments
arrive mt the point of actually fixing
terms they will he found much closer
together than is generally supposed. l.
IS felt by officials that with the dipl",
matic formaiities out of the way the
-irtual peace terms would require little
MURDERED BY WHOLESALE.
bead Bodies of Five Infants Found
in Boston Suburbs,