The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-30
DISCUSSING THE TERMS.
Ths Cabinet Agreed Oh Almost All
FONTS.

Washington, July s29.-Nearly five
hours earnest discussion today by the
President and his constitutional advisers
Of the nature OF the response to be made
by the government to the Spanish over
lures for peace, broughtlno conclusion,
and the subject necessarily was postponed
for further consideration at another meet
ing of the cabinet to be held at 10. 80 to-
morrow morning.
Such was the formal statement of the
situation, made at the conclusion of the
days work by each member Of the cabi-
net who was questioned upon the SUBJECT.
A final con clusion, however, is much
nearer than this statement would seem to
indicate and indeed, there is little reason
to doubt than an agreement has been
reached upon all the substantial points
at issue and that what remains to be done
tomorrow is rather to smooth away in
equalities and adjust some minor points
of difference before making the answer
expected by Am bassador Cambon. The
point under discussion during the greater
part of the meeting was what disposition
should be made of the Philippines. On
the other issues unanimity developed.
There was to be independence demanded
for Cuba, Porto Rico was to be ceded to
tho United States, coaling stations were
to be acquired at Guam, in the sLadrone
islands and in the Caroline islands. These
propositions were disposed of quickly but
when it came to the Philippines, some
diversity of opinion was revealed. AS
near as can be gathered, this did not re-
late mainly to the retention of the
islands on which proposition majority
Of the cabinet was speedily recorded in
the negative. But accepting the broad
proposition that Spain was to be allowed
to keep these possessions, other questions
Of Importance developed and it was felt
that these must be answered definitely
before the subject could be disposed Of.
There was no question as to the propriety
OF demanding coal station in the Philip
pines, and, while there reasonably might
be difference of opinion as to the loca-
tion and extent Of this station, little diff
Guilty was expected to be encountered in
solving that problem because the matter
could be referred to the naval war board,
whose members are competent to deal
with the subject.
The perplexing problem was what form
of goverpment should be instituted in the
Philippines and what should be the ma
ture of the guarantee required OF Spain
that the new government should be lib
eral and autonomous in character. These
two questions hinged on the primary de-
cislon to interfere OF all in prescribing
change in the conditions in the Philip
pines. Some members Of the cabinet felt
that the insurgents under Aguinaldo'
having acted independently OF the United
states from the very beginning of the In
surrection and having lately shown dis
position to make trouble for us, had no
moral claim upon the United States in
the settlement of the terms Of peace On
the other hand it was urged that our gov
ernment should lose no opportunity to
extend its principles throughout the world
and that this could be done in the present
case by requiring Spain TO extend genu-
Inc autonomy TO the Philippines 1T was