The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-24
u.hnt l. snnin NNniting For

what Is Spain W aitlng for
Almost daily the dispatches from Mad
rid contain statements to the effect that
the people of Spain are tired of The war,
and that the Spanish government has
decided to ask fer terms Of peace. There
must be some foundation for these dis
patches They are based doubtless upon
the talk of members of the Spanish cabi-
net or are inspired by persons in close
touch with that cabinet. As yet, how
ever as far as President Mckinley knows,
no step has been taken by Spain towards
peace.
What is Spain waiting for? She knows
that peace propositions would be given
careful consideration by The United
States, and she can have no doubt that
she can get much better terms now than
she will be able 10 get after We have
taken full possession of the Philippines
and have captured Porto Rico.
1t cannot be possible that she hopes
that she will win victories which will
enable her 20 hold on TO all of her colonial
possessions, with the exception probably Of
cuba. on what can she base such a hope?
The best part of her navy has been de
stroyed, and a very considerable section
of her Cuban army has surrendered And
she is doing nothing to regain what she
has lost What can she do?
The remnant of her navy is so weak that
it dares not 90 to Cuba, the Philippines or
Porto Rico 1t is compelled to hide be
hind fortfcations in Spain. Gen. Blan-
co, the captain general of Cuba, is simply
looking forward to the time when he Will
have TO surrender Spain has no inten-
ton of sending him reinforcements. She
cannot send him any. The time Is not
far off when he will need supplies of food,
and his ammunition wouldn't hold out if
his army were subjected to a long siege.
Spain can do us no harm and cannot
help those dependent upon her All of
her colonies are practically at our mer-
cy We can take them at our leisure,
thus avoiding great sacrifices. All these
things are as well known to Spain as they
are to US. Why then does she hesitate to
sue for peace? No satisfactory reason is
apparent
Does she think that peace propositions
will come from our side? she can hardly
entertain a thought of that kind. Does
she hope to approach negotiations for
place IN an indirect way? If she does,
she will discover that she has mistaken
the character and temper of the Ameri-
can government. Indirect diplomatic
methods received their death blow, so far
as Spain and the United States are con-
int tx,y.
refused to receive President McKinley's
ultimatum in respect to Cuba.
Spain must open negotiations for peace
if she wants it, and she must do so In an
open and straightforward way. If she
acts in that manner she will be met In a
spirit of frankness, and will be told exact
" the terms on which she can have peace.
Frankness may not be in accordance with
her ideas of diplomacy, but not being in a
position to follow her own ideas, she will
have to act in accordance with ours.
The President doesn't put much conf
| dence in the peace talk which finds its
way from Spain to this country in the
dispatches. He does not look for peace
proposals until after the fall of Havana.
and as it is not on our programme to
attack that city until after the yellow
fever season Is over, the Inauguration of
| peace negotiations, If the Presidents view
| is the correct one, need not be expected
for several months. Spanish pride, he
| evidently thinks, is greater than Spanish
sense, and Spains pride must be still
! further humbled before she will accept
the consequences of her folly in engaging
| In a war with the United States.
| Rumors of Fever at Tampa.