The Republican., 1898-08-25
TO MAKE NO CONCESSIONS.
Negotiations Over the Terms of Evacua
tiOn VIII be Brief and Limited in
Scope.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 90. : State
ments from Madrid indicating that.
the Spanish ministers have some ef7'
pectation of securing from the U nited
States commissioners to arrange for
the evacuation of Cuba and Porto
Rico some concessions not contem
plated in the protocol have no effect
on the President or the officials of the
State Department. Whatever may
be the Spanish view on the subject,
the President has no intention of
allowing Spanish diplomacy to delay
compliance with the terms of the pro-s
tocol. 1t has not been determipel
whether ting Spaniards will lioe alloSS 81
to depart with their arms, but if that
concession is made no others will be
granted.
The statement that Spain will ask
indemnity for public property in
Cuba is regarded as absurd. The
protocol declared specifically for the
absolute REIMBURSEMENT of Sover-
eignity in Cuba and immediate evac-
uation. This cuts off all opportunity,
it is held, for claims against the
United States or against the future
government of Cuba for the value of
property now held by the govern
ment of Spain. The property of in
dividuals held as private citizens,
whether of Spain or Cuba, will be
respected, but government property
will revert to the new government
of the island, whether Cuban or
American. As the terms of the pro-
tocol regarding Cuba are almost
identical with those affecting Porto
Rico, it is held at the State Depart
ment that a claim against the United
States for the value of the public
property in that island would be just
as valid as a demand for indemnity
in Cuba.
The understanding of officials here
and the members of the Cuban and
Porto Rican commissions who have
talked with the President is that the
negotiations over the terms of the
evacuation are to be brief and limited
to the questions relating to the actual
work in hand. The commissioners
upon the part of the United States
will not be authorized to make con-
cessions to the Spaniards, excefB
| such as relate to the convenience of
the men in getting away from Hava-
ma, and even in this connection it is
not probable that very great consid-
Grafton will be shown. The Span
iards will be informed that the man
date of the United States must be
Obeyed, and that resistance or obsti-
macy in complying with the terms to
be proposed will lead to forcible eject
ment from the islands.
1t is understood that when the com
| missioners leave for Cuba the War
Department will be prepared to send
an army to Havana to take charge
of the city, and the occupation by
the Americans will begin as soon as
the terms of evacuation are deter
mined upon. If the Spaniards have
any idea of prolonging the war by
insis ing upon concessions other than
those the administration is willing to
give, no time will be lost in demon
strating that the United States is
prepared to enforce all demands that
have been or are to be made.
A Cuban government, to be con-
trOlled by the Cubans, will probably
be attempted as soon after the evac-
uation of the island as possible. 1t
is understood that the experiment
will begin with the organization of
municipal governments by the Gu
bans, while the general government
is still in the hands Of the military
authorities. The revenue will for a
time be collected by Americans, but
it is the purpose of the administra
ton to withdraw American officials
gradually as Cubans can be selected
to succeed them. The election of a
Cuban assembly will probably occur
this fall, and the form of a govern
ment will have been established this
winter.
1t is not believed probable, how
ever that the United States will relin-
quish control of the island in less
than twelve months, even if Cuban
independence is found to be practica-
| BILE. An effort will be made to have
the question of annexation to the
| United States submitted to the Gu
ban people before the military gov
ernment is withdrawn. Business
men are naturally interested in the
opportunities which the island offers,
but they have no desire to begin
operations as long as there is any
doubt about the stability of the gov
ernment.
Several business men of New York
who are in Washington have stated
that they would not be willing to
embark in any Cuban enterprise un-