The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-09

WASHINGTON, D. c.,August s.-The
ronly OF the Spanish government to the
nsoce conditions laid down bv the Uni
,sd states was received by the French
Smbassador, Il. cambon, shortly before
a o'clock this afternoon. The reply
came In sections, the dispatch first re-
coiyed giving only the opening pas
s,pes OF the spanish reply. A few
minutes later another dispatch brought
a second section, and these kept COM
ing unlnterruptedly by procession of
messengers, until seven sections of the
snanish reply had been received at ten
minutes OF four, when the last part was
In Inc meantime the cipher experts
we're at work and by 1880 o'clock they
were abreast Of all that portion Of the
remit received up to that time and there
was a lull OF some time pending the ar
rival OF the concluding portions. II was
thought n terrific rain storm which
swept over washington about 4 o'clock
might have occasloned delay of the
remainder. Pending the receipt OF the
complete reply no steps were taken TO
AZ a time for a conference with che
PRESIDENT. as the time for that depended
largely upon some OF the features Of the
reply, and also upon the explicit In
structIons concerning the delivery OF
the answer which usually accompanies
a document OF this solemn character.
Neither at the white house nor at the
state department was there any official
Knowledge that the reply had reached
Washington, and the usual office hours
closed with no appointment made for
conference. There was felt to be little
likelihood, even though the Ambassador
received the complete reply and instruc-
tions, that there would be night con-
ference at the white house for the pur-
pose Of presenting the document.
Many Contain new Condition.
Pending the official delivery OF the
answer speculation was rife as to Its
contents. There was little or no further
doubt left that the length of the reply
meant that Spain had not given a Sim
pie and direct affirmative to the Ameri-
can conditions. It was evident that IL
the reply was an acceptance, 1t was
bY extended discussion
and probably by conditions. This caus-
cd considerable apprehension IN official
circles here, for While It was felt last
week that Spnin would surely yield tn
every particular Il began to be felt that
possibly there might be another period
Of discussion. and possibly an indirect
attempt TO open DIP diplomatic ex-
change on the nature OF the terms. The
view, however, was that the
reply was on its face an acceptance, all
though not such q one as precluded all
possibility OF further discussion. All
vital points were believed TO be cOnced-
ed-the abandonment Of Cuba or Porto
Rico and the Ladrpnes, and the esthb-
lishment OF a commission to pass upon
questions relating to the Philippines.
In the carrying out Of this programme
Il was believed that Spain would seek
to secure an understanding on many
points Involved, some OF them
Of considerable Importance. For In
stance, some doubt was raised as to
Spain's acceptance would be
operative until referred to and ratified
by the Spanish cortes, and 1t was un-
derstood that the reply might call at
tentIon to this condition, The same
1t was pointed out, exists as
to the United States, for a peace treaty
requires the ratification Of the senate to
become operative. In case Spatn's an
swer discussed these incidental points
there promised TO be wide latitude for
controversy and delay unless the Pres
ident and cabinet declined to enter the
held Of discussion.
Several QusstIonH Len Open.
Late in the afternoon, the President
received an indirect intmatIon that the
Spanish reply mad come to the French
embassy, A cabinet officer who vas
with him at this hme said on leaving:
"The information that has come from
Madrid about the action OF the Spanish
cabinet indicates the Spanish have ac-
cepted our terms in a general way, but
leaves several questions open that we
did not include In the terms submitted
The communication offering those terms
was explicit, specifically stating such
points as would be left open to further
negotiations. We will stand on those
terms"
The administration has not yet given
serious consideration to the personnel
Of the peace commission, but Il can be
stated that no one not In accord with
the Presidents present views az to the
OF the Philippines will be
appointed, and Mr.. Mckinley favors
keeping at least Manila harbor and bay
and sufficlent territory around II for Its
support and protection. II not the whole
Of I.uzon island. ~ to members Of the
cabinet as members Of the commission,
there nre precedents for their appoint
meRi, notably the treaty OF Ghent.
The concluding portion Of the Span
ish reply was received during the even
Ing, but It was not until a late hour
that II was declphered as n whole and
gone over by the ambassador. No EFFORT
was made to communicate It TO the
United States government tonight be-
gond a note to Secretary Day. advising
him that the document had been re-
ceived but not disclosing It's contents.
1t Is probable that the reply Will be
delivered TO the President before the
cabinet meeting, although no hour has
been fixed. There Is complete retic-
ence In all quarters as TO the text Of the
reply, but there ID reason TO believe II is
not an unqualified acceptance OF tho
American terms. but is framed on the
theory OF accepting the essentials and
trusting TO a hoped-for conolliatorY
spirit on the part Of this government 70
moderate TO some extent features which
the Spanish government seems 70 re-
gard AB unessentlalB.