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


Spanish government has decided TO ac-
cept the terms laid down bV the United
States as essential to the negotiation OF
q treaty of peace, the officials here are
proceeding under the conviction that
the,end has come and are giving atten-
tlon to the steps to be taken next.
in view of the delay in coming to this
conclusion the idea was beginning to
prevail that the Spanish government
was about to enter a plea In abatement,
and that the answer would again be In
conclusive. IN this case the President
was disposed to deal firmly with the is
sue; to give notice that our proposals
were withdrawn and to let 1t be under
stood that when Spain again sued for
peace the conditions would be more
severe than those first laid down. II
the Spanish answer should embody an
effOrt to secure any material change In
the conditions 1t will meet with prompt
rejection.
Some reference has been made in the
dispatches OF British newspapers to
desire on the part Of the Spanish gov
ernment to include In the preliminary
agreement clause exempting It from
liability for the Cuban debt. The formal
statement OF the poIRts OF the Unltea
States note given out from the white
house made no reference TO this subject
and 1t cannot be known as yet whether
or not the full text shows anything
more. But presuming that no reference
whatever Is made TO the Cuban debt 1t
l., Ia EFYNI ms he. fGnH
as one that should be treated by the
peace commissioners who are 10 meet
later to frame the treaty which, OF
course. will embody many details that
ore left untouched In the main PROPOSE
tion, though cabinet officers have au-
thorlzed the statement that no part OF
the Cuban or Porto Rican debts would
be assumed By the United States. Based
upon the Associated Press reports OF
the progress being made at Madrid to-
wards returning the answer Of Spain u
was calculated by the department otti-
cials that the formal note could not be
delivered TO the President to-day.
Answer Long Drawn Ont,
From the length OF time consumed In
its preparation, the note was believed
to be long, thus entaillng the consump-
tlon of much time In forwarding It first
to Paris, reducing It to cipher there.
transmitting It over the cable and then
re-translatlng It ut the French en1bas-
sy. In the case Of the last note the at
taches OF the embassy worked nearly all
night to prepare their communication to
the Spanish government, though the
conference with the President closed
before o'clock In the afternoon, With
d. V,A9uaaaiNV1 NJ NhR
United States note. Should the Span
Ish answer be an unconditional accept
Rnce of our terms, some negotiations
may be necessary to agree upon the
steps to be taken 70 give effect to the
agreement. So far as can be learned 1t
has not yet been determined how this
shall be done. There are two ways
open. The first is a military capitula-
tion by the captain generals OF Cuba
and Porto Rico, which will Immediately
place the American military or naval
commanders IN technical occupation OF
the Islands and enable them to carry
out in their own way and in their own
time the embarkation Of the Spanish
armies in the islands. The question as
to whether they shall be permitted to
carry on their arms Is not now Us ma
terial as It was In the case OF the sur
render OF General Toral's forces at San
tlago, which occurring IN the midst OF |
the campaign there was a necessity for
securing the moral effect of compelling |
the Spanish soldiers to lay down their
arms, SpalE having sucCumbed II |
might be urged that the United States |
miuht grant n concession on this point |
TO Spanish pride without fear Of having |
the action attributed to fear OF the con- |
sequence Of n refusal. This would not |
apply, however, to the volunteers who |
might elect TO remain ln Cuba, as & |
would not be prudent to allow so large |
n body OF men to carry arms without |
restraint in the days Of reconstruction.
when delicate and difficult matters OF |
internal policy nre to be settled and |
new methods applied to che govern
ment Of the Islands.
Second Method Of AEreemsnt.
The second method by which the pre-
llmlnary peace agreement might be for
maily Effected would be by a protocol
TO be signed by representative OF the
President, probably Secretary Day In
this case, and By ". Cambon In BEHALF |
of the Spanish government. II was by |
just such an agreement as this, known |
MS the Gushing protocol, that war with |
SPAN WAS hNNShSA bH - hSstAAt Va NAtN
Vlrginlus afIair. This course having |
the weight OF precedent may be adopt
ed in this case. 1t is probable that in /
the Philippines the greatest difficulty |
will be met In putting the agreement In
20 effect on account or the attitude OF /
tho insurgents. but General Merritt iS /
nov galninE IN strength daily and |
will be in position 10 meet any
General wade's FeInIorcementE for
General Miles are going forward re-
gnrdIess OF the progress Of peace nego-
tintions. The agreement to negotiate I
treaty OF peace does not necessarily car
rF with Il cessation OF hostllities In
the case ot the Mexican war II was
month after the peace negotiations be-
gan before hostilitlcs were declared TO |
he closed and n Il IL desirable these re-
may be intercepted ana
returned TO the t'nlted States after they 1
sail. The present plans Of Secretary /
Algcr all contemplate that they shall
leave the United states, especially ms II !
is felt that with the practical field ex-
pcrience they win acquire In Porto Rico
under favorable climate condltlons,th they /
win make good material TO use both
there and IN Cuba In carrying out the
recommendation policies.
IIrturn ofshatirI'a ARMY.
Secretary AlFcr Is apprehensivc that