The record-union., 1898-08-04
SPANS ANSWER.
Report That It Had Been Deter
mined Upon Aroused Interest.


WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-The reports
from Madrid by way of London stating
that Spain had determined upon an
answer to the demands of the United
States, and that the answer had been
sent, or was now en- route to Wash
| ington, had the effect of arousing the
most lively interest in all official quar-
ters to-day. While the reports are
accepted as showing the undoubtea
response of Madrid. yet it can be stated
positively that so far the United States
Government has received no answer
from Spain nor has the French En-
| bassy received an answer which will
| be communicated to the authorities
here. 1t is apparent from this that
the answer could not have been sent
from Madrid on Monday, as stated in
some of the foreign reports. The mis-
apprehension doubtless arises from the
fact that the Madrid Cabinet after re-
| ceiving the American terms, desired
more information upon some Of the
| points involved This led to a cable
communication to NJ. Cambon. 1t WAS
not entered as a response to the Amer
lean terms, and was in no sense con-
elusive upon the subject matter Of the
negotiations.
1t is said to be not at all improbable
that the preliminaries leading up 10 the
| signature of the treaty of peace may
consume three months, so that it may
! be well along toward the legal date of
the assembling of Congress before the
! President will be prepared to SUBJ
nit a peace treaty to the Senate. This
1 allowance of time is rather moderate
| than excessive We We're two years,
1 l.,
with Great Britain to terminate the
revolutionary war In the case of
the Chnese-Japanese war, it ives sew
eral months before the Commissioners
were able to perfect the treaty which
terminated that war. 1t does not follow
from this that an actual state Of war
| will prevail during this interval of
three months, for as a matter of fact
! hostilities will terminate within a very
! few days after Spain has notified the
/ United States Government Of ner ac-
| ceptance Of the terms laid down in
| the Presidents note of last Saturday.
The military establishment, however,
must be maintained during that time
and many acts performed that are in
cident to actual warfare.
1t is expected here that the Spanish
pledge to accept the broad conditions
| laid down by the United States will
| take the form of a written agre ament
/ something in the nature of protocol.
which, while a very necessary step in
] the negotiation of a treaty, is not al
ways a part of the document. The ne
! gotiations have not progressed sufti-
| GENTLY to indicate who shall be the
parties to this agreement. or rather
who shall represent the principals, the
United States and Spain. 1t is possible
that it may be signed in Washington,
| as between Secretary Day and NJ.
| Cambon, or on the other hand the
| ambassadors of Spain and the United
| States in one of the European coun-
tries, probably in this case France,
might meet and by the authorizat tion
| of their respective Governments sign
| this agreement The protocol il it
may be called in either case. would
not take the place in any manner for
| the treaty of peace, which would be
| drawn up later by Commissioners TO
be appointed for this purpose.
Under the terms of the Presidents
note, if they shall be accepted by Spain,
the Spanish Government is bound to
evacuate Cuba and Porto Rico immedi-
ately. This action is not to wait upon
the work Of the Peace Commissioners
! but is TO precede it, and to follow inn
mediately upon the signature of the
memorandum accepting the Presidents
! conditions. The word Immediately"
in this case is perhaps a little decep
| tive. The experience of the War De-
partment in the endeavor to remove to
| Spain the Spanish troops surrendered
at Santiago has not justified the expec-
! tation that the large force of Spanish
| regulars can be gathered up and
shipped home to Spain in less than six
ty days at the best. This estimate is
based on the fact that it is not expect
ed by the Spanish troop transports that
they will be able to return all of the
Santiago prisoners to Spain before the
1st of September. Therefore what is
meant by the word Immediately is
that the Spanish Government shall at
least begin the arrangements at once
for the evacuation of the Islands.
On the whole, it is a rather fortunate
circumstance that this evacuation can
not take place en- masse and Immediate
/ ly for it has been determined that the
| Spanish troops withdrawn must be re-
| placed hv United States troops. This
/ is deemed to be necessary to guard
against anarchy, and to secure the es-
| tablishment of a stable form of govern
ment in Cuba under proper guarantees
but in all probability not many Of them