Evening star., 1898-11-02
Watching Public Sentiment.

Watching Public Sentiment
Public sentiment on the Philippines is
teirg cloSe;y watched by the administra-
ticU. and the final solution of the question
may depend much on what the country
wants. President Mckinley is a great
newspaper reader and sees the trend of
affairs in newspaper comments In addi-
ton to this. The people o. the country write
thousands of letters and seul thousands
OF teleGTdmS on almost every subject to
me W lIte House. There mas been no sub
1ect OF great interest since the advent of
The present adminis'ratio which mas no.
been fully thresaed owe" IN letters to the
President. He does net have flma to read
tHem al. but thost sent by Ine most prom
Inent men of the United states are ure-
pared for him The President likes TO
hear from the pIOp.e This way. He does
hot consider il dictdtion or impertinence,
and frequently sends answers TO these vo,-
uhtdry contributors Of public opinion. Be
SIGts this ElethCd. the Presid mt talks with
his ADVISERS.
ON his recent western trip the President
found that the people of the west were
Enthusiastically in favor OF taking and keep
ing the Philippines. lie has since learned
that the people of the north south and
east are not quite So unanimous. but he is
convinced that the vast majority of every
section of the country wants the Philip
pms He acted ON this belief in instruct-
ing the American commissioners to de
nald the Philippines. AS this demand is
not absolute. there Is Vet CucStio what
kind of figure d change in nubIir nnin5nn
VIII cut The administration does not an
uSipate a change. but last nights speech
oI senator Hoar and the opinions of other
prominent men are receiving attention
4 Question of Dollars and Cents.
To representative of The Star promi-
nent merrh"r of the cabine, said today that.
aside from all other opinions. he believed
a he la
an end 10 ne war. They were not in favor
OF returning TO fighting and the mairten-
arce of a large army if there could he an
honorable settlement of the questions in
HlSpuie- To secGr- this s-ttlcTu-nt the
LiIppIneS would either have to be aban-
uCHrf 10 the Spaniards, or they would have
20 De- taken ard cash sum paid for such
Just Gebts as existed. He had no fouht
trat the abrupt seizure of the islands sim
ply EecduS@ this country was In position tn
DO so, would result in d resumption of the
NaT- 'uch struggle might not last long
but there would be greater cost involved
I. an IN paying What appeared to be just to
the defeated. The whole question" he
said, is one of dollars and cents with tie
~ anlards IT is for US to determine how
much we VIII pay That is yet to be L.
S-ded, and viii not be answered tlr sOna
time"
End of Negotiations Not Expected
Regarding the possible refusal Of the
SrGniards 10 entertain the American de-
Inands of Monday and the breaking off Of
negotiations. il is said today by those who
have conferred with the President that
he has no idea that such will be the an
swer Of the SPaniards. 1t is believed in
official circles her that the Spauiards will
answer ami that th,y will make counter
Propositions. To thes. pIoI,.sitious rho
United States will answer. Upon the re-
Ply of the nited States will depend wheth-
r the SrSn'ards will refuse longer 10 con-
tii-Ie negotiations with the American COM
Tis-t0ners. That point viii be reached
some time next week The administration
s''rs this and Will give mature dcIiberatian
. ''- reply 10 the Spanish commissI Jners.
The Spanish Reply.
Even II the Spaniards say Friday that
tHey can not entertain proposition to dis
pose OF the Philippines that will not neces-
s@FIiy mean breaking off Of negotiations
Nc Spahiards might give this answer and
then say they would consider other propo-
Siu"hS- The President would then have 10
I'ttfElne whether the American prCposi-
tons would be changed in any wav This
answer OF the Span!ards is not anticipated
however.
The opinion in cabinet circles is that they
VIII cntr to part with the Philippines on
th@ payment OF a large sum by ,he United
states All the negotiations thereafter Will
be conducted ON The question Of how much
'Ht NHiIeu states - willing to pay.
The Mexican War Settlement.
Cabinet members, in talking of the situa-
ton, frequently refer to the fact that the
nited States paid Mexico money for ter
ritory which had been won by forces of
this country. The flag OF the United
states was actually planted in the civ of
Mexico, one cabinet member said sYet
tAls country did not care 10 annex Mexico
10 tie United States, FOr much Of th, ter
ritury We took during that war We paid
Mexico"