The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-03

midnight Secretary Alger, as he left the
white house after a conference with the
president, said the administration had
received no official information that the
Madrid government had accepted the
terms of peace proposed by the United
States.
Unoficially the president had been in
formed that the Spanish ministy had ac-
cepted the terms of this country for
cessation Of the war. The unofficial news
reached the president in the form, not
only OF press dispatches, but of private
dispatch from continental agents OF
the United States.
While this government has strong rea-
sons for believing that its terms of peace
have been agreed to by the Madrid gov
ernment. the president is taking nothing
for granted. Arrangements for pressing
the war to a successful conclusion are
going forward precisely as II no neSo-
tiations for peace were in progress. AT
a conference participated in by the pres
ident, Secretary Alger and AdJutant
General Corbin at the executive mansion
tonight a final decision was reached
as to the constitution of the provisional
corps of Porto Rico to be commanded
by General Wade. The regiments which
are to compose the corps were decided
upon, and were designated in a general
order to be issued probably tomorrow.
Secretary Alger said the corps might be
EN- route to Porto Rico within a week.
Notwithstanding these warlike prepa-
rations, the belief in official circles to-
night amounts almost to a conviction
that active hostilities practically have
been concluded.
A prominent official of the administra-
ton said: THE end is near. in my opin-
ion. The information thus far received
is unofficial and meager, but that 1t is
accurate in the main, we have no rea-
son to doubt. In fact. we have reason
to believe IL is correct"
1t is understood that the reason re-
ferred to is contained in the private
advices received by the president, and
from private dispatches received by rep
| resentatives of foreign governments In
this capital.
Ambassador Cambon, who Is conduct
| ing the negotiations for the Spanish
government, has not communicated, so
| far as could be ascertained, with the
president tonight, and IL Is not prob
able that the official response TO the
| terms proposed by the United states
| has yet reached the French ambassa-
| dor. Upon its receipt 1t will be trans
mitted TO the president without delay.
| In the event of Spain's acceptance OF
the terms proposed by this country, the
first report probably will be towards an
| agreement 10 close active hostilities.
| pending the drafting OF a treaty or
| peace along the lines of the accepted
| terms. According to precedents ordi-
/ narily regarded, an armistice viii be
| proclaimed. and in the circumstances
| this would mean the practical close OF
| the war. II is pointed out, however,
| that several precedents have been set
aside by this government in the con-
duct OF the war and in the treatment
! OF events which led up to IL. One nota-
| BILE instance in which the recognized
| diplomatic precedents were swept away
| was the personal demand made by Sec
| retary Day upon Minister De LONE to
| know whether the Spanish minister
was the author of the letter rejecting
upon the president. Another precedent
was relegated to the past when the gov
| ernment decided TO return to Spain the
prisoners of war taken with the sur
| render of Santiago.
Precedents have been disregarded in
other instances by this government. In
| view of this fact, therefore, precedent
| may not govern absolutely in the con-
| duct of the peace negotiations. After
the proclamation of an armist1ce. dip
| lomatically the next step would be the
| designation by the president of the
| commissioners to represent the United
| States in the conduct of the final nego-
| tiations OF peace. The terms proposed
by this government provide for joint
commission to draft a peace treaty and
to solve the difficulty relative to the fu-
ture government of the Philippines
| Again. according to the best accepted
! precedents. this joint commission would
meet upon neutral ground. 1t has beer
suggested that the commission may as
semble in Paris. but as yet that is the
merest conjecture. The commission
might meet in either of the belligeren
countries.
Pending the conclusion of the work
OF the commission, the probabilities are
that the armies Of both Spain and th'
| United States will be kept in the field
their relative positions remaining un
changed during the diplomatic negotia
tions. Here again. however. preceden
may be put aside by the United States
but II is regarded as certain that thi!
government will not withdraw any o.
the troops from the field until deter
mination shall have been reached of al
questions in issue before the commits
. | SiOners