The evening times., 1899-04-11
The Steps TO Peace.

1t takes much more time and many more
formalites TO effect 4 peace than TO de-
clare war. We began the amica0ie
business when Spain authorized NJ. Cam
bon, the French Ambassador. to learn the
terms on which President Mckinley Won
call off the dogs of war. The attitude of
Spain at that time was one OF seeming
indifference. Solely in the interest o.
humanity and to prevent the needless
effusion of blood and chiefly at the solicit
tation of NJ. Cambon she was willing 10
listen to what this country proposed, bat
il was not a very important matter. When
the American terms were announc d,
Spain was shocked at the brutality, the
lack Of magnanmity. OF the Republic. OF
course, she could never dream of submit
ting 10 such conditions-indesd she could
not believe We were in earnest. Anyho n,
she would go On with the bloodshed in
preference to the humiliation of sucl Il
robbery. Then the protocol was drawn
up and signed, after much talk and an
uitimatum from the President. and the
fighting ceased. 80
Technically we were still in state of
war, and General Banco continued to op-
press the people of Havana. TO rob the
banks. sell public property, snub the
American Commissioners, pocket the Gus
toms receipts, and the like. and there was
a long period of pretended activity on the
part Of the Peace Commission at the gay
French capital. The time between the
meeting of the represe OF The two
countries and the American elections was
tided over by an appearance OF labor on
the questions at issue, but no progress
was made until this country had given 4
verdict in favor of the Administration.
Then the work on the Treaty began. and
at the end of many weeks it was done,
TO the grief of the Spaniards. But this
was far from the end. For 4 time the
President was undecided whether TO send
The Treaty TO the Senate for ratification
with doubt as to its fate, or 10 hold
ii and perhaps call the next Congress in
extra session. The situation in the Phil
ippnes became embarrassing because the
President assumed that until the Treaty
should be ratified We were bound b. the
provisions Of the protocol, which prohib
tied any change of attitude. He sent in
the document without suggestions. After
L struggle ratification by more than a
iwo-rhirds vote was achieved Neither
was this the end, but the President con-
Guided that it was enough to Danish the
protocol, SO when the rebels attacked our
lines in order to influence the Senate Cen
cral Otis was allowed to give them the
surprise OF their lives. He has been keep
ing it up ever since. until there are only
Il scattered few left, and they are beyond
any further astonishment at American
valor. The next step was the signing of
the Treaty by the Queen Regent, Tatifi-
cation by the Cortes being extremely
doubtful So. there we were. with the
Treaty of Peace made, signed by the Pres
ident and the Queen and ratified by the
Senate, yet the war was not ended The
volunteers in the Philippines who were
enlisted for the war could still be held.
The one step lacking, the final formality.
was the delivery of the Spanish copy, with
the Queen Regents signature. to the
American President. That ceremony took
place in simple manner at the White
House this afternoon. and it is year,
lacking ten days, since the resolution de-
claring war against Spain was adopted by
Congress.